On May 4, 2022, the closing conference of the PROVED project took place, an event organized within the Rectorate of the Polytechnic University of Bucharest (UPB). All members of the INOVECO team involved in the project were present together with the representatives of UPB and of the other two collaborating SMEs from the private sector to present the conclusions and results obtained from this successful partnership.
About proved project
The title of the project is "Processes and operational systems for the material and energy treatment and recovery of waste", project code: P_40_301, SMIS code: 105707.
The overall goal was to increase the transfer of knowledge, technology and personnel with research and development innovation (RDI) skills between the public and private sectors. By creating partnerships between UPB and private companies, the aim was to develop new solutions to meet market requirements:
- Fuel Derived from Waste (CDD);
- Technologies for the production of a gas with superior combustible properties (biogas);
- Innovative waste management and tracking technologies with the measurement of complex effects (social, environmental and economic);
- Advanced system of depollution of leachate resulting from landfills.
Financial details. The PROVED project was carried out over 49 months, starting with March 2018, with a value for the Subsidiary Contract -Type C: 810,288 lei and for the Subsidiary Contract Type D: 1,784,650.63 lei. The absorption rate for the European non-reimbursable funds was 98%, a very good result, especially given the complexity and even the difficult period in which it took place, in the context of the pandemic in the last 2 years.
About upb partnership - INOVECO
INOVECO has been involved in this partnership with the aim of acquiring the knowledge and R&D skills necessary for the realization of an eco-technology for energy recovery of municipal waste. This objective is aligned with the strategic growth needs of the company and our mission to develop innovative solutions in the field of compost.
The legal framework for the construction of the partnership between UPB and INOVECO is based on the signing of two subsidiary contracts C and D, which we will briefly set out as follows.
- SUBSIDIARY CONTRACT OF TYPE C. The activities consisted in providing research and development and innovation services carried out by the UPB team for INOVECO:
- Report on the production of composts of various qualities using different percentages of the mixture (in several stages);
- Report on the composition of household waste;
- Report on solutions for the material recovery of biologically treated municipal waste
- SUBSIDIARY CONTRACT type D. The activities consisted of industrial research and/or experimental development carried out in effective collaboration between UPB and INOVECO:
- Elaboration of reports and information on the situation of existing standards at national and international level on composting;
- Industrial research on composting technologies using various types of technological processes and equipment.
By getting involved in the PROVED project, we have demonstrated the necessity and efficiency of composting in closed and controlled systems (through SCADA).
Equipment purchased through this project
- Mobile composting units in closed system with tarpaulins with semi-perishable membranes and positive forced aeration;
- Composter in closed system with rotating cylinder, suitable for food waste processing (HORECA industry);
- Sieve for the refining of the products obtained.
Composting tests carried out at PROVED
- Biouscation tests of municipal waste were performed over a period of 3 and 4 weeks, resulting in a mass loss of 25-30%;
- Tests for composting of green waste from the grooming of trees or green spaces, chopped;
- Composting tests with sludge from the scrubber plant mixed with chopped vegetable waste;
- Composting tests with input material mixture of straw with poultry manure;
- Closed-system composting of food waste from the IKEA canteen.
Project results
One of the most important achievements as a result of the implementation of the PROVED project is the elaboration of the proposal for a normative act materialized in the Law no. 181 of August 19, 2020 on the management of compostable non-hazardous waste. We consider it a very important first step in regulating the compost situation in Romania and we are proud of the fundamental role that the INOVECO team had in achieving this result.
Other results obtained within the PROVED project:
- Reports on the production of compost of various qualities using different percentages of blending;
- Report on the composition of household waste;
- Report on solutions for material recovery of biologically treated municipal waste;
- Elaboration of reports and information on the situation of existing standards at national and international level;
- Industrial research on composting technologies using various types of technological processes and equipment in different combinations of recipes;
- Obtaining compost recipes resulting from biological waste treatment processes.
We thank the members of the INOVECO team for their active involvement in the PROVED project:
- Adrian Todirașcu – PROJECT MANAGER PROVED
- Cristina Feodorov – Coordinator of scaling results
- Alina Dumitrescu – Contract developer
- Murariu Alin – Ing. Purchases
- Stroie Mihail – Specialist IT
- Monica Nicolescu – Chartered Accountant
- Silvia Gerea – Human Resources
- Adrian Borchina – Laboratory technician
- Florin Ungureanu – Ing. Technologist
- Delia Duican – Director of the Technologies and Equipment Department for Agriculture and Environment
We especially thank the General Manager Valentin Feodorov for his trust and all the support provided during the 49 months that the PROVED project lasted.
