EU-supported Development at Avarem Ltd.

With the help of EU funding, Avarem Ltd. has acquired a line of machines enabling the recycling of LED-based waste at its site in Mezőkovácsháza, Békés county.

Managing director Csaba Nyist told MTI that the company won HUF 53.86 million from the Economic Development and Innovation Operational Program (Ginop) Plus, with a 70% subsidy intensity.

He explained that manufacturers and importers of light sources have a legal obligation to recycle, which is coordinated by Elektropont Hungary. Avarem is a subcontractor of this company.

Around 1,100-1,200 tons of light sources are sold in Hungary every year, of which about 60% are recovered and recycled.

Commercial outlets that sell light sources are obliged to accept used products, for which they can request collection containers from Avarem Ltd. These are then collected and processed by the company.

So far, traditional halogen light bulbs and energy-saving light sources that have been phased out but are still used in households have been recycled, including the toxic mercury, and the recycling equipment purchased with EU funding will also be able to process LED light sources and luminaires.

“Secondary industrial raw materials, metal, glass and, in the case of LED, plastic, are produced from them. The metal is sold to metal traders, the glass is either reused in the light source technology or ground to the size of a grain of sand and used as a sand substitute for concrete production," Csaba Nyist said.

The grant has also been used to purchase new equipment for material handling and storage: two forklifts, three scale pallet lifters and storage containers.

Thanks to the investment, the company has been able to safeguard 12 jobs.