This approach helps to significantly reduce the environmental impact of production by lowering the consumption of natural resources and minimizing waste. At the Kirzhach plant, this concept is brought to life through a series of targeted initiatives. The implementation of such projects is not only part of Beko’s internal commitment to sustainability, but also a requirement of federal legislation. As a result, Beko actively supports and promotes practices that align with our environmental and sustainability goals.
Solvent recovery in the Manual Painting Area
The manual painting process generates solvent waste classified as hazardous. Last year, Alexey Sidorov, Technician of the Plastics Production Unit, proposed installing a distiller to purify the solvents. We now recycle solvent waste into clean solvent, which is reused in production. This reduces both waste volumes and production costs.
As a result, solvent waste in 2024 was reduced by 40% compared to the previous year – proving that a single idea can drive meaningful change.
- Neutralization of hazardous waste
- Reintegration of treated materials into production
- Reduction of material procurement costs
- Minimization of waste volumes
- Reduction of waste disposal costs
Reuse of Wooden Pallets
The plant regularly receives raw materials from multiple suppliers, almost always on wooden pallets to ensure safe transport. Many pallets are damaged in transit, but a significant number remain in good condition and can be reused – yet they often go to waste.
We began returning intact pallets to suppliers for reuse. This approach has helped reduce waste and cut costs for suppliers. On a broader scale, it also contributes to reducing deforestation. In 2024, wooden pallet waste decreased by 15% year over year.
Demineralized Water in the Powder Coating Area
Controlling water consumption is one of the plant’s key environmental challenges. To address this, we continue to implement a range of conservation measures.
The most effective initiative so far has been introduced in the powder coating area. Here, used water is temporarily stored in a tank, then treated at a demineralization station, and reused in the coating process. In 2024 alone, this system saved over 26,000 m³ of water – the equivalent of 10 Olympic-sized swimming pools. We managed to recycle more than 15% of our total water use and are actively seeking ways to increase this share.
- > 26,000 m³of water was saved in 2024, equivalent to the volume of 10 Olympic-sized swimming pools
Closed-Loop Water System in the Manual Painting Area
The Manual Painting Area is one of the most environmentally efficient areas of the plant. The process requires a continuous flow of water, which becomes contaminated with paint particles during use. Instead of discarding this water, we now collect it in a storage tank, purify it through a separation process, and return it to the production cycle.
Environmental Engineer:
– We do not rest on our laurels and continue to seek new ways to conserve resources and reduce waste. Every employee at the plant has the opportunity to propose their own idea for optimizing water consumption or waste management, and if the proposal proves promising, we are ready to support and implement it.
Water Reuse in the Washing Machine Audit Laboratory
We have recently begun actively working to improve water efficiency in the washing machine audit laboratory, one of the largest water consumers at the plant. Previously, the used water underwent pre-treatment before being discharged into the municipal sewage system.
To reduce overall water consumption at the plant, we reassessed the water circulation process and implemented a gray water reuse system. We started by installing collection tanks, then redirected the water for use in the sanitary facilities of the refrigerator assembly shop. Only after this secondary use does the water undergo treatment.
This project was implemented in 2024, with the primary expenses being limited to material procurement, while the entire installation was carried out by our in-house electromechanical team. The expected savings amount to at least 100 m³ of water per year, contributing to our annual water consumption reduction target.
Following the same approach, we recently installed a second gray water reuse station in the washing machine audit laboratory. This project is expected to save over 1,500 m³ of water annually. We plan to expand this initiative to other areas of the plant.
The environmental initiatives at the Beko plant demonstrate that responsible environmental practices can be both profitable and effective.
