Roundtable “United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Project on Enhancing Resource Efficiency of the Enterprises from Agro-industrial Complex: Prospective for Vinnytsia Region”

February 12, 2015 in the premises of Vinnytsia Chamber of Commerce and Industry the roundtable “United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Project on Enhancing Resource Efficiency of the Enterprises from Agro-industrial Complex: Prospective for Vinnytsia Region” took place. The organizers of the roundtable are Resource efficient and cleaner production Centre (Kyiv) and Vinnytsia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI). The event gathered about forty participants, such as representatives of Vinnytsia Regional State Administration and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, company owners and managers, farmers, environment and economy specialists.

Roundtable was devoted to current results of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Project “Promoting the adaptation and implementation of resource-efficient and cleaner production” realization in Vinnitsa region and the prospects for its further implementation in the region. The aim of the Project established by the initiative of Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine is to increase the competitiveness and environmental responsibility of the enterprises through the practical application of resource-efficient and cleaner production (RECP) methodology. In Ukraine the UNIDO Project is functioning since 2013 in four regions (Odessa, Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia and Vinnytsia regions) with the financial support of the Swiss Confederation and the Republic of Austria.

The project is implemented by Resource-efficient and cleaner production Centre (RECP Centre), founded by National Technical University of Ukraine “Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”, Science Park "Kyiv Polytechnika" and Ukrainian League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. The Centre is the part of the global network; there are more than seventy Centres all over the world, from Eastern Europe, Asia to Central and Latin America, and Africa.

Roundtable opened Dyadkovych Victor, who welcomed the participants on behalf of Vinnitsa Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He emphasized on the importance of the event for the region, as energy, materials and resource efficiency is not just the usual phrase, but also the only possible way for all industries survival and development. Dyadkovych Victor invited all participants to actively participate in the discussion and to cooperate with RECP Centre, expert organization that offers specific decisions to improve the resource efficiency of enterprises and their environmental safety.

Continuing this topic the Director of RECP Centre Igor Shylovych outlined that the vast majority of technical decisions does not require large investment, and often does not require any additional investment. Usually the decisions are connected with definition and usage of those internal resources companies do not use. Thus, among the objectives of RECP Centre is expert assessment and analysis of opportunities and providing propositions for optimizing resources, materials and energy consumption. Moreover, according to International Financial Corporation modernization is completed only at 11.4% of Ukrainian companies. The main difficulty lies in the cost of energy and no opportunity to attract investments with low interest rate; when application of RECP methodology support to face these difficulties. There were specific examples when implementation of RECP methodology improved productivity of enterprises allowing resources and energy saving, and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. In conclusion, Igor Shylovych showed specific examples when implementation of RECP methodology improved productivity of enterprises allowing resources and energy saving, and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. It was emphasized that the reduction of inefficient production costs is a necessary step that makes the company more stable and increases its competitiveness, approaching to European technical standards and reducing the costs for raw materials, water and energy.

Director of JSC “Poromhazaparat” Volodymyr Podgorodetskiy emphasized that the aim of the enterprises is the transition to alternative fuels consumption and introduced new technology of alternative fuel burning. Investment idea is to replace natural gas with corn tails after its drying. The Director of PE "VitaS" Vadim Voronovych supported this idea, who noted that corn stalks are an excellent fuel, which today is hardly ever used. Thus, Ukraine annually collects about 30 mln t of maize, which gives 45 mln t of nutrient remains which can replace 20% of the total gas consumption of agro-industrial complex of Ukraine. In other words, the enterprises literally throw away the opportunity to become independent from energy sources.

Expert from RECP Centre Vsevolod Jaremenko presented UNIDO Project on implementation of “green chemistry” approaches in Ukraine, the creation of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and production of hazardous substances. In terms of industry of Vinnytsia region, it is important for the enterprises from agro-industrial complex, because “green” approaches provide rational soil and renewable energy usage, getting environmentally friendly products, reduction of the impact of agrochemical substances.

Coordinator of RECP Centre in Vinnytsia region Valery Redchyk proposed the initiative to merge several farmers to improve energy efficiency of the process of grain drying.

During further constructive discussion roundtable participants discussed the importance of implementation of projects on resource-efficient and cleaner production, and the ability to implement the principles of “green economy” in the region.

In general, the roundtable “United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Project on Enhancing Resource Efficiency of the Enterprises from Agro-industrial Complex: Prospective for Vinnytsia Region” really was a step towards further implementation of RECP methodology in the region.