Businesses in Valmiera learn about waste reduction in production

On February 3, a practical seminar “How to Reduce Waste in Production?” took place in Valmiera, bringing together local entrepreneurs and municipal representatives to explore the principles of the circular economy and industrial symbiosis, as well as to identify practical solutions for utilizing production waste and reducing costs.

Representatives from SIA Avoti, Olighttube, Road Master, Defence Partnership, Valmieras piens, CELAR, and Woodheart participated in the seminar, gaining new knowledge and sharing experiences on how production waste can be transformed into valuable resources to strengthen business sustainability and competitiveness.

The seminar was opened by Evija Pudāne from “CLEANTECH LATVIA” and Māris Ozols from the Valmiera Development Agency, who emphasized the importance of industrial symbiosis in regional development and entrepreneurship and explained how “SustainaCycle” project is helping to move this change. The theoretical framework on the circular economy and industrial symbiosis was presented by Natālija Cudečka-Puriņa, an industrial symbiosis expert, who outlined current trends in Latvia and across Europe.

Key seminar themes included:

• principles of the circular economy and its application in production;
• industrial symbiosis as a tool for business development;
• mapping of production residues and analysis of resource flows;
• collaboration opportunities between companies at the regional level;
• the use of digital tools for resource exchange.

During the practical session, participants examined samples of various production residues – such as varnishes, paints, solvents, sandpaper, adhesive paper, and other materials – mapping resource flows and identifying potential opportunities for recycling or reuse. It was emphasized that every company can begin with concrete steps, including inventorying materials, tracking input and output volumes, and identifying potential cooperation partners.

The seminar was organized in collaboration with “CLEANTECH LATVIA” within the framework of the “SustainaCycle” project, which promotes cooperation between municipalities, companies, and society to improve the collection, recycling, and reuse of plastic, textile, and electronic waste in manufacturing. The project is implemented with the support of the Interreg Central Baltic Programme.