The biggest winners of oil shale ash upcycling are Estonian nature and its people

Estonian natural environment health
Today, electricity in Estonia is still mostly produced from oil shale. The production of oil shale energy leaves more than 1 million tons of ash waste per year, and by valorizing it, we can significantly contribute to reducing the environmental footprint created by the production of oil shale energy. This results in a cleaner living environment in Ida-Virumaa and throughout Estonia. The starting point of the unique process is waste, and the goal of developing the technology is to reach the finish line as waste-free as possible. As a result, all streams are needed for one sector or another. The water used is used again and again, and thanks to the technology used, energy use is reduced to a minimum.

A cleaner living environment for local residents
Oil shale industry has left its mark on the natural environment of Ida-Virumaa over decades. Ragn-Sells does not promise that ash mounds will disappear overnight, but the solution developed by the company would significantly reduce the formation of new ash mounds. Scientists have also made it their ambition to investigate the possibilities of recycling the deposited ashes, so that in the future we can talk about the disposal of already existing ash mountains. In addition, innovative development brings new investments to the local economy and creates jobs. It is especially important that these investments are based on circular economy solutions and support the UN's sustainable development goals.

Active use of infrastructure
Ida-Virumaa has a diverse infrastructure, which in addition to roads also includes a practical and more environmentally friendly railway network and ports. This production unit would provide additional work in these areas and enable the already existing infrastructure to be used even more effectively.

Additional employment and tax revenue for Ida-Viru County
For the local community, the development creates additional employment opportunities both in the production unit and in activities directly and indirectly related to it, such as logistics. On average, one job in the manufacturing industry creates 10 more jobs in the vicinity. Based on the additional business activity and employment, the municipality also receives tax revenue, which can be directed to investments made for the benefit of the community.

Estonia's circular economy success story
Directing one of the larger waste segments into recycling will improve Estonia's position in achieving waste generation and recycling goals. The large-scale and innovative project of beneficiation of oil shale ash is noteworthy in the context of the whole world. The project has the potential to expand its application side to other countries where oil shale is used.

A triumph of Estonian science
It is an opportunity to carry out circular economy-related development work and continue with research that has global potential. This project also gives impetus to successful cooperation between Estonian researchers and the private sector, which could encourage the creation and implementation of similar projects with a scientific background and applied value.

Encouraging local business
The creation of an environmentally friendly production unit that improves the living and natural environment will also lead to a revitalization of the business environment. This provides an opportunity to promote local business and thereby create additional added values ​​for the local community.

Less CO2 and extraction of natural resources
The materials that will be produced from oil shale ash are necessary for many production sectors. In most cases, these materials have been produced from natural resources mined for this purpose, and a lot of energy has been used for both the extraction and the subsequent production process. The production process, in turn, has released large amounts of CO2 into the air. Now that there is an opportunity to extract the same materials from already existing waste, part of the natural resources will remain untouched and the impact of mining and production will not be there.

Production areas - more responsible production
Nearly 40 percent of the elements in Mendeleev's table are becoming hard to find today. This technology gives value to ash waste again, extracting elements from it for reuse in various industrial fields.