Ecological projects of GS Group implementing the initiatives of the VI Nevsky International Ecological Congress

The projects of GS Group international multi-industry holding for forest preservation and waste recycling actively develop the ‘green’ technologies and favor the growth of environmental responsibility of businesses. Actual problems of environment preservation discussed during VI Nevsky International Ecological Congress held in St. Petersburg are being solved efficiently by the holding right now.

The priorities set by the forum participants include forest preservation, necessity of ‘green’ technologies for using wood and water resources. By supporting the ideas of environmental responsibility and acknowledging their importance in the contemporary world, GS Group multi-industry holding implements them efficiently at its own plants today, aiming at forest preservation.

One of the holding’s projects is based on implementing a model of intensive use of coniferous-broadleaf forests in the region with improvement of species composition and quality of forest resources, as well as using an environment-friendly wasteless production with closed cycle.

The investment project “Production complex for added-value wood processing in Dedovichi” being implemented by GS Group in Pskov region envisages the 100-percent use of the allocated forest resources. In the framework of the project, a forest nursery is being constructed for growing trees with the technology of ‘closed root system’ providing for practically total survival of trees. The forest nursery capacity is 2 million trees per year with a potential for increase. Its main objective is to grow trees for restoring the forest reserves in wood-cutting areas in the framework of Dedovichi project. It is especially important that the nursery will provide trees not only for this project but also for the needs of Pskov region for reforestation.

Another actual problems discussed during the Ecological Congress were the waste processing, waste reduction at modern plants and development of wasteless production. The target was set to increase the processed waste share from 11 to 80 per cent as in all European countries.

By implementing these principles, GS Group uses the technologies of secondary processing of waste efficiently. For instance, one of the holding’s plants, the First Carton Factory – the largest producer of corrugated packaging materials in Kaliningrad region – has organized a program of collecting paper waste from over 100 locations in Kaliningrad region. These include various enterprises, as well as large retail networks.

The waste received when producing corrugated cardboard – either produced by the First Carton Factory or received from retail networks and other companies – are carefully collected and pressed. Then they go for recycling to obtain paper and cardboard which are used by the First Carton Factory for producing corrugated cardboard.

Intensive use of secondary products in the production process permits to reduce the share of processed timber, lower substantially the power expenditure for processing, as well as the environmental harm connected with obtaining raw materials. 100 kg of paper waste is used to produce 80 kg of paper needed for corrugated cardboard production. The company specialists have calculated that the program adopted by the First Carton Factory permits lowering the environmental pollution by 35 per cent and the water pollution by 74 per cent.

GS Group shares the opinion that further development of mankind and its environment is impossible without a responsible and attentive attitude to the nature, close interaction with it and thrifty use of its resources. The company’s plans include further improvement of ecological compatibility of the plants within the holding, opening new facilities aimed at natural resources preservation and promoting the ecological responsibility among businesses in Russia and other countries.