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As Kunda Nordic Tsement and AS Optiroc - two most environmentally friendly enterprises of Estonia

Heiki Kranich, Minister of Environment, yesterday announced the most environmentally friendly enterprises of Estonia: AS Kunda Nordic Tsement for purposeful application of environmental management and Optiroc AS for improvement of the production process. Both enterprises manufacture building materials.

The winners of the contest will have the right to represent Estonia at the relevant EU contest in 2002.

Industrial enterprises were in particular assessed with respect to the reduction achieved within the last 3 years in the use of resources per production unit and in pollution load. Also, the measures of environmental management and enterprises’ ability to communicate with the public were considered.

AS Kunda Nordic Tsement has decreased the use of resources in terms of raw materials, fuels and energy per production unit. In addition, the enterprise was able to reduce the emissions of dust and sulphur dioxide into ambient air and, in particular, discharges of oil products and total nitrogen into water.

Optiroc AS improved its production process in a manner which has resulted in the reduction of emissions and which also allows to spare fossil fuels. The use of energy per production unit should further decrease after the construction of a closed sand storage facility (2003). Emissions of dust, sulphur dioxide and heavy metals into ambient air have reduced considerably and the volume of wastewater has decreased threefold. 

The jury considered the environmental management measures applied and the public relations of both enterprises to be excellent
In total, eight enterprises operating in different branches of industry participated in the contest: energy industry - Eesti Energia, Tallinna Küte; building materials industry - AS Kunda Nordic Tsement, AS Optiroc, AS Repo Vabrikud; printing industry - AS Kroonpress; food processing industry - AS Vilma; and electronics industry - Elcoteq Tallinn AS.

The Ministry of Environment intends to turn such contests into a tradition and to organise them every two years.

The aim of the contest is to acknowledge the efforts and investments made by Estonian enterprises in reduction of environmental pollution, to promote environmentally sound production and to raise public awareness of actions towards sustainable development.

Additional information: Jüri Truusa, Senior Officer of Environmental Management and Technology Department, tel.: 627 3063, 056-497698