Portrait Środowisko i Innowacje Sp. z o.o. Składowisko azbestu

Taking care of the air we breathe

Portrait

As technological advances and knowledge become known to the world, people learn more about what is beneficial and what is harmful to them. Less than half a century ago, commercial buildings, schools and homes were being constructed using asbestos. Like other things that are now in the past, humanity has learned that airborne asbestos does more harm than good. There is a vital need to have companies in place that can remove past mishaps for the improved health of society. Środowisko i Innowacje Sp. z o.o. specializes in asbestos removal and is dedicated to maintaining the well-being of those living today.

Srodowisko i Innowacje officially got its start in 2007, but initially the owners and operators thought the company would focus on bio-diesel production. They quickly realized that this idea was not in the best interest of the forming company and changed to the asbestos removal industry.

“The initial land we bought for the oil refinery had an old asbestos company on it,” explains Zbigniew Pik, Co-owner and Independent Proxy of Srodowisko I Innowacje Sp. z o.o. “When we did further research, we realized that the future was in asbestos removal, so the company decided to focus on that area of expertise.”

This move proved to be the right one. In 2008, the company purchased 850,000 m² of additional land for future expansion. New offices were built and Srodowisko i Innowacje achieved two ISO certifications – 9000 and 14 000.

The land the company bought was an old sulphur mine, so the powers that be decided to not only improve its community’s air quality, but also wanted to revitalize the land and surrounding area that was destroyed by the mine.

This innovative idea and approach earned the company a lot of recognition in the industry. “In 2009, we took our idea to the Innova Exhibition in Brussels and won the gold medal for our unique revitalization approach,” says Mr. Pik.

Srodowisko i Innowacje has also received a bronze medal from a Paris expo hosted by the French company, Concours Lepine. Additionally, the company was recognized by Forbes Poland with a Diamond Award in the small company category.

The company also sets itself apart by being the only landfill in Poland that operates its own removal, transportation and disposal lines. “We are active in every step of the process,” says Mr. Pik. “We are unique in that we have no daily limit on the amount of asbestos we can haul and dispose of.”

The usage of asbestos in Poland is still high, with the estimate hovering around 15 million tons. Srodowisko i Innowacje is permitted to dispose of three million tons and has space for five million tons more, making it capable of disposing of half of the country’s asbestos waste.

The company is only allowed to operate in Poland, since Polish legislation forbids the transportation of asbestos waste across borders. Nonetheless, on average, Srodowisko i Innowacje employs 70 people and will achieve a predicted turnover of 30 million PLN in 2015.

The bulk of the company’s work comes from municipal tenders and is rounded out by companies that deliver waste directly to the landfill and by demolition contracts. For the future, Srodowisko i Innowacje expects to command more of the market share.

The company is also en route to becoming a publicly traded company. Furthermore, the firm also holds a permit for thermal waste treatment with plasma. The company intends to research this waste treatment innovation further.

“We are a reliable, trustworthy company that is making improvements where we can, while remaining dedicated to fast and safe waste removal,” sums up Mr. Pik.