The partnership with Hera Group on projects involving the circular economy, sustainable mobility and the improvement of waste recycling, established in 2020, was renewed for an indefinite period at the end of 2022. Its results have been impressive. The organic waste recycling project, which began in 2021 and was fine-tuned during 2022, currently involves seven Camst food service points in the Bologna and Modena areas, but will be extended to other locations in the same provinces from autumn 2023.

Waste is taken to the Hera plant at Sant’Agata Bolognese and transformed into biomethane which, as a 100% renewable fuel obtained from waste, has much lower environmental impact than fossil fuels. In the first year alone, almost 33,000 m3 of biomethane was produced, generating an annual saving of 25 tonnes of oil and a reduction in CO2 of 59 tonnes/year. Considering that on average a medium-sized tree absorbs 0.1 tonne of CO2 a year, the saving achieved is equivalent to the absorption of about 590 of them.

The recycling of used vegetable oils for the production of hydrogenated biofuel (HVO) under the agreement with Eni is also progressing well. In 2022, 57,196 litres of biofuel were produced from the materials recycled by the 139 Camst food service points involved (+77 compared to 2021), meaning an annual saving of 47.9 tonnes of oil equivalent and 157.5 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, the amount absorbed by about 1,575 medium-sized trees.

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