Innovation

"We organize separate collection of garbage, "pet flacks" and then recycle it. We save nature and many manufacturers of carbonated drinks buy recycled plastic bottles from us", emphasized Denis Tukmachev.

"We buy used bottles that have already been put into the garbage, then they come to our warehouse. Bottles usually come in four colors, blue, brown and green, then at the factory they are sorted and recycled", told us Denis Tukmachev. After that S-Service uses technological advances to remove residual products, inks and adhesives from plastics to restore it to a quality that corresponds to the quality of the original plastic, and then the company uses the "bottle-to-bottle" technology.

This technology means that in Kolomna the main type of plastic is recycled. Bottles of standard colors after preliminary sorting and washing process are recycled in granules. Since the factory is engaged in a full cycle of production, then afterwards they produce the preform - the preform, from which the new bottle is then blown out. Most likely, then, consumers will drink some fizzy drink from it. As for the lids, they are crushed, turned into flakes and sold to other factories.

Inspiration

S-Service was created because Denis Tukmachev, along with his family, had an aspiration to contribute to the reduction of the contaminated environment in Kolomna. The story of the foundation of this company starts with them being involved with some of the materials that S-Service uses nowadays, so that was the moment when he realized he could use them in a way that would not only make a good business but it could also be sustainable.

"Our main purpose is to have a positive impact on the environment and to provide separate waste collection in 4 colours (transparent, brown, blue and green), since there are no such facilities on the streets of Kolomna", said Denis Tukmachev. He was too worried about the huge amount of plastic that is being used in the city, so that he used his desire to help the city as a motivation to develop this idea and start this project.

Overall impact

S-Service wants to change the way Russia recycles and views plastics, and manages its waste. While Russia collects just over 5% of the recyclable plastic today, the country does not benefit from high recycling rates because most of the plastics are down-cycled, accelerating their journey to landfills.

Moreover, the unscientific recycling methods employed by the black market recycling providers in Russia often harm the people and the environment they come in contact with. At the same time, such well-known brands, as Coca-Cola or PepsiCo, do not use recycled plastics in their products and packaging operations in Russia because of lack of availability of high-quality recycled plastic at reliable price, quantity, and quality.

S-Service is looking to change this system in Kolomna by formalizing a largely informal value chain and manufacturing high-quality recycled plastic that reputable brands, such as Coca-Cola or PepsiCo, can use in their products and packaging.

Business benefit

Since there are only few plastic processing companies in Russia, the companies that make carbonated drinks are interested in buying bottles at a lower price. That is why, according to Denis Tukmachev: " S-Service buys used plastic from the landfill, recycles and sells to the companies, which produce carbonated beverages". It is a profitable business because the tendency to sell high-quality recycled plastic is on the rise.

Social and environmental benefit

One of the main environmental benefits of S-Service's products is that they contribute to reducing the generation of waste that is not biodegradable, solving the problem of the long time required for oil-based plastics to disappear, apart from the fact that they become nutrients for the soil. An obvious reason for that is that a regular plastic stays in our environment for 500 years and a minimum percentage is recycled nowadays in Kolomna.Their products eventually decompose and disappear within 60-180 days, which makes it a new alternative for people and companies such as Coca-Cola and Pepsico who use disposable products, but want to be more environmentally friendly and reduce pollution.

Morever, it reduces the additional costs of waste management, especially if used extensively by the food industry. The number of landfills is reduced to a minimum in Kolomna.

Also, as the use of this type of products becomes more popular, people begin to care more about the environment creating a culture of environmental awareness. "Our company is supported by the government due to our innovation ideas and responsible production", pointed out Denis Tukmachev.

Interview

Denis Tukmachev, Manager