Gornji Milanovac, July 4, 2024 – Thanks to financial support of the Government of Switzerland, the Papir Print packaging factory in Gornji Milanovac is the first company in Serbia to use technology that converts waste gases from production into green energy. In this way, the company has reduced emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases in accordance with the highest standards of the European Union. This contributes to better air and environmental quality, as well as greater competitiveness of the company's products on the domestic and foreign markets.

"The green transition cannot be successfully implemented without the involvement of the private sector. Our goal is to scale up good practices such as this one supported by Switzerland so that as many companies as possible in Serbia implement the same measures in order to achieve the greatest positive impact on society and the environment," said Richard Kohli, Head of Cooperation of the Swiss Embassy in Serbia during the visit to Papir Print. 

By processing the waste gases from compounds used in the production of packaging, Paper Print generates energy that it already uses for air conditioning and will soon be able to use for the production process as well. In this way, the company consumes less gas and electricity, increases its energy efficiency and thus reduces operating costs. In addition, by reducing air pollution, the company creates better working conditions for its employees and has a positive impact on public health in the local community. 

"This is an excellent example of decarbonisation and reduction of industrial pollution that can inspire other companies in the processing industry to contribute to creating a healthier environment. I invite all private and public companies that have ideas for similar initiatives and need support for their implementation to apply for our call for green transformation under the 'EU for Green Agenda in Serbia' project," said Fabrizio Andreuzzi, acting Resident Representative of UNDP in Serbia.

The Programme Manager for Environment and Climate Action in the European Union Delegation to Serbia, Antoine Avignon, said that with the Green Agenda, the EU supports the specific activities that directly benefit citizens. 

"Today, thanks to Paper Print's initiative, we are seeing positive results. With the financial support of the Swiss government, this solution is helping to reduce pollutant emissions. This is thanks to the 'EU for Green Agenda in Serbia' platform, which is being successfully implemented by UNDP," said Avignon. 

This innovation also contributes to the company’s reputation among environmentally conscious consumers and increases its chances of obtaining favourable loans from banks and international financial institutions.

Petar Obradović, CEO of Paper Print, said that the introduction of waste gas treatment system is one of the ways in which Paper Print, an industrial company, invests in reducing its environmental impact. 

"In accordance with its legal obligations, our company has applied for the Integrated Pollution Control and Prevention Permit, also known as the Integrated Permit. This permit will be a guarantee that our plant will operate according to the best available techniques to keep the consumption of raw materials and energy and the amount of emissions to air, water and soil within the limits set by law," said Obradović.

This Papir Print solution is one of 53 innovative solutions for the green transformation of the economy that have been supported so far as part of the "EU for Green Agenda in Serbia" project. This project is implemented by UNDP with technical and financial support from the European Union and in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and in cooperation with the Embassy of Sweden and the European Investment Bank, with additional funding from the governments of Sweden, Switzerland and Serbia.