Belgrade, December 22, 2023 – By showcasing their best practices, as well as further steps for improvement of the production process, Elixir Group presented today how the fertilizer and phosphoric acid can be produced with environmental considerations. This will contribute to a more efficient use of natural resources, reduction of pollution, as well as the greater competitiveness of the Serbian economy.
"Although there is no unique roadmap to decarbonization, because every business and production is specific, all of us must start from the evidence and analysis of the current situation that is the base for development of goals and strategies, from which corrective measures are derived. Our 'roadmap' will benefit all companies that aim to improve the overall environmental performance of their products and services, especially the exporters to the European Union (EU) that are subject to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). It helps them to reduce their greenhouse gases emissions and maintain competitive prices on the EU market," said Alija Salkunić, supervisor for applied circular economy and production analysis of Elixir Zorka.
The event showcased Elixir's decarbonisation roadmap, which describes how companies can operate in a more sustainable way and reduce their negative impact on the environment, including greenhouse gas emissions. It also contains a description of the methodology for assessing the impact of four selected Elixir products on the environment throughout the entire life cycle: from the acquisition and extraction of raw materials, through production, use of the products, to their final disposal or reuse, as well as a precise calculation of the carbon footprint of these products. Data for this analysis were collected using the state-of-the-art monitoring equipment and software for environmental impact assessment and its quantification. The entire process was designed and implemented within the project "Roadmap of decarbonization of the industry on the example of companies for mineral fertilizers and phosphoric acid production in Serbia", which has been financially supported by the European Union within the initiative "EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia", as one of the most innovative solutions for accelerating the green transition of the Serbian economy.
"This innovative solution enables green transition not only of one factory, but also provides guidelines that can be applied by other companies in order to reduce their CO2 emissions, and thus the negative impact on the environment. I invite everyone with innovative ideas for the green transformation of the Serbian economy to apply to our Public Call for Innovative Solutions for Green Transition, which is open until the end of 2026," said Miroslav Tadić, Programme Analyst for the Climate Change and Environment, of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
Aleksandra Vučinić, head of the Department for Circular Economy and Sustainable Development of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, pointed out that this decarbonization roadmap is the first document of its kind in Serbia, which makes the Elixir Group a leader in the green transformation of the economy.
This event is organized within the project "EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia", which, with the technical and financial support of the European Union and a partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, is implemented by UNDP in cooperation with the Embassy of Sweden and the European Investment Bank (EIB), with additional funding from the governments of Sweden, Switzerland, and Serbia.