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The waste management company UAB Energesman, responsible for handling household and food waste in the Vilnius region, has begun testing fly larvae farming. The Dutch-manufactured fly larvae equipment, worth EUR 1 million, is the first of its kind globally, specifically designed for processing household food waste. Additionally, UAB VAATC invested EUR 1.1 million in automated systems for processing orange waste bags.

Trials underway

“The equipment has been installed, and we have started testing. Initially, we conducted trials using plastic pellets, but now we are testing the system with live fly larvae. We are assessing the entire cycle – from breeding flies in a dedicated container to a specialised tank for collecting eggs, where larvae hatch. We are also testing the orange bag unpacking machine, which produces clean organic matter from food waste to feed the larvae,” explains Algirdas Blazgys, CEO of Energesman.

The flies are housed in a specially designed 35-square-metre container located at the Vilnius Mechanical-Biological Waste Sorting Plant, operated by Energesman and owned by the Vilnius Regional Waste Management Centre (VAATC).

Connected to the fly container is a specialised egg-laying unit that creates optimal conditions for flies to lay their eggs.

“In the fly habitat, the lights automatically switch off every 3 – 4 hours, while the egg-laying unit is illuminated. This attracts the flies to lay their eggs. Later, the lights are reversed to guide the flies back to their living container,” explains Walter Jansen, CEO of Amusca BV and the Dutch scientist who developed and perfected the fly larvae technology.

The eggs are then transferred to a specialised larvae incubation tank, where, within just 3 – 4 days, 100 kg of eggs can grow into up to 3,000 kg of larvae. In this tank, the larvae are fed food waste from Vilnius residents, processed and cleaned by the orange bag unpacking system.

When the larvae mature, they automatically move to a separator, where they go through several screening cycles to separate them from residues and by-products generated during growth. Energesman invested EUR 1 million in this fly larvae farming equipment.

First globally

In addition to the fly and larvae farming equipment, the system includes an orange bag unpacking machine (depacker) and a sedimentation tank (seditank) that automatically prepare the larvae feed and separate impurities. VAATC invested EUR 1.1 million in this equipment.

The unpacking machine shreds food waste along with the orange bags and mixes the resulting mass with water. During the next stage, lightweight plastics float to the surface and are removed using an air vortex. Heavier impurities, such as glass shards, small stones, or metal particles, settle at the bottom and are also separated. The middle layer retains a liquid organic mass with 99% purity, which serves as larvae feed.

“This is the only equipment of its kind in Lithuania capable of producing such pure organic mass from household food waste, which typically contains various impurities like plastic packaging, glass, metal containers, sponges, and wipes,” says Tomas Vaitkevicius, Director of the Vilnius Regional Waste Management Centre (VAATC).

The clean organic mass produced by the modern unpacking machine and sedimentation tank can also be used in biogas plants for biomethane production.

According to T. Vaitkevicius, the fly larvae farming technology being implemented at the plant is innovative and new, so the operator still faces a long journey to optimise production processes and find markets for the products.

“We aim to be the first region in the world where household food waste is processed using fly larvae – all the necessary equipment is in Vilnius, and the first trials are yielding positive results,” states A. Blazgys.

Encouraging food waste sorting to support larvae farming

“Together with Vilnius region residents, we are creating a success story. Therefore, I encourage everyone who has not yet started sorting food waste to begin doing so and contribute to larvae farming,” urges A. Blazgys.

According to him, studies show that since the introduction of food waste sorting last year, Vilnius region residents have been disposing of increasingly cleaner waste, as more households separate food scraps into dedicated orange bags. This makes it easier to prepare other waste for recycling.

T. Vaitkevicius emphasises that this modern approach to food waste management will create significant added value, help reduce the use of fossil resources, decrease reliance on imported protein crops, and contribute to the development of the green economy in Vilnius and across the country.

“We have adopted advanced technology that will positively impact the circular economy in Lithuania, as food waste can be reintroduced to the market as new products for industrial use,” says A. Blazgys.

The industrial larvae farming project is currently under development, and it is expected to start operating on a larger scale this spring.

The Vilnius Mechanical-Biological Waste Treatment Plant, operated by Energesman, sorts mixed municipal and food waste from the entire Vilnius region, which includes eight municipalities: Vilnius city, and the districts of Vilnius, Trakai, Elektrenai, Ukmerge, Svencionys, Salcininkai, and Sirvintos. The plant processes approximately 220,000 tonnes of waste annually.

As of this year, Lithuania has introduced a new system for collecting textile waste. Residents are now expected to dispose of such waste in dedicated textile waste collection containers. Any textiles discarded with mixed waste we also sort and repurpose for the production of SRF (Solid recovered fuel) mixtures.

How do we manage textile waste?

Approximately 10% of all waste arriving at the facility which we operate consists of textiles, including clothing, footwear, bedding, curtains, and other fabric-based products. This waste is meticulously sorted using both manual and specialised automated equipment, ensuring that it is repurposed effectively.

“All the textiles we receive are handled sustainably. None of it ends up in a landfill; instead, it contributes to the production of a new product – high-calorific SRF fuel, which we supply for cement production in Akmene,” says Algirdas Blazgys, CEO at Energesman.

Textile items disposed of in mixed municipal waste bins at the facility are dried, shredded, and incorporated into a special SRF mixture. This mixture is then delivered to AB Akmenes Cementas for use in their cement production processes.

At the cement factory, SRF – derived from textiles and other non-recyclable waste – is used in the production process to create clinker, which later becomes part of the cement.

Significant changes ahead

Starting in 2026, amendments to European Union directives will come into force, requiring clothing manufacturers and retailers in Lithuania to take responsibility for managing textile waste disposed of in dedicated containers. These businesses will be obliged to ensure that even damaged or unusable textile items are properly processed.

Plans are underway to significantly expand the textile waste collection network. Specialised containers will be installed in urban districts, small towns, villages, near shopping areas, petrol stations, and other frequently visited locations.

The evolving textile waste management system provides an opportunity to make better use of these resources. Nevertheless, if textile items continue to end up in mixed municipal waste bins, we will sort and process them efficiently to further contribute to Lithuania’s circular economy.

You can learn more about the changes in textile waste management in the TV3 report from 37:11 in Lithuanian.

The festive season is upon us – a time to pause, reflect on our achievements, and gather fresh inspiration for the year ahead. We would like to take this opportunity to extend our warmest greetings and gratitude to everyone who has been with us: our partners, clients, and employees.

The year 2024 was a meaningful for us projects wise. We take pride in collaborating with partners who share our vision – approaching work with responsibility, seeking innovation, and striving to create positive change.

Thank you for your trust and cooperation. Together, we have turned ideas into value and demonstrated consistency and responsibility in fulfilling our commitments. We believe that what we have built together forms a strong foundation for even greater success in the future.

May this festive season bring warmth, comfort, and peace to your homes, and may the New Year open the door to new opportunities and joy. We wish you a successful 2025 filled with meaningful moments and genuine partnerships.

On behalf of our entire team, we sincerely thank everyone contributing to the achievement of our shared goals.

Wishing you and your loved ones a bright, inspiring, and meaningful holiday season!

The Energesman team

We have introduced a new, simple, and convenient way to book tours of our factory. These tours allow everyone interested to learn more about our activities and innovative waste management solutions. We are one of the most modern and largest waste sorting factories in Lithuania.

“We are happy to welcome organisations interested in our activities. We guide them through the factory, explain how various systems work, and share data about the types and amounts of waste we process annually and daily. We invite everyone to register and see firsthand what the ‘Energesman’ company is all about,” invites Algirdas Blazgys, CEO of the Energesman factory, who leads the tours.

During the tours, you will see how the waste cycle works—from its arrival at the factory to its transformation into new products. From waste, we produce SRF (Solid Recovered Fuel), which we supply to AB Akmenes Cementas, where it becomes clinker, a key component of cement used in house construction. We also produce food for fly larvae, which are later turned into protein products for industrial applications.

To register, you need to:

• Visit the Tours section of our website: https://energesman.lt/en/tours/. 
• Select your desired date and time.
• Enter details about your organisation.

After registering, you will receive confirmation by email with all the necessary information about your visit to the Energesman factory.

We recommend bringing a respirator if you are sensitive to smells. Wear comfortable clothes and footwear, especially if you plan to climb production stairs and view the sorting lines from above.

Tours may be photographed and filmed, and the images and footage used to promote our activities.

We accommodate groups of up to 10 people. Tours last up to 2 hours and can be conducted in Lithuanian or English.

We invite you to register and visit us!

The Vilnius regional waste sorting facility operator, Energesman, has launched a new glass sorting line capable of extracting glass fragments as small as 10 mm, and even smaller, from mixed municipal waste. This advanced line is projected to sort and preserve around 13,000 tonnes of glass annually – enough glass to produce over 55 million half-litre jars.

Until now, some of this glass ended up in landfills. From now on, it will be recycled and reused. The equipment, manufactured in Spain, required a EUR 2 million investment.

Fly-wing-sized glass fragments

“The new equipment’s optics are so precise that during calibration, technicians observed that even a fly’s wing was detected and separated as glass,” says Algirdas Blazgys, CEO of Energesman.

Experimental results suggest that 98.82% of glass fragments in household mixed waste streams can now be recovered—nearly all the glass waste that residents dispose of in mixed waste bins. The new glass sorting line elevates waste to an 8-metre height—equivalent to a three-story building—and separates glass fragments through a series of shaking, sieving, and optical sorting processes, capturing even the tiniest particles that previously went unsorted.

“We searched extensively for the most suitable solution for the Vilnius region, researching practices in other countries, attending trade exhibitions, and examining applied innovations. We selected Spanish-made glass sorting technology and are pleased that the first weeks have exceeded our expectations. We’re recovering more glass from waste than we anticipated. There is indeed a lot of glass in residents’ mixed waste,” says Blazgys.

According to the plant manager, the new equipment handles waste that has already been dried in bio-tunnels and crushed to 8 cm. The system accurately separates ceramics, stones, and plastics, delivering a final product that is a clean technical compost mixed with soil.

Less waste sent to landfills

Lithuania has set ambitious goals to reduce the volume of waste sent to landfills.

“More waste is being processed at the Vilnius Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) facility. The new glass sorting equipment, the production of special SRF fuel blends for the cement industry, and the separation of food waste by residents in orange bags have collectively halved—from 19% to 10%—the amount of post-sorted waste going to landfill,” notes Tomas Vaitkevicius, Director of VAATC, the facility’s owner, which selected Energesman as the operator through a public tender.

“This is significant progress, achieved by introducing waste management innovations that also foster a circular economy in Lithuania. Such solutions are critical for implementing the European Union’s Green Deal and for aspiring to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent,” Blazgys adds.

Sorted glass for recycling

The new equipment was acquired in collaboration with Zaliasis taskas (The Green Dot), an organisation focused on packaging waste management. In exchange for its investment, Zaliasis taskas (The Green Dot) has received priority access to certification for glass recycling for glass collected at the Energesman facility. These certificates will be proportionally issued to members of Zaliasis taskas (The Green Dot) —manufacturers and importers of glass packaging for the Lithuanian market.

According to Almontas Kybartas, Director of Zaliasis taskas (The Green Dot), fulfilling the glass packaging recycling quotas has been challenging until now.

“It’s ironic that, despite glass packaging being infinitely recyclable, we’ve been unable to ensure the recycling of all packaging introduced into the market. The reason is a lack of consumer awareness in sorting household waste. Therefore, we don’t find as much glass waste in recycling bins as the amount of products sold, and large volumes end up in mixed waste bins. Without additional equipment, retrieving glass shards from mixed waste is complex or often unfeasible. We hope that the new line, now operational, will support the glass recycling targets,” he explains.

Most glass recovered in Vilnius

In Lithuania, nearly 5,400 tonnes of glass waste were extracted from the mixed municipal waste stream last year. The majority—3,765 tonnes, or 70%—came from the Vilnius region.

With the new glass sorting line now operational, nearly 15,000 tonnes of glass will be recovered from mixed municipal waste across Lithuania. If sorting facilities in other regions do not update their processes, 13,000 tonnes, or 95%, of the glass will be recovered in the Vilnius region.

The Vilnius Regional Waste Sorting Facility, managed by Energesman, processes mixed municipal waste from the entire Vilnius county, including eight municipalities: Vilnius city and the districts of Vilnius, Trakai, Elektrenai, Ukmerge, Svencionys, Salcininkai, and Sirvintos. The facility sorts approximately 220,000 tonnes of waste per year.

The European Committee for Standardization (CEN and CENELEC) has officially approved the document regarding the processing of SRF (Solid Recovered Fuels) in accordance with ISO standards. The committee has established an average formula for calculating the amount of SRF in clinker, with the intention of extending this to other products in the future. This will provide greater clarity on the portion of SRF that is converted into cement and thus recycled.

“This is excellent news for us, Lithuania, and the whole of Europe – we are one step closer to considering SRF, or at least a part of it, as a raw material. The committee has confirmed that, when producing clinker from waste, not only is energy generated, replacing fossil fuels, but part of the waste, in the form of ash, becomes part of the clinker, thereby reducing the need for natural resources. As a result, a portion of the waste is recycled and ultimately transformed into a new product – cement,” says Algirdas Blazgys, CEO at Energesman.

According to the formula approved by the committee, we calculate the recyclability index for each batch of SRF. Based on data from our plant, currently, an average of 10-15% of the SRF mix contributes to clinker production, which then becomes part of the cement at the AB Akmenes Cementas plant, while the remaining portion is used for energy production.

The document also confirms that different materials can be used in SRF production, which may impact the recyclability index. Therefore, we continually conduct research and measure which material combinations are most suitable for cement production and achieve maximum waste recyclability.

Thus, through innovative yet rational approaches, we are contributing to a more sustainable and greener future.

Residents of Vilnius and surrounding districts dispose of nearly as much plastic into mixed communal waste containers as they do into the designated yellow plastic sorting containers. Few people are aware that this doesn’t mean the plastic ends up in landfills.

Each year, Energesman, the operator of the mechanical and biological treatment (MBT) plant responsible for sorting mixed communal waste in the Vilnius region, recovers and sends for recycling approximately 11.4 thousand tonnes of secondary raw materials. This includes plastics, glass, metals, paper, and cardboard.

Interestingly, the Vilnius waste sorting plant recovers as many secondary raw materials as the rest of Lithuania combined – around 11.5 thousand tonnes of secondary materials.

“There are still large quantities of packaging and recyclable secondary materials in mixed waste. Our plant alone recovers as much plastic as residents sort into yellow plastic recycling containers,” explains Algirdas Blazgys, Director of Energesman.

In terms of weight, the Vilnius waste sorting plant recovers the most glass – 3,765 tonnes. The second most recovered material is paper and cardboard (2,962 tonnes), followed by plastic packaging (2,348 tonnes).

“Not all the plastic we recover finds a recycler who needs it. We could recover even more plastic packaging if there were enough processors for it,” says the head of the Vilnius waste sorting plant.

Energesman has been sorting and managing mixed municipal waste in the Vilnius region for eight years. Each day, approximately 150 refuse trucks deliver waste to the plant from across Vilnius County, which includes eight municipalities: Vilnius city and the districts of Vilnius, Trakai, Elektrenai, Ukmerge, Svencionys, Salcininkai, and Sirvintos. Waste is accepted and processed daily.

Residents of the Vilnius region are generating less mixed municipal waste. Last year, each resident in Vilnius and the surrounding areas produced an average of 259 kg of waste per year, or 710 grams per day. This represents a 3% reduction compared to the previous year when the figure was 267 kg per person annually, or 730 grams per day, for every resident – from children to the elderly.

Overall increase in waste and population

Despite the reduction in waste per person, the total volume of mixed waste in the Vilnius region is on the rise. Energesman, the operator of the mechanical and biological treatment (MBT) plant sorting mixed municipal waste, reports that last year the facility processed 219,900 tonnes of mixed waste. This is an increase of 1,325 tonnes, or nearly 1%, compared to the previous year when 218,600 tonnes were processed.

The overall growth in waste is attributed to the increasing population in the Vilnius region. At the start of the year, the population of Vilnius and its surrounding areas was 849,000 – nearly 4% more than the previous year’s 818,000 residents.

“Vilnius city and the surrounding region are steadily growing, which leads to an increase in the overall flow of mixed waste, even though each resident is producing slightly less waste than before. We sort all mixed waste again and prepare it for further use. Only a small portion – about one-tenth – is unsuitable for any further use, such as soil or small stones, which are sent to landfill. We strive to increase the proportion of waste that can be recycled each year,” explains Algirdas Blazgys, Director of Energesman.

Finding unusual items: tyres and phones

What do residents throw into mixed waste bins? The plant conducts regular morphological studies, which provide accurate data on the types and quantities of waste being disposed of. This helps the company monitor and analyse residents’ habits and plan its operations accordingly.

“The largest portion of the waste brought to us by weight is simple water – about 15%. We dry it out, significantly reducing the weight. This complicates the accounting process somewhat, as water in waste is not considered waste,” Blazgys explains.

Last year, plastic and its packaging made up 14% of the total municipal waste stream, with paper and cardboard at 8%, textiles at 6%, and glass and its packaging around 5%.

Food and kitchen waste accounted for 3.7%, while green waste made up another 3.8%. Nearly 5% consisted of inert waste, such as ceramics, concrete, and stones.

The plant also receives a significant amount of waste that should not be disposed of in mixed municipal bins – such as construction materials, car parts, tyres, furniture, electronic equipment, phones, and similar items.

Energesman has started producing Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) from non-recyclable waste. Last year, the company became the first in Lithuania and the Baltic states to receive a certificate from Bureau Veritas, allowing them to produce a specialised SRF mix for industrial use.

The Vilnius waste sorting plant supplies this SRF to Akmenes Cementas, where it becomes part of the clinker used in cement production.

By producing SRF for industry, Energesman is using more waste that cannot be recycled. This, along with new glass sorting technology, will help reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.

Together with representatives from the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania, the Vilnius Regional Waste Management Centre, the municipalities of Vilnius City, Vilnius District, and Elektrenai, as well as the Ukmerge Bus Park, we visited Lidköping in Sweden. Here, food waste has been sorted into separate bags since 2012. Over more than a decade, the Swedes have managed to get residents to separate about 60% of all generated food and green waste into separate bags.

“In Scandinavia, there is already a deeply ingrained culture of sorting food and other waste. However, it is important to understand that the Swedes achieved this result not in a few months, but over many years of consistent work and the creation of new habits. They employed multiple annual advertising campaigns, journalists, politicians, and public figures who encouraged people to separate food waste into special green bags – and only after a decade did they achieve positive results. In Lithuania, we still face expectations that the desired results should be achieved quickly and without much effort,” notes Algirdas Blazgys, CEO of Energesman.

In Lidköping, which we visited, food waste has been sorted into separate bags for 12 years and will continue to be so for another two years. As residents have learned to properly separate waste with minimal contamination, from 2026, the city will start using a separate container system. Food and kitchen waste will continue to be placed in special bags and then into these containers.

Residents of the Vilnius region have been sorting food waste for half a year, as required by the EU directive that came into effect at the beginning of the year. We are continuously improving our processes and seeking innovative solutions to manage this waste.

The example of Sweden shows us that the process of forming new habits is long and challenging. However, by consistently moving towards our goal, we can achieve similar or even better results in the future.

Since the beginning of this year, Energesman plant has been receiving and separately processing food waste delivered from across the Vilnius region: Vilnius City and District, Trakai, Elektrenai, Ukmerge, Salcininkai, Sirvintos, and Svencionys municipalities.

We have been named a TOP company in Lithuania for business stability and reliability by the country’s largest business data manager, Rekvizitai.lt.

Each year, Rekvizitai.lt, part of the Verslo zinios group, compiles a list of top companies. This list includes companies that conduct transparent business, uphold financial reputation, competitiveness, responsibility, and respect for their business environment. This year, our company has received this recognition.

“We are delighted to be recognised as a top company for the first time in our operational history. Our business is built on responsibility. We strive for sustainable and long-term relationships with our partners, clients, and employees. We understand our impact on the environment, and therefore, we continuously invest in new technologies to become more innovative and ensure business success,” says Algirdas Blazgys, CEO of our factory.

We have invested EUR 10 million under the company’s investment programme. This consists of three main parts: equipment for SRF product manufacturing, glass sorting equipment that will increase glass sorting capacity to 11,000 tonnes per year, and innovative food processing technology using insect larvae. These larvae will later be used to produce industrial proteins, biofuel, and fertilisers.

Not all companies meet the criteria

According to Marijus Morkevicius, Director of UAB Rekvizitai, which operates Rekvizitai.lt, only 6% of companies in Lithuania meet these high standards.

“It is likely that these companies will remain stable in the future and will be able to fulfil their financial obligations,” states the award certificate.

The Rekvizitai.lt website notes that top companies are profitable businesses that create long-term value and lay a solid economic foundation for the Lithuanian state. They are recommended as promising and economically stable companies with which one can expect successful and sustainable cooperation.

Selection criteria

To achieve this recognition, companies must meet stringent requirements. Selection criteria include being profitable, established for at least two years, timely in submitting financial reports, and having revenue that has grown, remained stable, or not significantly decreased over the last two years.

Additionally, the number of employees must be no less than three, with a stable or growing average. It is essential that companies are not listed in various debtor and obligation fulfilment registers and have not had significant or long-term debts to the State Social Insurance Fund Board (Sodra) in the last year. The average salary paid to employees must also be considered – in the first half of 2023, it had to be more than EUR 950.

For eight years, our factory has been sorting and processing mixed municipal waste brought from across the Vilnius County, which includes eight municipalities: Vilnius City, Vilnius District, Trakai, Elektrenai, Ukmerge, Svencionys, Salcininkai, and Sirvintos districts. This year, we have also begun to separate and process food waste from the Vilnius region. Annually, we sort about 220,000 tonnes of waste.