Active road construction in Ukraine is underway. How can we make this process cheaper and more sustainable? DTEK proposes to apply the principle of circular economy and use mine rocks, which is a production waste formed during coal mining and processing. The same process is already being applied in Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, and Great Britain.
On November 1, DTEK Energy representatives presented the company's proposal to use mine rock for road construction in Ukraine at the online forum of the state road innovations platform of the M. P. Shulgin State Road Research Institute. Europe is already using this kind of rock, particularly in road construction. DTEK has analyzed the practices of the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom, which shows the efficiency of such technologies.
Ukraine has similar experience as well: in the run-up to Euro 2012, 5 km of new roads were built in Donetsk due to displaced rafters with unsuitable soils. 350,000 cubic meters of burnt rock heaps of the Felix Kon Mine were used in that project.
Several years ago, the Shulgin State Research Institute studied the mine rocks of the DTEK Pavlogradugol mines and recommended their use in road construction: for both the construction of the roadbed and in the basis of pavement.
“Every year in Ukraine, millions of tons of large-scale waste are generated in the process of coal mining and processing. European example shows that they have great potential for application: from road construction to the production of ceramic wall materials. This not only reduces the construction cost but also reduces the potential damage to the environment in the regions where mines and processing plants operate. DTEK, as a socially responsible business, is ready to take an active part in mine rock use projects and support the principles of circular economy,” said Alina Zuikovska, Head of the DTEK Energy Coal Region Transformation Project Team.
The reuse of mine rock complies with the ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) principles, which are enshrined in DTEK’s ESG strategy until 2030.
Since 2018, DTEK Energy has been providing support to the regions where the company’s coal mining companies operate in the development of Fair Coal Transformation programs, which includes plans to create alternative jobs, develop small and medium businesses and the sustainable use of resources, including waste heaps located in the premises.
The full version of the speech is available at https://fb.watch/8-F8dcZMK9/