Each of our member companies sets its own priorities in terms of sustainability, some of which include particularly effective industry-specific measures.
SIBA GmbH from Lünen has been involved in the NH-HH recycling association, in which German fuse manufacturers stand up for sustainability, since 1995.
SIBA’s core business has been the production of electrical fuses for more than 75 years – from development and production in Germany to worldwide distribution. With a high degree of vertical integration, the company primarily manufactures miniature circuit breakers (GS), ultra-rapid (UR), low-voltage high-power (NH) and high-voltage high-power (HH) fuses. SIBA began manufacturing newly developed fuses as early as 1950.
The shortage of materials in the early years and the desire to conserve resources gave rise to the demand for sustainable production: the efficient use of valuable raw materials is all the more important to the company’s product policy today. It is therefore logical for SIBA to promote the recycling of valuable raw materials. The Verein des umweltgerechten Recyclings von abgeschalteten NH-/HH-Sicherungseinsätze e. V. (Association for the Environmentally Sound Recycling of Decommissioned NH/HH Fuse-Links) collects discarded fuse-links throughout Germany and recycles them completely. As part of the circular economy principle, this form of “urban mining” aims to completely recycle the collected material and thus return the valuable raw materials copper and silver to the economic cycle. In 2022, a total of over 182 tons of discarded fuses were sent for environmentally friendly recycling in Aurubis AG’s copper converter. This resulted in 26 tons of copper and 222 kilograms of fine silver. On the basis of 182 tons of collected fuses, this means a saving of ore and overburden of approx. 19,660 tons, a saving of energy of approx. 564 megawatt hours (MWh) and a saving of CO₂ emissions of approx. 148 tons.
In accordance with its statutes, all proceeds from the collection and recycling activities of the non-profit association are used for research and the training of young people in the electrical industry.
A significant proportion of the proceeds go towards the publication of specialist literature, which is made available free of charge to vocational schools, training workshops, craft businesses and companies in the electrical industry for daily practice. Anyone who handles fuses in their day-to-day work can take part and collect: First and foremost, energy suppliers and network operators contribute a large proportion. However, manufacturing companies, the electrical trade and vocational schools can also make their contribution. There are no financial costs involved. If the collection volume is large, a company can receive its own collection box (standard grid box), which is exchanged for an empty box by a long-standing transport partner as soon as it is full. NIRO is delighted when member companies are inspired to become part of this or another recycling network.
