Protempra AS

Invironmental-Friendly Reuse of Cemetery Grounds

In the last couple of decades, the company Protempra AS, in collaboration with Franzefoss Minerals AS, has developed a new innovative methodology and solutions for treating organic materials in soil and clay. It is called Terra Balance System and was commercialized after many years of collaboration with The Norwegian University of Life Sciences. This method is primarily based on nature’s own processes in dealing with lime, water, and air. Furthermore, it was originally developed to rehabilitate tombs at cemeteries, but it has also proven beneficial on other organic materials as well.

Since then, about 25,000 graves have been produced in Norway, which is supplied by Franzefoss Minerals. Currently, there are approximately 2.8 million graves that can initially be reused, but 1.5 million of these tombs cannot be reutilized because the contents did not degrade as expected after the 20-year protection period. Clay soil, poor drainage, and plastic-wrapped corpses prevent natural decomposition. Such conservation of tombs poses major challenges for society especially and from a surrounding area and ground protection perspective. Moreover, it creates issues economically and ethically. Franzefoss Minerals has ongoing assignments for Norwegian municipalities.

Protempra AS has carried out preliminary experiments with treatment of animal carcasses. The purpose is to achieve an efficient and rapid decomposition of infected animal waste that will prevent discharges and the spread of bacteria or viruses to both surroundings and groundwater. The new method is startlingly innovative from a pollution perspective and the solution is a new business idea with significant global potential.

Partner:
DHT Corporate Services AS
Lysaker Torg 45B, N-1366 Lysaker
Postboks 83, N-1325 Lysaker
Tel: +47 67 10 15 00
Mobil: +47 957 07 998
E-mail: orn@dht.no