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99 percent of Lykkegaard's pumps are recyclable

99 percent of the HDPE propeller pumps from the Danish factory Lykkegaard Pumps A/S can be recycled. The family-owned factory works valuebased to fulfill UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 12 about responsible production

Sustainability, recycling, and environmental care are core values in the fishing industry these days. And Danish Lykkegaard Pumps A/S aim to support the aqua culture industry developing new and more sustainable ways of producing consumer fish.



For the last 20 years, the Danish factory has been developing an innovative 100% corrosion-resistant pump solution for the fish farming industry. Sustainability has always been a core value in developing the pumps. But with the UN Sustainable Developmental Goals it has been even more stressed. Especially goal 12 about sustainable production.

The sustainability-value is identified in alle parts of the supply chain. The pumps are developed in the corrosion free material HDPE, which can work in salty and even warm water without any corrosion – as a contrast to steel pumps. The pumps are produced with the aim of lasting forever, and until now – all the HDPE pumps Lykkegaard has manufactured during the last two decades are still in use.


A sign of them meaning “forever” is, that they still support costumers with spare parts to some 70-year-old steel pumps produced at the factory shortly after World War II.



“It is a challenge for us, that when our costumers have bought our pumps, we don’t need to provide any pumps to them again – usually for the next, say 50 years, unless they expand, because of the high quality. But it is nevertheless our goal to produce pumps, that never degenerate. Fortunately, our values correspond very well with some of the developmental goals,” CEO Karsten Lykkegaard says. 

Invitation to return the pumps for recycling

Lykkegaard Pumps A/S has designed the propeller pumps in as few parts as possible and in as few different materials as possible. For this reason, they can recycle 99 percent of the new HDPE pumps into materials, that can be recycled into new pumps.


The only part still not recyclable is the rubber from the water lubricated bearing.


As the employees at Lykkegaard know the material best, they invite their costumers to return the HDPE pumps for recycling, once they are no longer in use. The employees know exactly how to disassemble the pumps and separate the parts.


“We know how to reuse all the parts, and we have a routine in disassembling the pumps into clean and reusable material. We are delighted to do so as a part of our service to our customers – and to the environment. When we do it here, we know how the material is recycled,” says Karsten Lykkegaard, CEO at Lykkegaard A/S, and fourth generation at the family-driven factory. 

Separate waste into 40 different fractions 

For instance, the HDPE material is granulated and will be melted and used to produce new HDPE products, e.g., waste containers or new tubes. 

According to the sustainability goals, Lykkegaard A/S has refined their ideas and behaviors according to reusability. Today the employees are separating their waste into more than 40 fractions.



“In this way we can reuse more material – and furthermore we can assure that it can be reused at a higher level of quality, as it will be cleaner products,” Karsten Lykkegaard says and continues: “We aim to minimize the amount of waste and to recycle as much as possible. With 99 percent recyclability of our pumps, we are proud to send them to our customers, knowing that we can provide longevity and even after 30 or 50 years the leftovers can be fully recycled. 

sorting waste in several fractions at Lykkegaard
Karsten Lykkegaard with some of the waste bins at the factory
Karsten Lykkegaard with some of the waste bins at the factory

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