The new ‘Pioneer the Possible: Accelerating the Green Transition’ exhibition in Washington D.C. highlights various proven green solutions from Sweden that can help U.S. cities to achieve their sustainability objectives.

The exhibition is created by the Swedish Institute, in collaboration with the Embassy of Sweden in Washington D.C., Business Sweden, the Swedish Energy Agency and various Swedish companies. It showcases a wide range of proven sustainability solutions that are offered by Swedish companies – from renewable energy and sustainable transport to green buildings and more sustainable waste management solutions.

Envac – sustainable and colourful approach to waste

Envac’s waste collection solutions are a key part of the exhibition as they can help cities to improve recycling and reduce carbon emissions – while enhancing the quality of life for residents by promoting road safety and creating cleaner and more liveable neighbourhoods. Envac systems do this by transporting waste at high speed through underground pneumatic tubes to collection stations. With more than 4 million daily users served by over 1,000 automated waste collection systems around the world, the Swedish company Envac has a proven contribution to improving global recycling rates. Envac’s automated waste collection system is helping communities worldwide as the intelligent system collects data, such as on waste volumes, quantities recycled and user recycling behaviour. Further through machine learning, this data can be optimised to configure its capacity and adjust collection intervals.

What you see at the Envac exhibit – One user-friendly Envac solution showcased at the Pioneer the Possible exhibition is a colour-coded optical waste sorting system where coloured bags containing sorted waste are deposited in inlets. The bags are then automatically separated by colour at a central waste facility. Such an Envac waste sorting solution in Eskilstuna in Sweden helped the municipality to achieve its recycling objective to sort over 50% of its waste within only a few months.

“Pioneer the Possible is one of the Swedish Institute’s most widely used communication – it has been shown from Vietnam to Paris. Now, it’s House of Sweden’s turn, and it’s hard to imagine a more suitable place to meet the American market,” says Madeleine Sjöstedt, Director General for the Swedish Institute. “The exhibition showcases a wide range of companies and initiatives, and Sweden’s ability to collaborate and create tomorrow’s solutions.”

Leading the transition to a low-carbon society – Envac waste collection systems are significantly reducing heavy traffic associated with conventional waste collection, the company aims to ensure neutral operations by 2030 – including its operations and its automated waste collection systems around the world. Pioneer the Possible exhibition showcases the positive role innovative Swedish companies can play in a more sustainable world, and not least in often overlooked areas such as waste collection.

The exhibition is expected to attract more than 15,000 visitors and was well-received on its opening evening in March 2023. Around 70 people attended the opening event who were invited to learn more about the pioneering Swedish companies that can contribute towards the U.S. goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

About the exhibition

The Pioneer the Possible exhibition is being run at the House of Sweden in Washington D.C. until March 2024. The new exhibition is based on Sweden’s ambitious sustainability goals, including its ambition to become the first developed economy to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2045, and its unique model of cooperation between the public sector, business and academia.

About House of Sweden

House of Sweden in Washington D.C. is an important arena in the U.S. for promoting mutual Swedish and American interests. House of Sweden is home to the Embassy of Sweden and houses an Events Centre and exhibition halls that are open to the public.

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