Ida Marie Pedersen
Sep 2, 2025
Litech’s mission to improve fire prevention in recycling plants has reached a major milestone with its first commercial breakthrough in Oslo.
After an extensive pilot with Oslo Municipality, Litech’s Magnetic Induction Spectroscopy (MIS) sensor was adopted into daily operations at the Haraldrud waste-to-energy facility. The pilot specifically targeted the rising problem of nitrous oxide canisters in waste streams, which have become one of the most dangerous fire and explosion risks facing the recycling industry.
The Cost of Explosions in Recycling Facilities
In 2024 alone, Oslo’s waste facilities faced major disruptions caused by nitrous oxide explosions. At the Haraldrud plant, explosions occurred around 200 times, leading to 18 stoppages that left the facility offline for nearly 80 days.
These incidents cost the city 50 million NOK more than budgeted, according to Renovasjonsetaten. Each explosion not only caused expensive repairs but also halted energy production, forcing the municipality to send waste elsewhere for incineration at additional cost.
“The financial and safety impact of nitrous oxide is enormous. One explosion can cost millions and put workers at serious risk,” said Synne Sauar, CEO of Litech. “Our first commercial installation proves that waste facility fire safety can be simple, scalable, and effective.”
How Litech’s Hazard Detection Technology Works
Litech’s MIS sensor scans every object on the conveyor line, identifying dense and metallic items such as gas bottles that are often missed by traditional cameras or manual sorting. By autonomously flagging and diverting hazardous items, the system helps operators prevent fires and maintain continuity.
This kind of hazard detection technology is crucial in modern waste handling, where hidden gas canisters and lithium-ion batteries are among the leading causes of downtime and thermal events.
Pilot Results: A Step Forward for Recycling Safety
In controlled tests at Haraldrud, Litech’s system demonstrated a 90% reduction in fire and explosion incidents, consistently detecting nitrous oxide canisters buried under layers of waste.
During the pilot, the sensor collected over 300 nitrous oxide bottles — using just 1 out of 6 conveyor lines. This shows the true scale of the problem, and the massive potential impact of deploying the technology across all lines in a facility.
This level of accuracy is essential as nitrous oxide use in Norway has surged, from 1 ton collected as hazardous waste in 2021 to an expected 45 tons in 2024. By intercepting canisters before they reach shredders or furnaces, Litech’s technology directly reduces the number of explosions, stoppages, and repair costs.
Beyond safety, Litech’s early results show that facilities gain:
Reduced downtime from fire incidents
Lower insurance risks and smoother negotiations
Improved compliance with fire safety regulations
These benefits make preventive detection technology an attractive solution for waste operators under increasing pressure to ensure both safety and efficiency.
From Pilot to Partnership: Scaling Fire Prevention
For Litech, this breakthrough is more than just a sale, it’s a signal of trust in safe recycling technology.
For Litech, this breakthrough is more than just a sale, it’s the company’s first commercial partnership and a major step in making fire prevention a standard in recycling facilities.
After a successful pilot at Haraldrud, the project has now transitioned into an operational contract with Oslo Municipality, ensuring that Litech’s technology is part of their day-to-day waste handling. The team is already preparing to expand installations further, marking the start of a broader rollout.
“This moment is a real milestone for Litech,” said CEO Synne Sauar. “It reflects not only the trust of Oslo Kommune, but also the dedication of our team who worked tirelessly to take us from pilot to commercial breakthrough.”
We’re entering the next phase of growth. If you’re interested in partnering with Litech or learning more about our technology, please reach out.