A consortium of 20 European partners including the ICLEI European Secretariat is working to reinvent the plastic packaging treatment process, making recycling more accessible, cost-effective and profitable for both citizens and professionals in the field.

Funded by the European Union, PlastiCircle (Improvement of the plastic packaging waste chain from a circular economy approach) will rethink the different phases involved in transforming plastic packaging into valuable products. In particular, it will focus on the development of smart containers for separate waste collection and on the improvement of transport routes and sorting technologies, with the aim of increasing recycling rates in Europe and achieving recovery within the same value chain. The innovations will be piloted in the cities of Utrecht (the Netherlands), Valencia (Spain) and Alba Iulia (Romania).

Launched in June, PlastiCircle is led by the Packaging and Logistics Research and Innovation Center (ITENE) and will run over four years, defining business plans and promoting market uptake of the proposed solutions through training and awareness raising activities for citizens, institutions and private companies.

For more information, click here.Image copyright: ITENE by "Antonio_Monsalve" more   26 July 2017 Kadıkà¶y holds three day festival to encourage nature preservation

To celebrate World Environment Day, recent ICLEI Member Kadıkà¶y Municipality (Turkey) organised the 'Kadıkà¶y Environment Festival' under the theme of "˜ecological life in the city'. Almost 100 people from NGOs, local initiatives, and universities took part in the event, examining how collective action can address issues such as climate change, energy and water efficiency, and the protection of nature.

The municipality has organised several emission reduction projects in recent months, raising awareness among the public of the need for greater sustainability. As a signatory of the Global Covenant of Mayors, Kadıkà¶y has committed to reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020.

In his speech officially opening the festival, Mr. Aykurt NUHOÄžLU, Mayor of Kadıkà¶y, highlighted the importance of participatory approaches for a sustainable future:

"Human beings are part of nature like all living things. When the balance of nature is even slightly damaged, then everyone is affected successively. In fact, we do not demand too much. We are just demanding clean air and clean water as well as healthy and organic food. It is necessary to create an agenda responding to these demands, and we can build this agenda all together. Beginning from ourselves, we can take steps for ecological life in the city. By changing our daily habits, we can gain the future by going shoulder to shoulder for nature."

The festival opened with a performance by a local children's art centre, which saw water cans, plastic bottles, boxes, brooms, and plastic bags transformed into rhythm instruments.

Awards were given out to the leaders of three neighbourhoods who collected the largest amount of waste oil, while a primary school was awarded for their collection of waste batteries. A private sector company was named a Glass-Friendly Enterprise for its sensitivity in recycling glass waste.

Events for children were organised, including workshops on topics related to nature. Other events held included environment-themed puppet shows, plays and book readings. A cycling tour was organised in the festival area, with the Cycling Unit of the Municipality providing the bicycles.

For more information on the event, watch this short video.Image copyright: KADIKà–Y more

» Publication Date: 27/07/2017

» Source: Iclei Europe

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