Parma Municipality, the Confederazione Nazionale dell’Artigianato e della Piccola e Media Impresa (National Confederation of Crafts and SMEs) and La coperta di Linus have launched a project called Arteinborsa (A-Bag-from-Art). This project uses old posters from local exhibitions to create bags and accessories.
The "Waste REcycling Project" (WREP) is a pilot scheme developed by PVC Forum Italia, the national association of producers, converters and recyclers of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), in collaboration with VinylPlus, the European PVC value chain association.
It aims to make the collection, sorting and recycling of PVC waste from demolition/renovation, bulky waste and waste management centres more efficient, using a consolidated and accredited traceability methodology.
The Circular Economy Lab was set up in 2018 by Cariplo Factoryand Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center. It is a hub of circular economy competences that aims to help spread the principles and methods of the circular economy and support companies as they go circular.
The Lab is involved in various projects, such as the Iren Startup Award Call4Circular | Circular products and materials. It promotes the circular economy by holding workshops on key topics and by creating networking opportunities for innovative ecosystem players, such as startups, innovative SMEs, universities, research centres and technology transfer centres.
EAD is a digital environmental label providing information about the product's packaging: its components, the materials it's made of, and how to dispose of them properly.
All you need to do is scan the QR code on the packaging to get real-time, geolocated and accurate information on how to dispose of it.
The Taranto Circolare project aims to create an impact on the city of Taranto in the Apulia region (Italy) by triggering its ecological transformation. The project is driven by the Tondo association, which aims to develop and consolidate sustainable and circular projects in this urban area, particularly the Old Town.
The project focuses on creating a platform that will give companies, authorities and organisations the opportunity to be part of a network implementing circular projects, provide specific tools and help actors measure the circularity of services and products.
In addition, through data collection and analysis, material and energy flows in the city will be calculated in order to identify the areas that should be at the centre of circular projects.
There can be no doubt that circular demand creates opportunities for circular supply. But how can closed loop criteria be integrated into public procurement, which represents nearly 14% of Europe's GDP? To figure it out, Renewable Matter interviewed Helena O'Rourke-Potocki and Simon Clement, respectively circular economy and procurement officer and senior coordinator on the circular economy at ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability.
ICLEI is a global network working with more than 2 500 local and regional governments committed to driving local action towards a social and ecological transition. In future, whether purchasing services or products such as buildings, furniture and food, local authorities will need to look for increasingly sustainable supplies.
Coffeefrom is an innovative project from Italy, the second circular economy project run by Il Giardinone Cooperativa Sociale. It has built a supply chain based on the recovery and processing of industrial coffee grounds. Coffee grounds from the food industry are blended with biopolymers to become a new bio-based material that is a durable and resistant alternative to single-use plastic.
The RE.WIND project routes used film to a dedicated supply chain that allows it to be recycled more efficiently, ensuring that the film obtained is of a high quality. The material goes back to the company in the form of film that can be used again to wrap pallets of goods.
Bioforcetech aims to reduce energy and labour costs while reducing emissions and generating by-products (fertilisers) with added value. The company's vision is simple: instead of transporting "waste", machines are designed to autonomously transform organics into value. Bioforcetech's technology locally transforms organic streams into renewable energy and biochar.
Food waste causes loss of materials and energy, environmental damage and negative effects on people's health and quality of life. In response to this, two Italian consumers' associations have decided to provide a series of nationwide services and activities, investing in innovative tools that promote the information needed to curb daily food waste.
