A social cooperative fighting against the throwaway culture and exclusion

Treottouno
Type of organisation or company
Country
Italy
City
Forlì (Emilia Romagna Region)
Language for original content
Project elaborated in partnership
No
Submitted by
ICESP (Italian Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform)
Ongoing
Yes
Manuela Raganini
Description

The Treottouno Social Cooperative of Forlì (Italy) is a cooperative committed to implementing circular economy systems where everything can be recycled.
Its activities aim at; a) promoting the prevention and reduction of waste, and b) employing people who are struggling.

Well established in the surrounding area,Treottouno also operates nationally and takes part in European projects with partners from both the cooperative and the business world.

It manages the following:

  • a Recycle Center (“Centro del Riuso 4U”) in the Municipality of Forlimpopoli, which collects goods in good condition and makes them available for free.
  • EEEW (Electric and Electronic Equipment Waste) in a prison, where prisoners and other workers take apart used electronic equipment to separate the components and prepare them for reuse or recovery plants.
  • Sustainable Clothing (“Sartoria Sostenibile”) in the Forlì Prison, where, thanks to the work of inmates and ex-inmates, waste fabrics are given a second life.
  • In 2019, Treottouno managed to open its own clothing store (“Fuori Luogo”) in Forlì.
Main activity field
Identified challenge (s)
Main results
  • In the recycle centre, Treottouno fights the throwaway culture and waste generation. On average, there are 8151 incoming and 5252 outgoing items per year.
  • The EEEW project in prison recovers secondary raw materials, thus reducing CO2 emissions and energy consumption.
  • Treottouno produces jewellery and works of art made with EEEW material, thus promoting a culture of recycling and reuse. Between 2009 and 2016, it processed 1120395 kg of EEEW material in its laboratory.
  • In the sustainable sewing shop, Treottouno promotes the inclusion of socially disadvantaged people, like inmates or ex-prisoners, but also the mentally and physically impaired, by teaching usefull skills and giving waste fabrics a second life as fashionable clothes.