More than three years of hard work on urban bulky waste will be presented tomorrow during the final conference of the H2020 URBANREC project. One of the main outcomes is to improve the European framework on bulky waste management. By learning more about these legal recommendations and other project results, participants will discover how public authorities can efficiently keep bulky items in the loop of product use and resource efficiency, in particular through re-use, repair, and recycling.
The URBANREC project has entered its closing phase with the presentation of its results during the final conference: Circular Economy in Cities. Taking place tomorrow in Brussels, this conference will address the policy and technical dimensions of bulky waste management in urban areas.
The conference is divided into two parts, participants will first take part in a policy dialogue hosted at the European Parliament by Greek MEP Mrs Maria Spyraki. “No more waste(d) years! There are challenges needed to be addressed to pursue circularity. Technical innovation, collaborative efforts across the value chain, different levels of government and civil society are the main elements to create a circular city”, she declared ahead of the event. Together, European policymakers and representatives of the URBANREC legal working group will discuss existing opportunities and barriers for bulky waste management focusing on policy and legal aspects related to plastics, textile, and re-use.
Initiated and coordinated by ACR+, this legal working group was specifically set to inspire the proposal of recommendations to improve the European legislation addressing bulky waste, and has involved the URBANREC project partners, representatives from European institutions, federations of producers and recyclers, and NGOs. Among other recommendations, it advocates for a harmonised definition of bulky waste, and for promoting preserving collection. It details recommendations regarding the quantitative targets; the design of sustainable bulky items; the quality standards, certification, information and warranty of products; the collection and handling of bulky waste by re-use professionals; and the use of public procurement and other economic instruments. These aspects will be discussed during a panel discussion and will be published during the conference.
Following the policy dialogue and after a presentation on research and competitiveness for the circular economy in cities, project partners will show their key technical achievements and how these can contribute to a circular economy. During the whole afternoon session, a permanent exhibition area will set out stands with regional and technological demonstrators from URBANREC and posters on selected H2020 projects.
A practical session for local and regional authorities
On 7 November 2019, ACR+ will animate a working group session targeting specifically local and regional authorities. The aim is to share good practices and help improve their strategies regarding nonpackaging plastics and non-clothing textiles. Two parallel sessions will take place to address the development and implementation of a step-by-step strategy about re-use and recycling of these two streams. Participants will not only exchange experiences and good practices but also draft roadmaps for implementation.
The Association of Cities and Regions for sustainable Resource management (ACR+) is an international network of cities and regions sharing the aim of promoting sustainable resource management and accelerating the transition towards a circular economy on their territories and beyond. The network, gathering around 90 members, is open to other key players in the field of material resource management such as NGOs, academic institutions, consultancies or private organisations. Members’ needs and priorities define the network’s activities, which include facilitating the exchange of experiences between members, sharing technical and policy information and livening up the network. To strengthen the knowledge and capacities of the network and push for innovation in the field of material resource management, ACR+ is also involved in several projects at European level and in the Mediterranean region, in cooperation with its members.
The URBANREC project has entered its closing phase with the presentation of its results during the final conference: Circular Economy in Cities. Taking place tomorrow in Brussels, this conference will address the policy and technical dimensions of bulky waste management in urban areas.
The conference is divided into two parts, participants will first take part in a policy dialogue hosted at the European Parliament by Greek MEP Mrs Maria Spyraki. “No more waste(d) years! There are challenges needed to be addressed to pursue circularity. Technical innovation, collaborative efforts across the value chain, different levels of government and civil society are the main elements to create a circular city”, she declared ahead of the event. Together, European policymakers and representatives of the URBANREC legal working group will discuss existing opportunities and barriers for bulky waste management focusing on policy and legal aspects related to plastics, textile, and re-use.
Initiated and coordinated by ACR+, this legal working group was specifically set to inspire the proposal of recommendations to improve the European legislation addressing bulky waste, and has involved the URBANREC project partners, representatives from European institutions, federations of producers and recyclers, and NGOs. Among other recommendations, it advocates for a harmonised definition of bulky waste, and for promoting preserving collection. It details recommendations regarding the quantitative targets; the design of sustainable bulky items; the quality standards, certification, information and warranty of products; the collection and handling of bulky waste by re-use professionals; and the use of public procurement and other economic instruments. These aspects will be discussed during a panel discussion and will be published during the conference.
Following the policy dialogue and after a presentation on research and competitiveness for the circular economy in cities, project partners will show their key technical achievements and how these can contribute to a circular economy. During the whole afternoon session, a permanent exhibition area will set out stands with regional and technological demonstrators from URBANREC and posters on selected H2020 projects.
A practical session for local and regional authorities
On 7 November 2019, ACR+ will animate a working group session targeting specifically local and regional authorities. The aim is to share good practices and help improve their strategies regarding nonpackaging plastics and non-clothing textiles. Two parallel sessions will take place to address the development and implementation of a step-by-step strategy about re-use and recycling of these two streams. Participants will not only exchange experiences and good practices but also draft roadmaps for implementation.
The Association of Cities and Regions for sustainable Resource management (ACR+) is an international network of cities and regions sharing the aim of promoting sustainable resource management and accelerating the transition towards a circular economy on their territories and beyond. The network, gathering around 90 members, is open to other key players in the field of material resource management such as NGOs, academic institutions, consultancies or private organisations. Members’ needs and priorities define the network’s activities, which include facilitating the exchange of experiences between members, sharing technical and policy information and livening up the network. To strengthen the knowledge and capacities of the network and push for innovation in the field of material resource management, ACR+ is also involved in several projects at European level and in the Mediterranean region, in cooperation with its members.
