In the last week of May, representatives of the Faculty of Environmental Protection participated in the 4th Partnership Meeting and Open Seminar (4th OSDD) or study visit within the PLASTIX project, focusing on the circular economy in the field of plastics. This time the destination was the Netherlands, where partners from the province of Fryslân in Leeuwarden and on the island of Terschelling prepared a very extensive and varied programme.
The host region presented a number of success stories and developments in the field of plastics in the circular economy, highlighting their joint efforts to address the challenges of circularity in the fields of construction, water technologies, plastics, agriculture, mobility and tourism. The partners visited the Omrin municipal waste treatment plant and the Elzinga & van der Krierke plastics development company. They learned about Jutfabriek’s innovations in the recycling of plastic waste, with a focus on that which washes up daily on the island’s shores. They also got a detailed insight into NHL Stenden University‘s plastic recycling initiatives and the development of a circular economy for plastics in the region.
The Netherlands is putting a strong emphasis on tackling marine litter, and presented the consequences of the 2019 shipping disaster when one of the world’s largest container ships, the Zoe, lost 300 containers near the island of Terschelling due to a severe storm. The cargo washed ashore in large quantities in the Frisian Islands and more and more debris is still being found there today. They also learnt about the impact of this catastrophic disaster on marine life and how attitudes towards plastics and waste have changed as a result.
The project team is bringing good practices, innovative ideas and new scientific expertise to Slovenia and is looking forward to continue working towards positive change on plastics in Slovenia and other European regions – Plastics Revolution to European Regions.
