WASTE DESIGN - WASTE CAN ALSO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

The project partners, the Municipality of Postojna, the Public Company Izola, Isontina Ambiente and IUAV University of Venice concluded the Waste Design project with the final event, which they have been implementing together for the past year and a half.

The project focused on the use of innovative green technologies for collecting municipal waste and promoting recycling and worked to improve environmental protection and efficient use of resources in the field of waste.

The general objective of the cross-border project Interreg Italia-Slovenia, worth 650.774 euros, which was co-financed by the European Fund for Regional Development, was to rationalize the collection of municipal waste, reduce it using green technologies, take care of the environment, responsible separation of waste and reduce the production of unsorted waste by increasing awareness of targeted groups on circular economy topics.

The project partners, who carried out project activities in their local environment, set up their cooperation in a rather connecting way, as the exchange of experience and information was key. During this period, they managed to achieve important milestones, which will certainly be an important basis and incentive for further, sustainable waste management.

The results of the project demonstrate the desired effects, new products and services that pursue the goals of sustainable development and the circular economy. As part of the project, the participating partners established:

• a pilot digitized system for monitoring the fullness of several types of urban dustbins (smart bins in the Municipality of Gradišče - project partner Isontina ambiente),
• smart underground or partially underground collection points that are electrically operated (three underground collection points for separate waste collection in the Municipality of Postojna, two underground collection points for separate waste collection in the Municipality of Izola),
• informing the public about recycling and reuse of waste, the value of recycled material with environmentally-designed and attractive products made from environmentally friendly recycled raw materials,
• prototype of urban equipment made of recycled building materials (project partner IUAV),
• Waste reuse center in the Municipality of Gradišče (project partner of Isontina ambiente).

The waste design cross-border project, which officially ends at the end of March, is undoubtedly a starting point that will develop, at least in the environment of the project partners, as it has indicated important guidelines that would bring meaningful upgrades of existing systems, optimization of work processes, and above all, they show concern to the environment and careful, innovative handling and use of waste, which is often a problem in the environment, but which can become a challenge and a new future.

PROJECT PARTNERS STATEMENTS

"The municipality of Postojna is working hard for improvements and sustainable solutions in the field of waste management. The idea of ​​the project, which came to life in 2021 and whose results are now being successfully realized, dates back to 2019. It is an important and modern solution that is also gaining ground in other major cities across Slovenia. The underground collectors at the mentioned locations are nicely arranged and placed in the environment with the aim of regulating the unprecedented state of waste disposal in the municipality of Postojna, and in addition, the project also contributed to the rationalization of the work process, i.e. reducing the emptying and driving of trucks." manager of the project Maja Piškur, Municipality of Postojna.

"This technological innovation makes it possible to further increase the share of separate waste collection, as it offers citizens the opportunity to participate in the formation of the cost they allocate for waste disposal through their responsible behavior. Experience has shown that the system increases the separate collection of waste and reduces the amount of waste." Giuliano Sponton, General Manager of Isontina Ambiente.

"The Waste Design project expanded the knowledge of the IUAV University on the recycling of materials for architecture and industrial design, which enabled concrete tests of the economic and technical feasibility of the reuse of construction waste. The project was an important opportunity for a cross-border discussion on the topics of reuse, recycling and promoting a circular economy The work carried out by the Slovenian municipalities of Postojna and Izola, the multifunctional company Isontina Ambiente and the IUAV University from Venice offers an excellent operational model based on cooperation between public and private bodies." Benno Albrecht, Project Manager, IUAV University.

"Communal Izola's commitment is to provide public utility services that are high-quality, competitive, tailored to users, environmentally friendly and efficient in terms of the use of financial resources. By participating in the Waste design project, the company realizes its mission by operating carefully and in close cooperation with service users and the natural environment. The underground ecological island at the location of Veliki trga represents an important functional and also aesthetic contribution to the city, which is important both for citizens and for many visitors." project manager Miran Milenkovski, Public Company Izola.