First General Assembly in Greece

First General Assembly in Greece

Article written by Cristina Sanz Rutherford, Project and Stakeholder Engagement Officer.
On 6-7 November 2024, the CircSyst project consortium gathered in Thessaloniki, Greece, for its first General Assembly, hosted by the Centre for Research & Technology Hellas (CERTH).

First General Assembly in Greece

This meeting brought together partners from across Europe to reflect on the progress made since the project’s kick-off, discuss challenges, and plan the next steps in developing circular systemic solutions (CSS) to address critical environmental and societal issues.

The assembly began with opening remarks from the hosts (CERTH) and the coordinators (AIJU), setting the stage for each Work Package leaders to discuss project’s ongoing activities and outcomes. Partners were updated on technical matters – with a presentation of the ongoing activities of each demonstrator–, and transversal matters. Emphasis was placed on the importance of collaborating between demonstrators, ensuring the attainment of Extended Circular Systemic Solutions (ECCS), which aim to achieve circularity in a collaborative way, not only between several demonstrators but also across several value chains (e.g., through the use of the bio-refinery in demonstrator 5 to treat waste from demonstrations 1, 2, 3 and 6). In addition, the first outputs from communication and dissemination activities were presented, including the recent launch of the CircSyst website and social media platforms, as well as a common visual identity.

One of the highlights of the meeting was the visit to the site of Demonstrator 8, which is located in CERTH’s premises, in Thessaloniki. Led by CERTH and in collaboration with MASOYTIS S.A., the largest food retail company in Greece, Demonstrator 8 is developing an innovative pilot tackling food plastic waste, combining advanced recycling technologies with 3D printing to create secondary life products such as eco-friendly shopping trolleys and baskets. At the heart of this initiative is consumer engagement, facilitated through living labs established in 15 MASOYTIS supermarkets. Customers are invited to sort their plastic waste—PET, PP, and LDPE—into designated containers, earning vouchers through the MASOYTIS loyalty program that can be redeemed for 3D-printed items. By directly involving consumers in the recycling process, the pilot fosters a sense of co-creation and actively promotes the principles of a circular economy, transforming communities from passive waste producers into active participants in the recycling loop.

During the site visit, consortium members witnessed the integration of technology and sustainability in the pilot project. Moreover, this pilot will also collaborate with other demonstrators, as part of the post-consumer mPET fraction will be destined for further processing in Demonstrator 7 in Spain.

In conclusion, the General Assembly showcased that CircSyst is off to a strong start, renewing the partners’ commitment to the next phases of the project. Discussions between demonstrators and work packages highlighted the need to strengthen collaboration and ensured better alignment moving forward.

 

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