During the first meeting, various upcycling methods were presented and the principles of waste management in the individual partner countries were described. The week showed how much know-how the partners can offer: from experiences in the sector of awareness raising on waste prevention to knowledge about upcycling design and entrepreneurship, as well as expertise in waste research – the partners have a solid base of work experience that will be relevant throughout the project.
The participants used Berlin as a strong source of inspiration for prospective upcycling activities. They met the Kulturlabor Trial and Error team in Neukölln, which offers educational projects for upcycling and social entrepreneurship as well as creative workshops on sustainability. Kunststoffe, an initiative in the Wedding district, also offers innovative solutions by collecting the resources and selling them to all kinds of people.
The company "Upcycling Deluxe" offered a contrasting programme, presenting the first online platform for upcycling products in Germany. The employees highlighted the fact that upcycled products have high potential for business and economic success.
In addition to the numerous initiatives, the project participants visited a recycling centre of the Berlin recycling network (BSR), where the garbage is segregated and assigned to specialized recycling companies. One highlight of the week was a discussion with Dr. Jaron from the Federal Ministry who is an expert for waste and recycling management. He explained in detail about current trends and strategies of waste management in Germany.
At the local level, the youth organizations are now implementing workshops on the prevention of garbage and different upcycling techniques.
You may find more information about the project "StartUpcycling" HERE>>
Thank for translation to Teresa Wald
