The plastic present in oceans has been a major threat to marine biodiversity for years. Fortunately, there are more and more initiatives worldwide to tackle this problem. In the Netherlands, the Living Lab in Culemborg helps companies recycle plastic efficiently and thus reduce the plastic soup.
It is estimated that around 20 tonnes of plastic waste still end up in the sea every minute. The best-known initiative against the so-called plastic soup in oceans is 'Ocean Cleanup'; a system devised by a young Dutchman, a kind of ocean hoover, to sweep large parts of the seas clean in one fell swoop. He has already received several investments from Silicon Valley financial backers, among others.
On a slightly smaller scale and with a different approach, Searious Business has been active for years in our country but also internationally to tackle the plastic problem. This organisation was founded by Willemijn Peeters; she was looking for an efficient way to reduce the amount of plastic ending up in the oceans. The main premise is to ensure that less plastic ends up in the sea in the first place. Searious Business' approach therefore starts at the source: by improving the vision and strategy of producers and major consumers of plastic, such as manufacturing companies. With the recent establishment of the Living Lab in Culemborg, the manufacturing industry is even more actively involved in this.
Residual waste = new product
Many manufacturing companies have to deal with residual plastic waste. The Living Lab offers manufacturers the opportunity to use this residual waste to make a new product: the circular production process. The innovation lab acts as a plastic workshop, so to speak, for manufacturing companies, scientists, material experts, product designers and students. For instance, there are all kinds of plastic processing machines and new technologies are applied to make new products. "In the Living Lab, manufacturing companies can test on a small scale what recycled plastic would mean for their products," Peeters said. "A large part of plastic enters the market through the manufacturing industry. By using only recycled plastic and ensuring that plastic stays in a closed loop, manufacturing companies can ensure that plastic does not end up in the environment. This requires the necessary in 'ReThink' and 'ReDesign' and that is where Searious Business helps them."
The first Living Lab has established itself in Culemborg. This is partly because Gispen (the furniture maker also based in Culemborg) was one of the first (large) companies to join the initiative. The company used 3D printing to produce an entirely new piece of furniture, among other things. Internationally, there are also already ideas for making new products. For example, Searious Business is working with Wijk Yacht Creation BV and BeteoR BV to produce a so-called 'One Minute Boat' made from PET bottles. New products will be issued under the label 276 Pieces, among others.
Expansion
Peeters does not rule out more Living Labs one day. "It depends on the growth and desired production and testing capacity at the manufacturing companies we work with. Companies in Culemborg can now discover all the Living Lab possibilities. Based on that, we will determine whether we are on the right track. For the future, we definitely see opportunities for a permanent form of production, scaling up and/or expansion. Searious Business, for example, is also located in Eindhoven, where manufacturing companies and design come together. Also a logical place." There is also demand abroad, we read earlier. "I received requests from Hawaii, Fiji, Peru, Curaçao and Australia. Especially in more isolated areas, local plastic recycling has huge potential. Furthermore, it is in line with ambitions of waste-free neighbourhoods and municipalities to increasingly use new materials."
By: Kelly Bakker
Photo: Pixabay
Source: Seariousbusiness.com
