KIEM Circular Economy is an externally financed project that illustrates the recently developed research line Principle and Practices in Circular Economy (CE) of the professorship Sustainability in Hospitality and Tourism. It also showcases our continuous collaboration with regional industry partners as it is a continuation of the 2020-2021 KIEM HBO Circular Economy in Hospitality. It moreover shows our endeavour to involve students in our projects.
The project is built around the desire of an entrepreneur to upcycle the plastic still used on her camping site on the camping site itself. This seems an easy problem to solve but actually it is rather complex: it involves technical, juridical, and behavioural aspects. The project aims to bring experts together who bridge the different disciplines and ultimately offer a solution for this entrepreneur who wish to close the plastic loop on her facilities. The solution should be scalable to others.
Project Leader and Researcher: Lucia Tomassini
Partners: 2 professorships form NHL Stenden (Sustainability in Hospitality and Tourism and Circular Plastics), 2 SME’s (Vrijhaven Camping ; De Haan Advocaten), 1 no-profit association (Circulair Friesland), 3 other involved organisations (Omrin; Circulair Kwartier; Univeristy of Groningen/Campus Fryslân); Internship project for a Hotel Management School student
Project Results
This presents a general overview of the project outcomes. Full details and whole project outcomes are first shared with project partners; then – in a second moment – they will be shared with the whole hospitality sector becoming of public domain as results of the SIA RAAK KIEM CE funding line.
Focus Group n.1 led by NHL Stenden Circular Plastic Professorship on “Plastic materials upcycling”:
Step 1*: First have a look into the waste streams and see which ones can be prevented. Have conversations with the supply chain to prevent single use packaging and use reusables or other solutions that can prevent waste. The results of these actions can also made clear for the campsite guests as part of the story.
Step 2*: Investigate the waste streams for which non good waste treatment exists, for example PLA which is now probably incinerated when processed by the central waste collection system, or small foils (LDPE).
*For Step 1 and Step 2 a deep dive in the waste stream is necessary
Step 3: Find a partner who can make a product out of the waste outside the campsite which can be used on the campsite (production expertise and facility is better manageable by others). Product like a bank, or a play object.
Step 4: develop small products which can be made on the campsite (with a 3d print process). This product can be sold at the campsite itself and are meant for educational purposes for guests and school children to tell the story from waste to new product and raise awareness.
Step 5: Gamification of this story (e. g. by VR-glasses). The story of the small products which are sold on the campsite is interactively explained in a game for children/guests.
Focus Group n.2 led by De Haan Advocaten on “Laws & Regulations for plastic upcycling within SMEs”:
Key point 1: Definition of waste, its ownership and management
Key point 2: Quantities of plastic materials that can be collected and stored – for how long and how
Key point 3: Delivery of the plastic materials to a third party (e. g. when? how? which permits?)
Key point 4: Permits and notifications to be applied for to the competent authorities
Focus Group n.3 led by Circulair Friesland on “Social Impacts of plastic upcycling processes within SMEs”
Option 1: Offering opportunities of transformative learning for MBO students within a life-long training framework.
Option 2: Exploring opportunities of social entrepreneurship (e. g. setting a social workshop) and possible collaborations with social entrepreneurs employing people distant from the job market
Option 3: Transformative and educational experiences for guests and visitors.