International conference “Green transformation and circular economy”, which took place on 21 of June 2018 in the regional museum in Maribor, hosted over 90 participants from all sorts of occupations and specialties interested in sustainable development and circular economy.
After “Circular economy package” was ratified and passed by all three European institutions – European Council, Commission and the Parliament- the last being European Council on 22 of May 2018, there is now a clear path laid down for Reuse and recycle milestones in EU states and on the local level. The new legislation obliges EU member states to reach a 55% municipal recycling rate by 2025, 60% by 2030 and 65% by 2035.
Making the distinction between re-use, preparing for re-use and supporting access for re-use operators and recycling process at the end of the chain, opens a space for collaboration between bigger/multinational producers and social economy, who’s actors are locally integrated, supporting local and regional communities and are often in the forefront of sustainable development.
With combining “Circular economy package” on waste reduction, reuse and recycle standards by EU institutions, together with economy that needs to become: “restorative and regenerative by design” we are opening a path to potentially zero waste society.
The conference focused on 3 specific sectors: textile, food and plastic, each in its way important for circular economy progress and everyday life on local end global level. Each round table dug deeper, by introducing “the big picture” and presenting some of the best practice examples in each of the chosen sectors of products/resources important as building blocks of green transformation.