In the picturesque town of Portogruaro, located in Italy’s Veneto region, the conference AWASTER for a Circular Future: Youth Empowerment and Business Innovation was held on June 24 and 25.
– One of the main environmental pressures is the excessive generation of waste, especially plastic. That’s why we all need to turn toward a circular economy, – emphasized Andrea Poldrugovac from IRENA, the project leader, at the opening of the conference.
Sustainable businesses are the key to a successful future
At the round table held as part of the conference, Croatian and Italian representatives from the business sector gathered to share the challenges they face when implementing sustainable practices in their operations.
Participants from the Veneto region agreed that their area must shift toward utilizing waste as a valuable resource, with particular emphasis on wastewater, all with the goal of preserving the environment and the natural resources that this region is rich in.
Vjeran Filippi, president of LAG 5, spoke about the challenges of implementing effective waste management systems in Croatia.
– The infrastructural isolation of southern Croatia, especially islands like Korčula, is a challenge that needs to be addressed, – said Filippi.
In addition to the necessary infrastructure and transport difficulties, Croatian islands also face pronounced seasonality.
– The number of residents and consequently the amount of waste generated on the island triples during the summer season – Filippi added.
To drive positive change, the right tools are also necessary. Marco Galanti from the Italian company T2i presented digital tools that help businesses analyze waste and adopt sustainable models.
Simone Zecca from Studio Sigma spoke about the importance of educating citizens on the circular economy and introduced a “pay-as-you-throw” model—charging for waste collection based on the amount of waste produced.
Mirela Faraguna from FLAG Eastern Istria highlighted a good practice example: the Labin Without Plastic initiative, which brings together schools, the fishing sector, and local markets with the aim of reducing the use of single-use plastics.
Good practice examples as inspiration for business development
As part of the AWASTER project, a Catalogue of good practices was created, featuring 35 examples of sustainable business solutions from Italy and Croatia. Sara Ferigo from SINLOC presented the catalogue during the conference.
– Sustainability can truly be an economic opportunity—one example is the company Favini, which produces paper from algae, – Ferigo noted.
Among the good practice examples were Maritimo Recycling from Dubrovnik and Portico, a slow fashion brand from Korčula.
Educated youth for a sustainable future
As part of the conference, a round table was held on the role of education in adopting sustainable principles in everyday life.
– Sunce has been engaged in education for years, from preschool to university level,- emphasized Tea Kuzmičić Rosandić, AWASTER project coordinator at Sunce. – Within the project, we organized workshops for students from primary schools in Split. Guided by an artist, the children used waste collected during a cleanup at Pantan to create useful items, – added Kuzmičić Rosandić.
A shining example of working with young people is Mate Blažina Secondary School in Labin. Through the School for the Environment program, teacher Olivera Tadić gives students the opportunity to apply their knowledge through fieldwork in real-life situations.
Samuele Colombo, a representative of Veritas S.p.A., also stressed the importance of informing young people about employment opportunities in the circular economy sector.
Mario Solomone from WEEC and Massimo Marchiori on behalf of Marevivo Veneto added that it is equally important to include adults in circular economy education to achieve broader societal change.
Waste tracking app and Ecolabs in schools
Following the conference, project partners held a regular meeting to discuss completed and upcoming activities.
– We’re especially excited about the development of the waste footprint app, which will greatly support educational efforts for school-aged children, – announced Poldrugovac.
– Soon, schools in Split will have their own EcoLabs, – added Tea Kuzmičić Rosandić. In these EcoLabs, students will be able to create innovative products from waste, and the best of these will be showcased at the project’s final conference.
The AWASTER project once again confirmed that collaboration between regions and sectors is key to building a sustainable and circular economy—and that cross-border cooperation is essential for protecting the Adriatic Sea.
In addition to the conference, the regular meeting of AWASTER project partners provided a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas, evaluate progress, and plan future activities.
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