Zero Waste Project ends on EU Delegation

by Giuseppe Totaro

The final conference of the Med Zero Waste Project, which over the past two years has involved agencies, universities and local aof the Euro-Mediterranean area, will be held at Rome. The event is scheduled for Friday 8th June from 9:30 in the prestigious “Spazio Europa” hall, inside the palace of the EU Representation in Italy (Via IV Novembre 149, Rome). During the conference the project partners of the Zero Waste Project as well as their guests will introduce the results of the implementation of the project activities comprising interesting thoughts and perspectives in the field of sustainable waste management. The project was officially launched in May 2009 and the partnership was established by the following entities: Efxini Poli, Local Authorities' Network for Social, Cultural, Tourist, Environmental and Agricultural Development (Lead partner); Ecological Recycling Society; Aristotle University of Thessaloniki - Laboratory for Heat Transfer and Environmental Engineering (Greece); BRGM - Regional Geological Survey of Provence Alpes Cote-d'Azur (France); Research Centre Bistra Ptuj (Slovenia); Municipality of Ragusa (Italy); UAB Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona - Chemical Engineering Department (Spain).

All project partners have substantial experience on waste management and through data collection and transfer of know how focused their efforts on the common goal, which is provision of expert support to Municipalities and Local Authorities for the application of “zero waste” strategies and methods. The principal objective of the project Zero Waste is the development of an integrated zero-waste management system, which will maximize resources and energy and reduce the amount of waste that finally disposed in landfills, through the deviation of materials and resources and the introduction of re-use and recycling schemes that could act as drivers of economic activity and sustainable development of the EU regions. The transnational value of the project and in particular the capitalization of best practices will help Municipalities and Local Authorities to include and actually apply in their local policies the tangible waste management tools introduced by the partners. To tackle this challenge, the project was focused on specific sensitization actions.

The project's activities are divided in 5 Components and comprising the following elements: the development of the project communication plan; the organization of infodays within thematic workshops and exhibitions; zero waste systems' surveys and analysis to evaluate waste management methods by Municipalities; the study of the operational requirements for the implementation of municipal composting facilities for household biowaste in certain municipalities in Greece, Slovenia, France and Italy; the exchange of experiences: inventories on best and worst practices and transnational SWOT analysis; the implementation procedure of alternative waste management schemes in Municipalities and the development of Regional Policy tools; the pilot application of household composting for a certain number of households in Greece, Slovenia, France and Italy.

The Zero Waste project was implemented within the program MED 2007-2013, objective 2.1 "Protection and enhancement of natural resources and heritage", and has been co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund.

Media interested in attending the conference may request accreditation by contacting the press office at number 0173-33777 or writing an email to giuseppe.totaro@cooperica.it. You can find the program on www.cooperica.it