Technological watch

Problems always seem to bring out the entrepreneurial spirit in people, as they seek to find solutions. That certainly has been true of ocean plastics. Waste Free Oceans (WFO; Brussels) engages in marine litter clean-up operations worldwide and, through “closing the loop” projects, works with companies to transform the collected waste into innovative and sustainable products. WFO aims to find a balance between providing concrete solutions at the source and acting on remediation actions involving a range of local and regional stakeholders. 

WFO is currently expanding into a new area: Processing and converting a mix of plastic waste collected from waterways and land into panels that can be used to build affordable housing in local communities. The idea is to help people who have lost their homes because of natural disasters, thereby contributing to the welfare of populations in less fortunate parts of the world.

The first unique shelter model will be exhibited as a “world first prototype” at the Ecomondo Fair on Nov. 6 to 9 in Rimini, Italy. The fair brings together all sectors of the circular economy, from materials and energy recovery to sustainable development.

Corepla, the Italian non-profit consortium for the collection, recycling and recovery of waste from plastic packaging materials, supports the activities of Waste Free Oceans and collaborated on this project in Italy by providing the material for building the first shelter.