On 27 April, Ms Teams hosted the second meeting within the framework of the conversation cycle "Dialogue with Science" discussing the topic of "Waste of Non-Recyclable Materials as Resources", strengthening stakeholder awareness and communication with universities.
The LIFE Waste To Resources IP project provides for activities for strengthening of cooperation with science, within the framework of which a practical working document - “A Strategy for Dialogue with Science by 2028” - will be developed. As part of its development, on 28 April, we presented the LIFE Waste To Resources IP to university representatives and scientists on the progress made so far. Sandija Svarupa, Senior Project Expert, outlined a number of key points - the latest research and evaluations under the project, which can be found in the "Results" section of https://wastetoresources.varam.gov.lv/, the planned procurement and the topics to be discussed at the next meetings.
Within the framework of the "Strategy for Dialogue with Science 2028", the measures implemented could include the establishment of a Ms Teams group for informal exchange of news to provide an opportunity for representatives of universities and LIFE Waste To Resources IP to communicate on current issues of mutual interest. An important step will be strengthening of cooperation by providing students of the institutions of higher education with places of internship in LIFE Waste To Recources IP partner organisations, which is also one of the objectives of the strategy.
The baton of the presentation was taken over by Mr Ģirts Salmiņš, representative of the LLC (SIA) "Econova Latvia", who talked about the pilot project on composite materials as resources - how the composite materials are created, that the material is quite complex as it consists of mixed plastic, rubber, textile and cellulose-based fibre, and what the process of preparation to final material creation, testing and application is. Mr Dzintars Vītoliņš, Project Manager at the LLC (SIA) “Druplat”, shared information on the use of wood and textile waste to create new products. The main activity of the LLC (SIA) “Druplat” is related to the collection of wood waste from sites in Riga and Cēsis, its recycling or crushing into wood chips. The recycled secondary wood is further used as a basic raw material in the production of chip boards. Since one of the wood waste products is woodchip blocks, they are further channelled into the production of woodchip block pallets by mixing woodchips with glue using the hot-press method. Further work is planned on testing and replacing binders with more environmentally friendly materials, as well as adding textile fibres.
In his turn, the leading researcher of the RTU Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry, Rūdolfs Cimdiņš Riga Biomaterials Innovation and Development Centre, Ph.D.Chem. Andrejs Šiškins shared the results obtained from the Ecological Solutions and Sustainable Material Development Scientific Research Laboratory. As to how a new product test quantity is made, tested and applied. For example, the development of clay-glass ceramics and its further research.
The conversation cycle was concluded by the RTU research assistant Mg.Sc.ing. Kristaps Zvirgzds, who talked about the products created by his colleagues and other students during their master theses, dissertations and projects using various waste and residues, such as the use of mushroom mycelium to create artworks, the use of coffee grounds to create various objects (flower pots, cup trays, etc.), creation of clothing collections from plastic bags and various recycled materials, even the use of tea mushrooms. The possibilities of shredding and reusing denim fabrics to create the next innovative solutions.
Thank you all for your participation and valuable presentations!
Read the presentations:
1. LIFE IP projekta «No atkritumiem uz resursiem» aktualitātes;
2. Kompozītmateriāli kā resursi;
3. Koka atkritumu izmantošana jaunu produktu radīšanā;
4. Otrreizējo produktu izmantošana jaunu produktu izveidei
5. Tekstila, koksnes un citu materiālu atkritumu pārstrāde jaunos produktos.
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