We are delighted to welcome Carina Diemel, who joined us on 1 May 2025, and Klara Theobald, who joined us on 1 July 2025, as new INZIN scholarship holders to our team.

Carina Diemel is a scholarship holder and consultant at the INZIN Institute and conducts research on heterogeneous recycled raw materials in steel production. She studied industrial engineering with a focus on mechanical engineering at the University of Paderborn and has several years of professional experience as a research assistant.

Klara Theobald is also a scholarship holder and consultant at the INZIN Institute and conducts research in the field of circular economy. She completed her master’s degree in ‘Environmental and Business Management’ in February 2022 at the Birkenfeld Environmental Campus of Trier University of Applied Sciences. She then spent three years as a research assistant at the Birkenfeld Environmental Campus in the field of circular economy, conducting research on reusable systems.

On 31 July 2025, Dr Ewa Harlacz visited the photovoltaic recycling plant (PV recycling plant) of Reiling GmbH & Co. KG as part of Environment Minister Oliver Krischer’s summer tour. Together with Environment Minister Oliver Krischer and Lara Wever (Head of Department VIII B 4), they took a tour led by Tom Reiling, Managing Director of Reiling GmbH & Co. KG, Sarah Menden (Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications) and Malte Fislake (Operations Manager at Reiling PV Recycling).

Photovoltaic modules enable clean energy generation. The Reiling company is dedicated to the resource-efficient disposal of these modules through recycling. After use, the PV systems are inspected at Germany’s first photovoltaic recycling site in Münster. Only those parts that can no longer be used are recycled according to their components. This allows silicones, glass and metals to be reused as recyclates on an industrial scale.

A picture featuring one of artist HA Schult’s ‘Trash People’ figures was a must!

We would like to thank Reiling GmbH & Co. KG for the fascinating tour of their facilities.

More information on the supply system, regional potential and circular approaches to the use of critical raw materials in North Rhine-Westphalia can be found in the Green Economy Paper published by the Environmental Economy Competence Network NRW:

Green Economy Paper

On 10 July 2025, the Green Economy Network.NRW hosted the second event in its Plastics Dialogue series. This time, the event took place at the Industry Club Düsseldorf and focused particularly on start-ups and innovative solutions in the plastics industry.

Following a brief welcome and introduction to the Green Economy Network.NRW by Prof. Dr. Martin Faulstich, Daniel Ohl (PhD scholarship holder and speaker at INZIN) took over the moderation and guided the participants through the event.

Firstly, Bettina Dempewolf, Head of Communications at Plastics Europe, gave an exciting keynote speech in which she reported on current challenges in the plastics industry. Three innovative start-ups from the plastics industry then introduced themselves. Sebastian Pütter from Smart Plastify opened proceedings, followed by Dr. Louisa Desel from Osphim and Dr. Nils Prinz from AES pyrolysis plants. Stefan Weber from chemstars.NRW then gave the final keynote speech, which focused on promoting start-ups in the chemical and plastics industry. During the Q&A session, audience members had the opportunity to ask the founders and speakers questions. Many participants took the opportunity to continue their dialogue and networking at the get-together.

We would like to thank all the speakers and guests for participating and for the inspiring dialogue. Special thanks go to Daniel Ohl, our doctoral scholarship holder and speaker, for successfully organising and moderating the event.

This year’s summer party was held on 1 July in conjunction with the Forum of Young Science at Rheinblick 741.

The event began with the sixth INZIN General Assembly. Next, as part of the Young Scientists’ Forum, our doctoral students presented their current research topics.

Professor Dr. Martin Faulstich, board member and founder of INZIN, began with an introduction to the INZIN Institute. This was followed by a report from Konstantin Saure on the tasks and prospects of our doctoral students. Daniel Ohl then presented his research on recyclate utilisation rates for polypropylene. Next, our new doctoral student, Carina Diemel, presented her project, ‘Green Steel’.

Klara Theobald joined our doctoral team on 1 July – she was able to take part in the forum right at the start and then in the summer party.

The forum was followed by the summer party, which provided ample opportunity for dialogue and was a successful end to the day.

We would like to thank all the members and guests who participated in making the evening such a success. Special thanks go to our doctoral students, who contributed to the event with their presentations and also provided valuable support in organising it.

100 days after the election of the new German government, the Circular Economy Day took place on 5 June 2025. The event was organised by the Federal Association of the German Waste, Water and Circular Economy (BDE) with the aim of promoting independence from raw materials, strengthening Germany as a business location and driving forward the expansion of the circular economy.

Professor Dr. Martin Faulstich contributed to the discussion by delivering a keynote speech. He welcomed the continuation of the National Circular Economy Strategy (NKWS). Although climate neutrality was mentioned as the first measure in the German government’s immediate action programme, a clear focus on the circular economy, waste and raw materials has so far been lacking. Prof. Faulstich emphasised the importance of concrete measures: ‘The success of the circular economy requires the monitoring of recyclate usage quotas, the definition of minimum usage quotas, and the introduction of a recycling label’.

In addition, Prof. Faulstich took part in the first panel, ‘Raw material security and value creation: securing Europe’s future with a circular economy’.

Discussions were held with experts from politics and industry: Innovative recycling strategies, economic opportunities through secondary raw materials and the necessary political framework conditions for new business models. The focus was on the possibilities of securing sustainable yet competitive raw material flows through the circular economy.