On August 27, our annual General Meeting and Summer Party took place at Rheinblick 741 in Düsseldorf. This year, around 100 guests attended, which we were very pleased about.

Following our 7th ordinary General Meeting, the event continued with our forum “Circular Economy on the Rhine and Ruhr.” The forum was moderated by Professor Faulstich. Speakers from politics, science, and business presented innovative ideas and current approaches to municipal circular economy from different perspectives:

Jochen Kral, Deputy Mayor for the Environment of the state capital Düsseldorf, showed how the city supports charitable waste collection campaigns and waste prevention measures. He also gave insights into the city’s approaches to decarbonizing and digitalizing Düsseldorf’s waste management.

In the following presentation, “The Future of Packaging,” our doctoral candidate Konstantin Saure addressed the potential for waste prevention in urban areas and gave an outlook on future applications of reusable systems in retail.

Prof. Dr. Rainer Wallmann, Chairman of the Management Board of EDG Entsorgung Dortmund GmbH, then demonstrated how innovative approaches can be put into practice. He presented alternative methods for recycling foliage, the conversion of vehicle fleets to climate-friendly drive systems, and the development and implementation of the Dortmund-Nordost Landfill Energy Park.

Finally, Dr. Armin Vogel of dravo Consult, with his presentation “Recyclable Material Return with Citizen Incentives,” offered a deliberately disruptive perspective on waste fees and collection systems, providing an exciting impetus for discussion on how the circular economy can be rethought in the future.

The day concluded with the Summer Party right on the banks of the Rhine: amid food, drinks, summery temperatures, and a relaxed atmosphere, members and guests took the opportunity to exchange ideas, make new contacts, and round off the evening together.

We would like to sincerely thank the members and guests for their participation, the speakers of the forum for their presentations, and everyone who contributed to the success of the day.