On 22 and 23 October, EMULSA hosted the launch meeting of 2LIFES, a European project involving seven partners to promote re-use through public policies. 2LIFES is part of the fourth call of the Interreg Europe programme in which 170 applications were submitted and only 74 selected. The project officially started on 1 August 2019 and will last for 42 months, ending in 2023. With a budget of €1,383,826, 2LIFES operates within the framework of the European Cohesion Policy and under the European Regional Development Fund. As an Advisory Partner, RREUSE will provide the partnership with expertise on re-use policies, best practices and communication activities.
The seven project partners are:
• ANEL, Nicosia Development Agency, Cyprus.
• AVA, Aarhus Waste and Heat Department, Municipality of Aarhus, Denmark
• EMULSA, Municipal Company of Urban Environment Services of Gijón, Spain
• KDRIÜ Central Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency, Hungary
• KRWMC, Klaipeda Regional Waste Management Center, Lithuania
• Marche Region, Italy
• RREUSE Re-use and Recycling European Union Social Enterprises, Belgium
2LIFES will serve as a tool to improve regional and municipal waste management to further develop and enhance re-use policies – ultimately contributing to waste minimisation and resource efficiency. During the first 30 months of the project, the partners will analyse and exchange experiences and best practices regarding re-use. The last 12 months will focus on the implementation of the action plan established in the first phase. 2LIFES can then serve as a reference for other EU regions aiming to boost re-use.
During the 2-day event, partners discussed re-use initiatives promoted by public administrations and overall project organisation, objectives and expectations. The meeting also involved insightful site visits to Caritas Koopera, Emaus Riquiraque and EMULSA’s CAS and Reusapp. This allowed for in-depth discussions on specific waste streams and environmental, social and economic benefits associated with re-use. Furthermore, the partners met with the Mayoress of Gijón, Ms Ana Gonzalez Rodriguez, who asked to be informed of project results and urged the partners to keep fighting for better environmental and social conditions within cities and regions of our planet.
The next 2LIFES meeting will take place on 20 February, in Brussels. Organised by RREUSE, the event will include a workshop and a site visit to a re-use facility.
