Governments Going Circular

All over the world, a growing number of companies have started to develop and apply circular business models. Governments have good reasons to act as well: circular economy strengthens the economy by saving on valuable resources, stimulates innovation and offers the promise of millions of new jobs. Given the importance of governmental intervention in establishing a circular economy, we have set out on a journey to identify best practices worldwide. We invite all governments to find inspiration here and add their success stories as well to help promote the transition towards circularity.
In the publication Governments going Circular - Global Scan Best Practices you will find best practices and ideas for circular transition. Dutch Waste Management partners developed some of them already in the Netherlands in the 90's.

Vibrant Gujarat 2015 Netherlands Participation

Delivery of clean energy project in Bulgaria by partner Djadadji

DWM partner Djadadji, which runs activities in the field of clean energy from its formal base in Bulgaria, has concluded its Staccato project. The objective of the project was to demonstrate the use of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures on a neighbourhood level. Although it took a good number of years, Arjan Visser, managing director of Djadadji, is proud of the results achieved. He explains that quite some novelties have been reached with the delivery of the project:

·        The work has resulted in the most energy efficient hospital in Bulgaria, at least for each square meter of this very large medical care complex close to the heart of Sofia.

·        For the first time, substantial social research has taken place In a retrofitting project dealing with the opinions and views of tenants/owners before and after the retrofitting ‘Plus’ to their buildings

·        For the first time in Bulgaria, we were able to integrate block level solar thermal system into the district heating network, both for public as residential buildings.

·        The Staccato project has provided numerous inputs to legislation and the promotion of Home Owner’s Associations as key element in the transforming of buildings, neighbourhoods and districts.

·        With the Staccato project, the district of Oborishte has the largest number of retrofitted apartment buildings in Sofia. Further, this community now has the largest number of square meters of solar collectors for the whole of Bulgaria.

·        For the first time, and ESCO approach was introduced in Bulgaria for residential buildings, but that did not work (well, in 2008) . As follow up, Staccato partners work on introducing new energy services for buildings.

·        This demonstration site in Sofia, was the most eastward located in any of the Concerto projects (where sites in Western Europe dominated).

·        For the first time, a hospital uses solar power as back-up system or UPS (Un-interrupted Power System).

Apart from the results and such novelties, we have created different tools to promote these results and innovative approaches. Apart from a number of deliverables that can also be found on the local Staccato website, a nice online movie about the process and results in Sofia on YouTube has been produced: see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeakjI6nL1c . Further, we actively promote the use of the robust design for a common solar thermal system for residential buildings in Bulgaria, specific for local (climatological and building) conditions.

Contact Arjan Visser: media@djadadji.com, @djadadji, www.djadadji.com

EU-India Strategic Research Agenda on Biomass and Bio-waste

The Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) was elaborated within the SAHYOG project , in close cooperation with representatives from leading research organizations and energy agencies from both India and Europe. Policy makers and industry leaders, such as Dutch Waste Management (DWM), from both continents were also consulted through several stakeholder workshops. In February in New Delhi and November in Brussels DWM presented some pilots and business concepts.

A recommendation survey was set-up and addressed to potential stakeholders. The conclusion from this survey allowed to refine the recommendations of the SRA and to design a roadmap for EU-India collaboration on research and development in the next years.

The SRA follows the whole value chain, from (a) biomass production to (b) conversion into bio-refineries and (c) utilisation in markets. For each part of the value chain the present status and strategic research needs for efficient collaboration between Europe and India in the specific domains are described. This work has resulted in a set of comprehensive research recommendations for the bio-based economy and further cooperation between India and Europe. 

These research recommendations address the areas of biomass and bio-waste resources, their conversion technologies, and bio-refinery systems, as well as markets, products and policies. 

With respect to biomass and bio-waste resources significant differences were identified between India and Europe. While the dominant resource in Europe is biomass from forestry, followed by domestic and industrial organic waste, sewage, and cereal residues, in India the most abundant and available feedstock are domestic and industrial organic and bio-degradable waste fractions, and cereal residues; this is due to India’s important agricultural sector. 

Priority research areas for EU-India cooperation include the development of:
- uniform biomass resource databases, 
- low input and intensified (biomass) production, 
- harvesting and logistics (of residues), 
- waste collection, separation and treatment, as well as 
- sustainable algae production systems.

DWM will participate in the following Residues and wastes programs 2014-2020:

- Survey and collection Survey of residues/wastes

- Set up of a survey to assess the amount and type of waste dumped at landfills.

- Assessment of the composition and the generation of MSW and the development of new routes for the valorisation of the organic fraction.

- Set up of a survey of the generation and available agricultural and processing by-products and wastes available for energy and biochemicals production.

And the program of Improving collection and utilization of wastes

-Research to the better and maximum utilization of biowaste.

Chongqing China - Clean Tech Rotterdam Partner Henk Vooijs

Occasion of the official opening of

The Consulate-General of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in Chongqing.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs invited Dutch Waste Management to celebrate the intensified relationship between 

The Netherlands and Chongqing: 

Our common past, present and promising future!

On 21^st November, 2014 the Consulate-General of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in Chongqing was officially opened, just over 75 years after the first Dutch diplomat arrived in Chongqing. The famous Dutch diplomat, sinologist and author Robert van Gulik used to live in Chongqing in those years. It was in Chongqing where he accumulated inspiration for his world renowned Judge Dee novels. Nowadays, Chongqing is the world’s largest municipality with over 30 million inhabitants. Chongqing still enjoys double digit economic growth and its middle class is growing exponentially. Over 200 Fortune 500 companies have established operations in Chongqing. Rotterdam opened its Commercial Representative Office in Chongqing in 2012. In May 2014 the Chongqing Government Logistics Council opened its Representative Office in Rotterdam, promoting the Yuxinou railway between Chongqing and Europe.

This event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of The Netherlands with the support of Rotterdam Partners, RCRO and NCH. 
New Dutch Waste Management partner Henk Vooijs also attended this event as Sectormanager Cleantech of Rotterdam Partners. Henk contributes to international trade & Investments in the Port of Rotterdam.

Poland - Climate Mitigation and Change Management

The Netherlands-Polish Council for Trade Promotion (NPCH) and the Netherlands-Polish Chamber of Commerce (NPCC) organized the 10th Anniversary of the Dutch Polish Business Award on Wednesday, 10 December at the Cobra Museum of Modern Art in Amstelveen.

Key note speaker Mr. Janusz Piechociński, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of the Republic of Poland, addressed the promising forecast of the Polish Economy and the importance of Dutch-Polish trade  and business relations. Mr. Hans de Boer, Chairman of VNO-NCW, reflected on the Dutch Polish trade and investment opportunities.

Dutch Waste Management used this opportunity to introduce Arie van Beek's company Climate Mitigation and Change Management B.V as a new partner in our network. CMx2 (Climate Mitigation and Change Management) aims at mitigating climate change by transforming the energy supply into a sustainable one: through saving energy, increasing energy efficiency and producing renewable energy. Rather than expanding his own company, Arie invests in growing his national and international network. Recently, his focus is on expanding this network and business activities in Poland.

World Soil Day

After two years of intensive work, 2015 has been declared the International Year of Soils by the 68th UN General Assembly (A/RES/68/232).  The IYS aims to be a platform for raising awareness of the importance of soils for food security and essential eco-system functions. 

The objectives of the IYS are:

• to create full awareness of civil society and decision makers about the fundamental roles of soils for human’s life;
• to achieve full recognition of the prominent contributions of soils to food security, climate change adaptation and mitigation, essential ecosystem services, poverty alleviation and sustainable development;
• to promote effective policies and actions for the sustainable management and protection of soil resources;
• to sensitize decision-makers about the need for robust investment in sustainable soil management activities aiming at healthy soils for different land users and population groups;
• to catalyze initiatives in connection with the SDG process and Post-2015 agenda;
• to advocate rapid enhancement of capacities and systems for soil information collection and monitoring at all levels (global, regional and national).

Dutch Waste Management has suggested to intensive separate collection of organic waste to produce more high quality compost. This compost will improve soil! In the Netherlands about 1.000.000 tons compost per year are using successful.