The 8th CEMEREM Summer School on “Circular Economy” was successfully held in Germany from 1st to 5th July 2024. The event welcomed 14 students and 3 staff members from TTU (Taita Taveta University). Expert lectures and hands-on workshops contributed significantly to enhancing the participants’ understanding and commitment to adopting circular economy principles.
The Summer School commenced at HTW Dresden with an opening address by Prof Ulrike Feistel, the project leader of CEMEREM. The following workshop featured expert lectures from prominent industry professionals and academics. Topics included “Textile recycling” by Prof Ingo Gestring, “Potentials and limits of recycling for natural resources needs” by Prof Jan Bongaerts, “Step stones for circularity in packaging” by Peter Görlitz, a Sustainability Manager of Sonoco, a global packaging company, and “E-waste and the relation to conflict minerals” by Prof Ulrike Feistel. This session provided an excellent foundation for understanding the importance of circular economy principles.
The second day participants had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience by visiting a collection and recycling centre in Dresden and the Institute of Waste Management and Circular Economy of TU Dresden. This practical exposure allowed them to witness real-world waste management processes in Germany.
In Freiberg, participants explored “Ground Water Usage and Recycling” at the test side at TU Bergakademie Freiberg. They also visited LuxChemtech GmbH, a pioneering company in recycling silicon waste from the photovoltaics industry. These visits provided valuable insights into innovative recycling practices and sustainable technologies.
In the workshop “Paper Recycling”, participants underwent hands-on practical training on how to recycle waste paper packaging at the Institute of Natural Materials Engineering of TU Dresden. After this session, the team travelled to the premises of Hainsberg Paper GmbH, a medium-sized paper manufacturing recycling company to familiarise themselves with the industrial scale of paper and cardboard recycling operations.
The last day’s excursion to Agrar-Genossenschaft “Bergland” Clausnitz e.G. focused on the application of circular economy concepts in agriculture. Participants gained insights into the closed-loop system of farming, where crops are grown to feed livestock; manure and bio-waste are used for generating electricity for the farm and feeding into the grid, use of heat for various purposes and for self-supplied fertilizers.
In the final interactive workshop, participants were divided into groups to discuss the current waste management situation and challenges in Kenya. They presented their learning outcomes and provided feedback on the Summer School. They have been inspired to initiate research work and activities related to waste management, aiming for sustainable development in their home country.
Many Kenyan participants expressed experiencing a “cultural shock”, particularly regarding the German culture of punctuality and directness. However, they quickly adapted, thanks to the workshop on intercultural competency beforehand, and the week turned out to be pleasant and enriching for all involved.
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