The STOPP project celebrates its 3rd Consortium Meeting in Lünen, Germany
Last December 17th and 18th, the STOPP consortium partners met in person for the third time in Lünen, Germany, to share advances and discuss further steps and challenges. The meeting was held in the Ringhotel am Stadtpark, and there they had the opportunity to network for two days of co-creation and collaborative thinking.
After the first day of the meeting, the 17th, they had the opportunity to visit the STOPP partner REMONDIS’ plastic recycling plan: The Lippe Plant. The Lippe Plant, located in Lünen—where the meeting took place— is Europe’s largest recycling centre and one of the largest worldwide. It shows REMONDIS’ commitment to sustainability through green energy production, efficient resource recovery, and robust collaborations with communities and research institutes, such as their involvement in the STOPP project for plastic waste reduction.
At the Lippe Plant, a wide variety of waste materials, including plastics, are processed to recover valuable resources. The plant incorporates cutting-edge technologies to sort and recycle plastics, diverting them from landfills and giving them a new life as high-quality secondary raw materials. Additionally, approximately 336,900 MWh of carbon-neutral energy is generated annually from waste incineration, avoiding using fossil fuels.
The plant also plays a vital role in recycling hazardous materials, such as mercury from batteries, while upholding strict environmental standards. Its decentralized structure enhances close relationships with local economies, with profits reinvested into pioneering recycling innovations, including advanced plastic recycling systems. These efforts not only preserve natural resources but also contribute to reducing the environmental impact of plastic waste by promoting a circular economy.
Partners shared their advances in the project and the next challenges that will be faced in the next months. Examples of this are the first batch of Practice Abstracts that will be launched next June, and which will offer, in an illustrative, user-friendly format, the findings about the environmental impact of plastics and strategies to promote reuse and recycling. Other activities that will be carried out in 2025 and were discussed are citizen-awareness campaigns in some EU countries or the analysis of interviews with stakeholders about their needs, perceived risks, incentives or motivations towards becoming more circular.
The STOPP Consortium Meetings reinforce the partners’ commitment to driving innovation in plastic reuse and recycling in the food value chain. The project is well-positioned to shape a more sustainable and circular future with upcoming initiatives and strengthened collaboration. Next time partners will meet in Vaasa, hosted by the University of Vaasa, in June. Now is the time to progress with the lessons learned this week!s
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