Over 100 experts from Malaysia and Europe have joined today’s stakeholder consultation webinar on circular economy in the city of Petaling Jaya. The event was opened by the Deputy Mayor, Ms. Azlinda Azman and included presentations by experts from Malaysia (Petaling Jaya City Council, Iskandar Regional Authority) and Europe (Sapienza University of Rome, Amsterdam Smart City, the Circular Economy Club, Circle Economy and the IUC Asia team). This stakeholder consultation webinar enabled representatives from the government, private sector, research, and civil society to dialogue with experts from European cities and organisations on the subject matter. Participants were also exploring how city-to-city cooperation with European pairs will support the transition of Petaling Jaya to a circular city. The meeting was moderated by Ms. Jacqueline Chang, Circular Economy Consultant, IUC Asia.
To start the meeting, Pablo Gandara, IUC Asia Team Leader, introduced the overview of IUC Asia Project, and Raul Daussa, the project’s Climate and Cities Expert, delivers the background of City-to-City Cooperation between Petaling Jaya and EU Cities.
Lee Lih Shyan, Director, Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing at Petaling Jaya City Council, shared the city’s top five (5) challenges in their transition to a circular economy, namely (1) Food and organic waste, (2) Plastic pollution and packaging (3), Construction material flow and design, (4) Household e-waste, (5) Lack of digital sharing tools & platforms as an enabler for circular cities.
Blake Robinson and Marijana Novak from the Circle Economy organisation introduced the Circular Economy Club and the Circle City Scan Tool, which enables cities to align sectoral strategies towards a circular economy development.
Patrick Maurelli from CITERA at Sapienza University in Rome focused on Construction & Demolition Waste (CDW) and introduced basic figures worldwide, explaining that most of the CDW in the world is lost and not recycled. He introduced few best practices from projects supported by the European Union, including CINDERELLA for new business models including a secondary raw materials (SRM) market. He also showcased start-ups like Atlante Inerti, which designs SRM-based products.
Cornelia Dinker from Amsterdam Smart City introduced the quadruple-helix platform as well as Amsterdam’s circular innovation ecosystem. She showcased a few best practices including the Schoonschip project and the newly approved Amsterdam Circular Strategy 2020-2025. Cornelia introduced Amsterdam’s ‘doughnut’ model for the transition towards a circular economy, something especially relevant in the post-coronavirus economy.
Background
Based on the recent initiative of the Malaysian Government to introduce a Circular Economy Roadmap (CER) for plastics by end 2020, the stakeholder consultation aimed at supporting stakeholders in taking a unified and collective approach towards a sustainable, circular economic system and an inclusive approach including the informal sector and vulnerable groups as well. The new EU Circular Economy Action Plan serves as a basis for action in Malaysia, where the IUC project brings best practices from the European pilot cities to achieve circular product design through, e.g. improved durability, reusability, upgradability, and reparability of products; increased recycled content in products; and restricting single-use and countering premature obsolescence of products.
Related links
Presentations:
- Introduction to IUC Programme & Pilot Project Examples by Pablo Gandara, IUC Asia Team Leader
- City-to-City Cooperation: Petaling Jaya and EU Cities by Raul Daussa, Lead Expert Climate and Cities
- Overview of Circular Economy Initiatives in Iskandar Malaysia by Boyd Jouman, Lead, Resilient Environment at IRDA
- Circular Economy Solutions to Address Top 5 Challenges of Petaling Jaya, by Lee Lih Shyan, Director of Department of Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing, Petaling Jaya City Council
- Circle Lab for Cities by Circle Economy
- Construction Demolition Waste (CDW): Bringing Buildings into the Circular Economy by Patrick Maurelli from Rome, Italy
- Introduction to Amsterdam Smart City and Circular Economy Ecosystem by Cornelia Dinca, International Liaison at Amsterdam Smart City
Welcoming Remarks by Y. Bhg. Madam Azlinda Azman, the Deputy Mayor of Petaling Jaya
Industrial Symbiosis in Malaysia — Pahang Green Technology Park (bio-integrated zero waste concept : use empty palm oil fruit branches to produce wood free paper, tissue paper, corrugated paper and box liner paper)
Example of Industrial Symbiosis in Denmark
Example from Denmark on Circular Construction
Example from Denmark on Repair Café to Minimize Waste and Extend the Life of Appliances
Example of New Concept of Expired Food Supermarket in Denmark
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I am interested to involve in these discussions
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