Twelve years ago, the German Society for Waste Management launched the Science Congress (Wiko). Since then, young scientists and professors have been meeting every year to share their experiences. The Wiko is supported by an advisory board that includes almost all German-speaking professors in the field of waste and recycling management. Their research work is reported on in numerous publications, including the Wiko publication series.
 

Who uses the results? Are all the publications read? Who summarizes the key findings, statements and recommendations? Are the results incorporated into laws, regulations, guidelines or recommendations? If not, many overarching questions relating to the waste and circular economy remain unanswered. There are obviously enough scurrilous topics. D e challenges will increase noticeably in the future, especially against the backdrop of a circular economy as an integral part of climate, raw materials and nature conservation policy in the EU and in Germany.

This is where the idea of an academy comes in. In the traditional sense, an academy is a gathering of scientists to discuss a topic independently and in a well-founded manner in scientific discourse in order to arrive at a reflected, verified and evidence-based result. This should then be published as a recommendation.

Founding of the Academy of the Circular Economy

The first “Academy of Circular Economy” was held in Potsdam on February 14/15, 2023. The academy is organized by the German Association for Waste Management (DGAW).

The Academy will use its wealth of experience from over 40 years in the waste and circular economy to independently and scientifically discuss selected current topics, analyze the underlying facts and data and, based on this, derive recommendations for a resilient and efficient waste and circular economy. The Academy will make recommendations on necessary research topics and programs and draw attention to areas that currently (still) receive little attention. The focus will be on people, the climate, the environment and resources in the context of waste management/legal and technological solutions.

[Translate to Englisch:]

Die Akademie steht mit ihrer Arbeit und ihren Empfehlungen für die Wissenschaft und wendet sich damit an diejenigen, die in ihren Arbeiten und bei ihren Entscheidungen auf wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse setzen wollen. Die Akademie denkt hierbei insbesondere an den Gesetzgeber und dessen nachgeordnete Einrichtungen, sie denkt an unsere politischen Vertreter*innen und die Fachöffentlichkeit und wird sich selbstverständlich auch über die verschiedenen Plattformen der DGAW mitteilen.

The members of the Academy will work on a selected topic from the field of waste and recycling management over the course of a year, exchange ideas via video conferences and hold the Academy in the run-up to the Science Congress.

As a result, a short paper with recommendations for the specialist public is drawn up, agreed and published for each topic. The Academy thus serves as a mouthpiece for the scientific community.
 

Members of the Academy of the Circular Economy

The Academy currently consists of 12 professors from Germany and Austria, from universities and universities of applied sciences.
You can find an overview of the current members here.

• Recommendations for a resilient and efficient waste and circular economy (approx. 15 topics in the priority list)
• Material flow-related quotas in waste management (This topic is currently being prepared for the next Academy)
• Transboundary waste shipment
• Deposit system for batteries
• Chemical recycling
• Further topics are in preparation

The Academy gladly accepts suggestions on further topics from the waste and recycling industry, is in close contact with the members of the advisory board of the science congress and is happy to contribute to ongoing, critical discussions.

Gerhard Rettenberger and co-authors

Long version of the text can be found here