WiseWaste

Continuous population growth and increasing urbanization have led to a significant increase in solid waste generation, which is one of the greatest environmental challenges today. The increase in waste generation poses a threat to human health and the environment if it is not properly disposed of or efficiently recycled. WiseWaste, a multinational and interdisciplinary project, aims to address this challenge by developing a framework for sustainable waste management while raising awareness in Ecuadorian communities. The collaboration between Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg, Germany) and Universidad de Las Américas (UDLA, Ecuador) aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice. The project will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges in waste management and to the development of effective solutions. 

The proposed framework includes the establishment of an institute that will oversee knowledge transfer, separate waste collection, sorting, resource recovery strategies, and awareness-raising initiatives, which form the basis for minimizing the environmental impact of waste. The focus is on establishing a bilateral infrastructure for the circular economy, including the aforementioned establishment of an institute for circular economy at UDLA and an innovation laboratory for the development and validation of circular technologies and processes. Through the joint development of a scientifically sound framework, the implementation of a pilot study, and targeted dissemination measures, findings from applied research will be transferred to real-world systems. 

The close connection to the Bio4Circularity network coordinated by the German project partner not only strengthens the visibility and connectivity of the project, but also the strategic scientific and economic relations between Germany, Ecuador, and, in the future, other partners in Latin America.