OVERVIEW

DESCRIPTION

CERREC – Description
Repair and reuse are important means to increase sustainable consumption of materials and products for the same or a similar use. Fundamentally it is a collection and redistribution, where products, which are no longer wanted/needed by one user, like for example computers or furniture, are given to those who want/need them. The challenge is to turn the reuse-sector to a core segment of waste management and to bring it to a broader mainstream to meet the goals of European environmental policies and regulations.

„Reuse“ is also a core objective of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD; Directive 2008/98/EC on waste, Nov. 2008). “Preparation for re-use” was introduced as a new form of waste treatment with the aim to produce second hand products out of waste. Therefore the WFD suggests Member States to create and foster „accredited repair and reuse-centres and networks”.

The challenge is to turn the reuse-sector to a core segment of waste management and to bring it on a broader mainstream to meet the goals of European environmental policies and regulations. The project CERREC focuses on tackling this issue through implementing repair and re-use networks and centres adapted to the specific conditions of the participating Central Europe states.

OBJECTIVES

CERREC – Objectives
General objectives of CERREC project are contribution to environmental goals of minimisation of emissions, waste and use of natural resources, fostering sustainability and waste prevention by promoting longer use of products, strengthening Central Europe by creating employment in the field of re-use, closing social gaps by providing affordable second hand goods to people with low income and creating regional added value through qualified repair and refurbishment. For that several tools will be developed like concepts for reuse networks and centres, a quality standard guideline, and a handbook describing an accreditation system. Furthermore, an increased use of „re-use-products“ also fosters more eco-efficient production processes by favouring the buying of higher quality and easy repairable products with longer life-cycles.

CERREC will create tools like website and re-use tool box which will be working tools for all actors implementing re-use measures also after the project. Transnational stakeholder policy statement will be formed, which will represent the basis for harmonised national CE re-use policies. Handbook for accredited regional re-use networks and handbook for accredited re-use centres will be published and development of standards and development of accreditation system will be created for broad re-use implementation in CE during and after the project.

The CERREC activities will regard to the diverse local and regional circumstances concerning supply, demand and structural approaches. Another main activity is to develop concepts for the accreditation of re-use and repair centres and networks. Related pilot actions will follow together with quality standard guidelines and accreditation systems and a transnational re-use exchange platform.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS

CERREC – Expected Result
Through creation of transnational exchange platform for repair and reuse CERREC will implement repair and re-use networks and centres adapted to the specific regional conditions. With help of re-use action plans and transnational re-use policy statement of stakeholders the project will lead to minimising of emissions and waste, preventing from waste and prolonging product life cycles. It will also help to create jobs in the fields of repair and reuse. This will strengthen regional private SMEs in various branches like waste management, computer-service, mechatronics, carpentry, mechanics, furniture, textiles, second hand trade, as well as public and social enterprises, thus keeping the buying power within the region and improving the regional competitiveness as well as closing social gaps by providing affordable second hand goods to people with low income. Repair and refurbishment will create added values on a local and regional level. And most importantly through reuse and repair sustainable consumption will be positively increased.

ACTIVITIES

CERREC – Activities
Summary of activities:
The main goal of CERREC is to foster the implementation of regional repair and re-use centres and networks. Therefore special effort was done to bring the approach to stakeholders and also to general public. In a first step all project partners have conducted a survey on national re-use conditions that resulted in seven national reports. Results showed that the conditions for re-use are quite different between participating countries (Austria, Germany, Czech, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland and Italy). Also from the very beginning stakeholder participation process have been initiated by the single project partners in their countries. Within several meetings the current status, the legal situation and possible strategies have been discussed with experts and authorities. The successful progress of these process showed the importance and demand of this sustainable project.
As in some countries the approach of re-use networks is very new the established Good-Practice-Database served as an useful tool to give a clear picture about the aims and possibilities regarding re-use centres and networks. In the meantime an initiative on a Transnational Policy Statement (TPS) was launched from project partners and associated experts. The TPS is available on CERREC website and can be signed online to support the initiative. In almost all countries the stakeholder participation processes resulted in first considerations to start pilot actions in order to create regional re-use networks. The implementation process to carry out pilot actions has started in the provinces of Tyrol and Burgenland (AT) and in province of Emilia Romagna (IT) and is assisted by previously established business plans. There, representatives of waste management and work-integration-social-enterprises have initiated precise cooperations for pilot phase.

In the meantime first pilot actions have been carried out in province of Tyrol and province of Emilia Romangna. These pilot actions consists of “re-use collection days” carried out in various municipalities (Tyrol) or on a specific collection point in Rimini (Emilia Romagna). The amount of collected goods as well as efforts are monitored in order to evaluate the pilot phase. Pilot activities are also of great interest for testing the quality standards and concepts for an accreditation system that have been worked out within CERREC within running project phase. Quality standards along the re-use process chain have been defined and summarised in a manual. To assure the sustainability of results gained from CERREC a web-based Transnational Exchange Platform was developed. The so far established test version is available for testing the practical usability. In order to form an EEIG until the project end a draft concept and a business plan was established.