Circular Economy

Sustainable Innovation: The Power of Circular Economy at the University of Twente

By 2050, the Netherlands aims to be a fully circular economy. All products and raw materials will then be continuously reused. Waste no longer exists in such a system. Is something broken? We’ll repair it until that’s no longer possible. Then the product is recycled or converted into new raw materials. Welcome to the future of economic sustainability: the circular economy. 

To achieve these ambitious plans, we need innovative solutions. The University of Twente is working with industry and policymakers to find these solutions. We need to invent new separation technologies, companies need to cooperate in new ways and products need to last longer. We need a solution for every waste stream. 

Circular, reuse and recycle 

Being fully circular goes a step further than reusing and recycling. With reusing, a product retains its purpose. Think of a soft drink bottle that a manufacturer cleans and refills. With recycling, you also reuse a product, but for a different purpose. The plastic you separate is melted down to make a new picture frame for example. A circular product can be taken apart completely with every part being reused or recycled. 

No more waste 

How do we use our planet's limited resources sparingly? By innovating, collaborating and rethinking our economic model, we not only offer a sustainable solution to current problems but also an opportunity to boost economic growth. Step into the future of sustainability. A world without waste. 

FROM POTATO TO CANDY

The waste from potatoes as a source for candy, vegan cheese or other food products. Thanks to UT researcher Sissi de Beer, also director of the Applied Physics programme, it will be possible. She develops innovative separation technologies that are much less harmful to our environment. Sissi and her team received a substantial research grant from NWO a few years ago and the first significant results are now being achieved.

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BREAKING DOWN WASTE AND BUILDING IT UP LIKE LEGO

For years, we've sorted waste diligently, but a substantial portion remains (yet) unrecyclable. The University of Twente, with industry collaboration, researches creating new products from complex, 'wet' waste streams. The ReBBloCS project, subsidized with €3.8 million from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, aims to isolate chemical components for new materials.

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THIS GLASS LABORATORY COULD BE THE KEY TO UNLIMITED CLEAN DRINKING WATER

A looming shortage of clean drinking water is screaming for innovations in water treatment. The Waterlab of the Membrane Science and Technology cluster gives an insight into possible solutions. 

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HOW A SERIOUS GAME IS SHAPING FUTURE LEADERS

Unsustainable development leads to resource scarcity and endangers our future. The traditional take-make-use-dispose in linear economy causes pressure on supply chains. The only way forward according to Devrim Yazan? A sustainable circular economy. But how do you educate students about the complexity of this sustainability approach?

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Empowering future leaders

Our commitment extends beyond research. We empower our students to think critically about sustainable solutions and prepare them to actively promote Circular Economy principles. The university fosters collaboration with businesses, governments, and organisations to exchange knowledge and collectively work towards circular solutions.

Experience the Circular Economy in Action

Step into our Living Lab, a practical environment where students, researchers, and businesses collaborate on developing and implementing real-world Circular Economy solutions.