Various Locations
Circular Economy Site Visits
On the final day, Hotspot delegates had the opportunity to attend Circular Economy Site Visits, where they were able to get first-hand experience by visiting organisations and businesses pushing forward the circular economy in Wales. With a thematic focus on industry, innovation, and communities, each itinerary was designed to showcase an innovative collaboration or initiative that is using the principles of circular economy to have a positive impact on people, communities, organisations and the environment.
Site Visit 1 – Recycling
The tour focused on how domestic waste can be recycled and re-utilised by visiting a state-of-the-art recycling centre based in the Vale of Glamorgan, and how this contributes to the high quality, leading global recycling rates in Wales, and secondly how food waste can be utilised for energy and crop production.
On this tour, delegates visited:
Site Visit 2 – Circular Business
The Circular Business site tour showcased some of the innovative, practical work and research businesses and academia are collaborating on around circular business models. Delegates participated in a tour of a business and an academic institution that are implementing circular solutions to solve real world problems to resource efficiency and waste.
On this tour, delegates visited:
Site Visit 3 – Cardiff Circular Community Tour
This tour reinforced a local community approach to sustainability and how this can promote a more circular approach to goods and services, while still benefiting local stakeholders through inclusivity, access to facilities, upskilling and training, and supporting a more socially responsible lifestyle by citizens and local businesses.
On this tour, delegates visited:
Site Visit 4 – Food Innovation and Redistribution
The tour focused on the opportunities and benefits of minimising food waste, from the development of an efficient redistribution network for surplus food occurring in the food supply chain, reducing waste and benefitting the health and wellbeing of a wide range of social groups in Wales; to state of the art research in understanding consumer behaviour and food science, for maximum food utilisation while also ensuring its safety.
On this tour, delegates visited:
Site Visit 5 – Reuse
This tour was dedicated to integrating a sustainable and circular approach to supporting local communities through the re-use, upcycling, repair and refurbishment of materials. This generates opportunities to citizens through affordable access to goods and services, in addition to upskilling individuals, inclusion, and enabling a community through the benefits of recycling and re-use, local identity, strong local economy and a reputation as an attractive, safe, culturally vibrant and cohesive place to live, work and relax.
On this tour, delegates visited:
Site Visit 6 – Construction
On this tour, delegates learned how sustainable building methods can be aligned to accessible, circular and inclusive construction projects, and the work necessary to ensure that buildings meet the new requirements of resource efficiency, insulation, ease of construction and affordability.
On this tour, delegates visited: