Objective

This project aims increase awareness among students (Target Group 1) and society (Target Group 2) in the RMs integrated in e-waste focusing on WEEE management, life cycle and related business opportunities by

  • creating campaigns to engage schools
  • developing and providing high quality educational materials and a gamification platform
  • exposing young people to business opportunities
  • demonstrating the results of these activities to the wider society.

The solution (technology)

Today’s “digital natives” are tightly linked to their electronic media and very skilled at utilizing fast and wide social interconnections; they cannot image living without them but they do not know that their future availability depends on material availability, including the ability to recycle e-waste. At the same time young people and adults buy an increasing number of electronic devices and gadgets for their entertainment and wellbeing, with these devices being characterized by rapid obsolescence. Moreover, e-waste management and the raw materials integrated into the devices offer increasing opportunities for new business.

EW@S is a way to make civil society and secondary school students from 5 European countries (at least 200 students) aware of the value of e-waste, of their environmental impact and of the economic challenge of the current EU lifestyle. The idea is to meet students at school and involve them in an educational activity including both frontal lessons, hand-on activities, and visits to facilities and labs focused on both scientific and entrepreneurial aspects. Moreover, students, with the help of project experts, will organise local waste collection to compete in an international challenge. The competition will be undertaken in real time through a web platform collecting information from all the teams around the Europe. The winner will win a trip across Europe to meet circular economy experts at a European level. Additionally, partners and students together will meet civil society in ad hoc events to present the circular economy and RM e-waste management, involving at least 200 people around Europe. Th eproject is open to all the European secondary schools and of course all the local NGO that would like to contribute to spread the relevance of RM for our future.

Partnership

For more information, please visit the project website.