Waste Lab Bizkaia: the new epicentre of the circular economy and waste innovation
Elixabete Etxanobe has inaugurated Waste Lab Bizkaia, an innovative centre that reinforces Bizkaia’s position as a benchmark in waste prevention and management. Located on the Zamudio/Derio Campus of the Euskadi Technology Park, this space promotes public awareness, applied research and collaboration between companies, researchers, local entities, students, professionals and citizens. With a focus on prevention and the circular economy, WLB promotes practical and sustainable solutions to face the challenges of the future.
The Provincial Councillor of Bizkaia, Elixabete Etxanobe, has inaugurated Waste Lab Bizkaia (WLB), a pioneering space that positions Bizkaia as a benchmark in waste prevention and management, promoting public awareness, applied research and collaboration between the different agents involved in a key sector for the sustainability of the territory. This innovative centre, located on the Zamudio/Derio Campus of the Euskadi Technology Park, was created with the aim of joining forces and knowledge to face the challenges of the circular economy, promoting prevention as the central axis of its strategies and fostering the development of practical solutions that contribute to a more sustainable future.
During the inauguration, Etxanobe highlighted that ‘Bizkaia takes a decisive step towards sustainability with the inauguration of Waste Lab Bizkaia, a pioneering space born from the collaboration of all the agents in the sector. This centre has become a meeting point for professionals, students, researchers, companies and citizens, promoting waste prevention as a central axis and facilitating the development of innovative projects that drive the circular economy’.
Waste Lab Bizkaia has been conceived as a collaborative project in which the Provincial Council of Bizkaia has worked hand in hand with Aclima, the Basque Cluster of Environmental Companies, and EIDE, the Basque Design Association. This public-private synergy has made it possible to design a centre that combines cutting-edge technical resources, specialised knowledge and a practical approach to bring the challenges and solutions in waste management closer to the public.
During the inauguration, the Deputy General stressed that Waste Lab Bizkaia is a space for everyone, a breeding ground for ideas where young people, professionals and companies can develop projects, generate concerns and actively participate in the transformation towards a more circular and responsible economy. With this centre, Bizkaia not only reinforces its commitment to sustainability, but also leads a strategic commitment to innovation and collaboration, which are essential for building a cleaner and more conscious future.
It responds to the needs of six strategic groups
Waste Lab Bizkaia is designed to respond to the needs of six strategic groups: companies that generate and manage waste, which will find in the new centre an environment to identify business opportunities and develop joint projects; researchers from universities, technology centres and companies, who will be able to collaborate and enrich their initiatives in a space that promotes innovation; local entities with competencies in waste, which will receive support in training, advice and development of their policies; VET and Higher Education students, who will be able to complement their practical training and enhance their analytical thinking; professionals from creative, technological and economic industries, who will be offered an active network oriented towards the circular economy; and finally, the general public, who will participate in awareness-raising, awareness-raising and experimentation activities in a dynamic and interactive space.
Structured on three levels
The centre is structured on three interconnected levels that offer experiences tailored to each audience. On ‘The Street’, the top level and the entrance to the Waste Lab, the focus is on raising awareness through immersive activities that allow visitors to understand the importance of proper waste separation. This space includes a stage with audiovisual content, a group slide that culminates in a pool of plastic bottles to underline the mission of recovering and recovering waste, and exhibition areas with real examples of recycled materials.
El Barrio’, the lower level, is the core of research and experimentation. This space encourages coexistence and collaborative work between researchers, professionals and students, who will have at their disposal resources such as a physical and online material library to develop innovative solutions aimed at the recovery of waste, the reduction of waste generation and the promotion of appropriate systems and policies.
On the intermediate level, ‘The Plaza’, a meeting place is created where all stakeholders converge. This flexible space is designed for meetings, co-creation and testing, promoting knowledge transfer and mutual awareness. Workshops, events and dynamics are held here to strengthen interaction between different audiences, from experts to citizens, with the aim of disseminating best practices in the field of waste.
