Kerkennah Municipality – Tunisia

Project Name: No More Plastic in Kerkennah

Duration: 8 months

Description: The project aims at reducing plastic waste by implementing three key initiatives. First, rainwater collected in school and public place tanks will be treated with desalination and reverse osmosis to provide safe drinking water, minimizing the use of PET bottles. Second, customized kraft paper bags will replace single-use plastic bags, with a focus on local manufacturing and home delivery options to raise awareness and reduce plastic consumption. Lastly, workshops will teach residents palm leaf weaving for creating sustainable shopping bags, blending traditional craftsmanship with eco-friendly practices. These efforts collectively promote environmental preservation and sustainable living.

Mersin Metropolitan Municipality – Turkey

Project Name: Unite for Plastic-Free Coasts! (Up-FreeCoasts)

Duration: 8 months

Description: Mersin Metropolitan Municipality aims to create a plastic-conscious community along the Mediterranean coast. The “Up-FreeCoasts” project will implement a zero-waste approach with closed-loop plastic recycling. Actions include installing a smart reverse vending machine in a municipal cafe, setting up water fountains along the coastal line, and training 1200 youngsters about plastic recycling and composting techniques at the MERCAN Environment and Climate Science Center. Additionally, cleanup activities will be conducted in various coastal and lakeside areas in Mersin.

Tyre Coast Nature Reserve– Lebanon

Project Name: Toward Zero-waste, Tyre Plastic Management Plan (TPMP)

Duration: 8 months

Description: The Tyre Plastic Management Plan (TPMP) by Tyre Coast Nature Reserve (TCNR) focuses on reducing single-use plastics through community engagement and education. It promotes sustainable practices, empowers eco-leaders, and fosters eco-entrepreneurship. The project integrates traditional and innovative approaches, aiming to establish a zero-waste culture and contribute to long-term environmental sustainability in Tyre.

We commend all the winning organizations for their dedication to addressing plastic pollution and advancing the goals of the REMEDIES program. Their innovative projects exemplify the spirit of collaboration and environmental stewardship, offering hope for a cleaner, healthier Mediterranean ecosystem.

For more information about the REMEDIES program and future REMEDIES activities and opportunities to engage with us, please visit here.

Together, let’s continue our journey towards a sustainable and plastic-free future for the Mediterranean and beyond.

A diverse group of innovators from 18 different countries (Europe, Africa, North America, and Asia) applied to compete with their projects to fight plastic pollution. Among the numerous participations, 24 of them stood out for their innovative ideas and solutions that can make a real impact. The 15 finalist, engineers, scientists, designers, and environmental enthusiasts, were given the floor to impress the judges with a 5’ Pitch.

The Hackathon Ceremony and Final Pitching Day was realized on the 18th of April starting with an inspiring keynote speech from the Deputy Director General at European Commission, Mr Kestutis Sadauskas, that followed by a warm introduction of the 8 Jury Committee members.

Special acknowledgements were made to the Plastic Fantastic Award Sponsors for their support to the 4 winning teams!

• SupportSani/Ikos hospitality Group, a leader in sustainability and sustainable tourism with numerous global awards and certifications in areas such as environmental management and carbon neutrality, having an ambitious triple target to be net zero by 2030,
• Athanasios C. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation dedicated to supporting various charitable initiatives, including those focused on environmental conservation, education, and healthcare,
• Sporos Platform combining robust & future-proof financial returns with measurable environmental & social impact,
• WIT & Scientists Against Plastic creating nature-inspired scientific solutions to fight plastic pollution,
• EU Horizon Program RAMONES on radioactivity monitoring in ocean ecosystems.

Based on the judges evaluation, 4 teams stood out for their positive impact & their acceleration readiness for the strong potential to fight ocean plastic pollution.

Winning start-ups

CAPTOPLASTIC has developed a technology capable of controlling and capturing microplastic from water bodies. Its technology can be implemented in different facilities like wastewater treatment plant, drinking water treatment plant, water bottling plant, plastic industry WWTP, textile dyeing WWTP, recycling plants, removing textile fibres in water, personal care industry, etc.

BioFlocean is a bioplastic produced from microalgae that treats waste and captures carbon while generating potential carbon credits. Through their innovative Cleantech solutions, the founded and led by women innovators team, harness the power of microalgae offering a comprehensive suite of solutions that address diverse environmental issues. With advanced biological treatment technology, they efficiently remove pollutants from wastewater, safeguarding marine life and water ecosystems & their carbon capture technology has potential to capture up to 2.7 tons of CO2 per acre daily, contributing to climate change mitigation.

Winning ideas & projects

BioRise is a spin off that comes from the NTUA, with a team of two young & promising students, with the aim to transform plastic waste into high-value bio-products using advanced microbial cell factories! Their primary objective is to develop new biotechnological tools; enzymes and microorganisms, for the production of second generation biofuels, bio-based polymers and chemicals in the concept of Industrial Biorefinery.

DropliNet is a women led researchers’ team, developing a user-friendly and sensitive approach for micro-and nano-plastic (MNP) monitoring in environmental water samples, via receptor-and droplet microfluidics-based technology. The value of this technology are that it detects low concentration of micro-and nano-plastic, the automation and minimal need for training, the high speed in getting results & portability!

We congratulate these teams for their outstanding achievements and innovative solutions & we are looking forward to starting collaborating with them closely!

Opportunities ahead

As we celebrate the success of the winning teams, we also want to extend our gratitude to all 15 finalists for their incredible performance throughout the hackathon. Although they may not have secured the top spot, their dedication and hard work have not gone unnoticed.

As a token of appreciation, all finalists will still have the opportunity to network and be referred to potential collaborators, donors, and sponsors, opening doors for future collaborations and partnerships.

Acceleration program

In addition to recognition and networking opportunities, the winning teams will receive valuable prizes, including up to 8,000 euros, tech prizes, and a free three-month acceleration program by Impact Hub Athens. This program will provide them with the resources, mentorship, and support needed to further develop and scale their projects, bringing them one step closer to implementation and real-world impact.

A big shout out to all the 50+ experts that contributed to the Plastic Fantastic Bootcamp & Hackathon!

We hope that the 1st plastic preneurial community has done its first steps & we commit that we will build on the connections & educational content created during the Plastic Fantastic Hackathon to further create & support systemic change!

Stay tuned for updates and highlights from the hackathon as we continue our journey towards a cleaner and healthier future for our oceans.

Το Green Concept Award γιορτάζει τους οραματιστές.

Το “LooPi – το δημόσιο ουρητήριο φυτικής βάσης για όλα τα φύλα” είναι η τελευταία καινοτομία στη σειρά των λειτουργικών πράσινων τοίχων. Το LooPi είναι ένας συνδυασμός διαχείρισης λυμάτων και πράσινης υποδομής: τα λύματα επεξεργάζονται μέσω του ενσωματωμένου πράσινου τοίχου και επαναχρησιμοποιούνται για το καζανάκι.

Για να αντιμετωπίσουν την κλιματική αλλαγή, οι πόλεις επενδύουν σε πράσινες υποδομές – οριζόντιες και κάθετες πράσινες περιοχές. Οι πράσινες περιοχές χρειάζονται πολύ νερό για άρδευση και θρεπτικά συστατικά για ανάπτυξη. Οι πράσινοι τοίχοι της alchemia-nova λειτουργούν με λύματα, χρησιμοποιώντας τους ρύπους ως θρεπτικά συστατικά για τα φυτά, καθαρίζοντας έτσι το νερό για επαναχρησιμοποίηση.

Το LooPi είναι μια λειτουργική πράσινη υποδομή που υποστηρίζει τη βιωσιμότητα και την κυκλική οικονομία.

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