Study and Pilot Plan for circular economy and socio-labor inclusion through reuse of hotel waste
The project consisted of the analysis of the potential of reuse and a pilot plan for the collection and upcycling of waste (furniture, mattresses, appliances, textiles and others such as kitchenware or decorative objects) mainly from the hotel sector. Preparation for reuse and upcycling has been carried out through socio-labor workshops and the creation of jobs in insertion company. The analysis of viability and economic sustainability of the activity has also been developed.
Regional
Spain
Mallorca and Ibiza, in the Balearic Islands
Mainly urban
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
No
No
Yes
2022-12-31
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): Fundación Deixalles Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Francesca Last name of representative: Martí Gender: Female Nationality: Spain Function: Managing director Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: C/ Son Gibert 8A. Town: Palma Postal code: 07008 Country: Spain Direct Tel:+34 971 77 22 11 E-mail:direccio@deixalles.org Website:https://deixalles.org/
The project sought to contribute to the reduction of waste generation in the tourism sector, promoting the circular economy, all through the social and labor inclusion of the vulnerable group in the Balearic Islands. The project consisted of the analysis of the potential of the reuse of bulky waste from the tourism sector (furniture, appliances, mattresses, etc.) with a pilot plan for the collection and preparation of these for the second-hand market and a furniture upcycling workshop and economic viability analysis. It is important to highlight that we tried to generate socio-labor insertion of people belonging to vulnerable groups. To this end, a training project was generated to improve the employability of X people in vulnerable situations and the creation of X contracts in insertion company.
The main activities of the project were:
· Previous analysis of waste production by the HORECA and Real Estate sector
· Prospecting of target companies in the HORECA and Real Estate sector
· Pilot plan for the reuse and preparation for reuse of furniture and others in the HORECA and Real Estate sector
· Insertion and training workshop for vulnerable groups
A vital part of the project was the contact with companies in the sector and their awareness in order to obtain collaboration agreements for obtaining bulky waste with potential for reuse. A total of x agreements were signed and x tons of materials were collected. Above 90% of the objects had potential for reuse allowing a significant reduction in waste production.
waste reduction
reuse
socio-labor insertion
upcycling
circular economy
Two of the project's objectives were clearly environmental
Objective 1. Waste reduction and reuse
To this end, after a previous analysis of the available information and the selection of key actors and companies with which to contact and encourage participation in the Pilot Plan to achieve the collection of materials (furniture, appliances,...) in companies in the tourism sector and its subsequent treatment in the Foundation's preparation workshops for reuse. On the two islands (Mallorca and Ibiza)It was expected to sign 20 agreements, carry out at least 30 collections in companies, remove at least 2400 furniture / appliances that accounted for at least 24 tons. After its evaluation and passage through the workshops, the objective was that at least 80% had the necessary conditions to move to reuse through the second-hand market. Finally 32 agreements were signed and XX collections were made, obtaining 116 tons of which 97% could be reused.
Objective 2. Identification in the hotel and real estate sector of key points to facilitate collection and recovery through the reuse of bulky waste (furniture, mattresses...), household appliances and other objects to avoid their transformation into waste
Based on the actions carried out to facilitate the fulfillment of objective 1 of the project (visits to companies, collection of furniture, treatment in workshops,...) it was foreseen the realization of a report of key points to facilitate the collection and reuse of furniture and other objects in the tourism sectors. This report can be useful to define strategies and public policies for the promotion of the circular economy and is available online on our website.
This model of direct contact with hotel companies to offer voluntary collaboration to give an environmental outlet in their processes of reform or replacement of furniture has proven to be useful, with a great impact, and is perfectly repeatable.
In the direct meetings with companies, they have been sensitized in relation to new possibilities of contributing from their companies to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and facilitated contact with other social realities. This has facilitated the good response, exceeding the planned collaboration agreements. In addition, related activities have been organized such as thematic conferences for professionals in the tourism sector on the islands of Ibiza and Mallorca, facilitating the transmission of knowledge and the promotion of good practices. In addition, an effort has been made to make visible and value second-hand consumption and reuse. This has focused largely on the upcycling workshops, as well as furniture upcycling competition activities developed on both islands with the participation of local artists (Mallorca) or students of the School of Art of Eivissa (Ibiza).
Thanks to all this, the involvement of the participating people and companies has been achieved, which have internalized the problem of waste production and the possibility of contributing to the SDGs from their local scale. We hope that the collaboration will continue in the coming years contributing to the reduction of waste production.
One of our objectives, number 3, was clearly related to Inclusion. It was:
Objective 3. Facilitate the socio-labor insertion of participants who are in a situation of vulnerability
On both islands (Mallorca and Ibiza), a specific training itinerary was created for beneficiaries of the foundation belonging to vulnerable groups, lasting 4 months. Theoretical-practical training was developed by 14 people with the aim of improving their employability and their subsequent labor insertion. Throughout the training itinerary, personal and professional qualifications have been worked 5 hours a day from Monday to Friday. The beneficiaries were unemployed between 16 and 65 years old, of different nationalities and with low levels of employability. This process of facilitating insertion was complemented by the realization of 6 contracts in insertion company.
The beneficiaries of the training courses in addition to their practical training received training in Personal and Social Competences (60 h),
Information and Communication Technology Skills
(20 h) and occupational risk prevention (30 h) with the aim of improving their employability
The city has benefited indirectly from the improvement of management and the reduction in waste production. In addition, from the preparation for reuse as a circular economy tool, it has been possible to make available to citizens multiple furniture and objects at low cost in the second-hand market. On the other hand, companies in the sector have achieved, thanks to the voluntary signing of a collaboration agreement, an environmentally correct outlet for furniture, mattresses and other elements that must be removed at the time of carrying out works or reforms in the establishments, contributing to advance in the SDGs.
Finally, we must highlight the involvement of the Ibiza School of Art and local artists in Mallorca in the respective upcycling competitions to disseminate and raise awareness in Society about the importance of reuse.
We must not forget to mention in this section that as previously mentioned in the project has been taken into account, as in all the activities of the Deixalles Foundation, the labor insertion of people at risk of exclusion. This has been achieved both with the training actions in both islands and with the 6 hirings in insertion company.
A first and important factor was the support for the project by the central government through subsidies from the Ministry of Social Rights and Agenda 2030, which facilitated the financing of a good part of the actions. At the regional level, the administration (Balearic government) was asked to participate as speakers in the specific conferences for the tourism sector in relation to the SDGs and the implementation of good practices. Its positive response gave a positive image and encouraged the participation of companies in the sector.
At the local level, contact was made with different business associations, but what worked best was direct contact with the companies that were sensitized and offered the possibility of signing collaboration agreements with the project. Thanks to this agreement they could obtain an environmental outlet through reuse for their bulky waste and dissemination on social networks. In addition, thanks to the assignment of a specific contact person for each island, a personal treatment was favored that generated mutual trust. This facilitated the consultation of issues related to waste management and possible good practices, as well as participation in the conference either as assistants, or as speakers in some cases. The interest shown by some companies was reinforced thanks to organizing visits to the foundation's facilities and knowing insitu the possibilities of reuse and upcycling, as well as the social implications of the project. All this allowed to exceed the objectives by signing 33 agreements with companies in the sector (which manage 130 hotels) and the collection and management of 116 tons of furniture and other elements.
For the design of the project from our entity we counted on the participation of 3 different technical profiles.
On the one hand, the staff of the social area designed and coordinated the realization of the training itineraries, in addition to selecting the participants and monitoring their evolution.
On the other hand, technicians from the environmental area carried out the general coordination, design of the Pilot Plan for preparation for the reuse of furniture and others in the tourism sector, as well as the work of dissemination, preparation of material and direct contacts with companies and other key agents.
Finally, the marketing coordinator (second-hand) of the Foundation was integrated into the project from the beginning and was responsible for carrying out the adjustments and actions to assess the feasibility of introducing objects prepared for reuse in the second-hand market, for which it has the sales points of the foundation and the creation of its own space for the online sale of furniture from the Upcycling workshop. For this, it was decided to have a specialized company to carry out a market and feasibility study.
In addition to these technical profiles, an important element for the project was the operator/trainer staff who coordinated the practical training in upcycling and led the technical and artistic side of it. A person who was already a worker in the foundation and with artistic training was chosen.
Throughout the project, periodic coordination meetings were held where those involved in the project participated, always with the participation of the areas involved at that time (social, environmental, commercial). To these meetings, usually on a monthly basis, the upcycling trainer is invited to participate.
The different areas were interdependent. The environmental area obtains materials that will be treated in the social workshops and later will be marketed by the commercial area in the points of sale of 2nd hand.
The results have exceeded the objectives in an overall way. Thus, for example, it was expected to be able to carry out 50 contacts/interviews that would allow 20 collaboration agreements to be achieved. Finally, 98 interviews were conducted and 35 agreements signed (33 with hotel companies). This has facilitated that instead of the 24 tons of furniture finally planned, 116 tons were collected. Most of the material, 97%, has suitable conditions for reuse. We estimate that this reuse has saved 692 tons of CO2.
The good participation of companies has also occurred in the actions of dissemination of good practices and development of the SDGs through the specific days developed in both islands.
On the other hand, it must be taken into account that one objective was to provide a training itinerary in which to improve the employability of 14 people in conditions of vulnerability (8 in Mallorca and 6 in Eivissa) and facilitate 2 contracts in insertion company. Finally, the training workshops were completed and there were 6 insertion contracts involved in the project. In this way, a greater social impact than expected could be produced, largely thanks to the good reception and volume of material treated.
Our general activity is based on the collection of furniture, clothing and belongings from the population and their preparation for reuse in our workshops where vulnerable people can develop and acquire labor skills that allow them to defend themselves in the normalized labor market. Normally our activity focuses on home collections to the city. For this project we had innovations of interest such as:
a) specifically address a large business sector that generates bulky waste that is outside the usual areas of management
b) Create a new specific training itinerary in relation to upcycling
c) Start creative upcycling work as a possible way to increase the value of objects and create new outputs in the second hand adapted to more types of audiences
d) Carry out market studies to evaluate the possibilities of commercialization of both conventional vies (our physical sales points) and new ones such as online sales.
e) Have a document of key points to be able to advance in the reuse of this type of furniture and objects
Throughout the project, different methodologies and strategies have been developed depending on the different activities to be carried out in relation to the objectives set out in it. For example:
- In relation to identifying and facilitating the collection and recovery through the reuse of furniture, household appliances and other objects to avoid their transformation into waste, the strategy has been based on facilitating direct contacts as much as possible, making visits and trying to create the necessary complicities. It was developed by technical personnel on both islands who also prepared materials and presentation documents that were used and who also carried out the tasks of awareness and relations with companies (visits, interviews, coordination of collections and promotion of agreements mainly).
As for the activities related to the reduction of waste production and the preparation for reuse of objects, furniture and electrical appliances, we have tried at all times to facilitate the collection in companies of the sector as a priority. In order to maintain control over the materials collected and their destination (reuse, recycling, disposal), paper data collection sheets were created and drivers and workshop managers who received the equipment were trained for their correct annotation. Whenever possible and in order to facilitate the management of the material and the warehouse capacity, the technician responsible for the project coordinated the collections, previously informing logistics personnel and the warehouse to which the collected materials were sent.
As for the exploration of the possibilities of increasing the possibilities of commercialization of furniture and objects, upcycling workshops were launched in our facilities of Manacor (Mallorca) and Sant Antoni de Portmany (Ibiza). A virtual sales space was also created
Fem that circulates-Fem que Circuli! can be successfully replicated in any community with an important presence in the tourism sector. It is necessary, in order to be able to give the social aspect and take advantage of its development, to have already implemented a social project based on personalized socio-labor itineraries, as is the case of the Deixalles Foundation.
This is a fairly common reality among social entities linked to reuse, many of them belonging to the rruse network (rreuse.org). In this way, the existing activity can be easily adapted and new alliances and collaborations can be generated, increasing the possibilities of reuse and the development of the cicular economy.
The model of Fem that Ciculi! It is flexible enough to be replicated with other tipus of business sectors and other types of objects with potential for reuse, as long as a product with second-hand market output could be obtained. An example could be the signing of collaboration agreements for the collection of obsolete computer equipment from different companies (banks, offices,...) and in this way three its treatment and preparation the channeling to the second-hand market.
As a reference unit for this section we will have the UN SDGs. These goals would be the master plan for achieving a sustainable future for all. They interrelate with each other and incorporate the global challenges we face every day such as poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, … Our project facilitates at least the fulfillment SDGs 1, 8, 10, 12 and 13.
Goal 1 End of poverty Goal 8. Decent work and economic growth Goal 10 Reducing inequalities
We have taken special care to create a space for social and labour training for vulnerable people and facilitate an improvement in their training in order to access the labour market with better guarantees. In this way we contribute at the local level to social justice and the employability necessary to get out of the situation of vulnerability of 14 people. In addition, it was possible to create 6 contracts in insertion company (4 more than planned) which has allowed to significantly improve the conditions and training of these people.
Goal 12. Responsible production and consumption
The project has provided to companies in the tourism sector the possibility of identifying an output with environmental impact (the production of bulky waste) to which normally no attention is paid and put it into perspective, while providing them with a possibility of environmentally correct and responsible management: its destination to a social entity for its destination for reuse. In addition, it is the same tourism companies that assume responsibility by signing a collaboration agreement. On the other hand, the provision of a greater amount of materials available for reuse, and even their variety thanks to the upcycling work itself, has also favored responsible consumption by the citizenry, increasing the impact of the circular economy.
Goal 13. Climate action
An important impact derived from the correct management of waste is the saviings in CO2 emissions. Our project estimate a saving of 692 tons of CO2.
