We care about the integrity of our waters and the preservation of the fundamentals for humans, animals, plants and microorganisms. Since the beginning of 2018, the network “Plastic Free Waters” (PlaWas) is therefore working toward the development of technologies and processes to keep water bodies clean from (micro)plastics. A dash of idealism and economic perspectives go hand in hand.
Plawas currently consists of twelve innovative small and medium sized enterprises, several leading research institutions and further partners. GlobalGreen InnoTech GmbH is the coordinator of the network. The innovation network is supported by the Federal Mistry for Economic Affairs and Energy within the program “Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand” (Central Innovation Programm for SME, ZIM).
The subject of the work is to bring together the competencies and project ideas of the network partners and bundle them to R&D projects in the area of elimination of plastics from waters as well as the avoidance of plastic entries. Developed technologies and processes will be jointly established on the national and international market. Furthermore, the network works toward creating the framework to keep waters clean at a comprehensive level.
The network wants to take the opportunity to develop standardised, cost-effective, service-friendly and reliable technologies to realise the elimination of plastic particles from water and wastewater streams as early as possible. These technologies shall be integrated into existing infrastructures of companies and systems, respectively directly into processes and machines, with the operations remaining on a commercially successful level. The technologies offer the great opportunity to specifically reduce contamination and to create new market niches, where the network wants to take over technological and economic market leadership.