Unleashing circular economy potential across the Slovakia-Ukraine border.

The border region is one of the least economically developed regions of Slovakia: its GDP per inhabitant in purchasing power standard presents only 51,7% of the EU-28 average in 2013 according Eurostat. In order to facilitate further sustainable development, it is necessary to explore new innovative solutions on the regional level.

Recently, several initiatives in Europe have been exploring Circular Economy, as an alternative to the traditional linear systems. In this new model, resources are kept in use for as long as possible, and their maximum value is extracted whilst in use; they are then recovered and regenerated into new products and materials at the end of each service life. 

The significant component of Circular economy presents the creation of Industrial Symbiosis partnerships as a way of fostering local economic development and enhancing environmental benefits for local businesses. By using the best available technology and unused or residual resources from different production lines, one creates mutual economic, social and environmental benefits for all the companies involved, as well as the community. Such partnerships can help companies:

• Reduce raw material and waste disposal costs.
• Earn new revenue from residues and byproducts.
• Divert waste from landfill and reduce carbon emissions.
• Open up new business opportunities.

Opening dialogue and exposing opportunities for collaboration.

The main ambition of this bilateral project is to boost contacts and cooperation between local and regional institutions and NGOs on both sides of the EU external border. The institutional support is inevitable for changing the current model of industrial operation. The project will present the starting line to support in the Slovakia-Ukraine border region thanks to the establishment of new cooperation between two partners – IDN and Centrum pre Inovačné Partnerstvá (Center For Innovation Partnerships), who’s main mission is to support development of new innovative partnerships between businesses and/or education and R&D institutions in the Prešov region.

The main activities of the project were:

• Identifying areas with certain industries and companies that fit well into the methodology of Circular Economy. In order to acquire proven data, IDN together with the Slovak partner will analyse the Industrial Symbiosis partnerships potential in the region.
• Present and discuss the findings at a workshop where relevant organisations participate together with experts on Circular Economy. Findings of the first activity will be presented to relevant stakeholders (public organizations, NGOs, private companies and others) during a workshop, aiming at the identification of future projects to establish Circular Economy (Industrial Symbiosis partnerships) in Slovakia and its border region.
• Initiating first partnerships with the aim to implement identified projects. During the workshop and as a follow-up, the project will facilitate and create at least three partnerships that will be confirmed by the letter of intention.
• Conclusions from the workshop will be incorporated into the report, which will, in addition to the assessment findings and developed pipeline projects, consisting of Generated Assessment Procedure categorizing potential symbiotic partnerships.