ScaleUPcycling

About the project

Global use of materials has more than tripled since 1970 and could double again by 2050. Yearly we throw away more than 2.12 billion tonnes of waste but only 40% of household waste is currently reused, recycled or upcycled. 99% of the things we buy are trashed within 6 months. Only 9% of the world economy is circular.

There is a need to encourage reusing and extending the useful life of products. The ScaleUPcycling project aims at motivating the young to be environmentally conscious and active, and make a difference in their everyday lives. Although in the past few years a small growth of upcycling and reuse initiatives has been observed, reuse remains the most overlooked and untapped potential on the way to a society with less waste. As such, upcycling largely remains a niche and requires scaling-up to truly deliver a significant impact on the environment and society.

In this context, the ScaleUPcycling project aims to provide a collaboration platform for youth idea owners, youth workers and those interested in the reuse and upcycling ecosystem. By offering new skills on community building through upcycling, our digital platform will increase youth and youth workers’ capacity to initiate and manage upcycling activities of their own and become local change makers. This will be achieved through the use of innovative digital tools, e-Learning materials and training modules, which will enable youth and youth workers to gain new skills, competences, as well as practical knowledge.