ReThink Waste Hackathon- Organic Waste edition
Can you solve the organic waste puzzle in the city of Rotterdam?
In an era where the availability of raw materials is diminishing rapidly and natural resources are being depleted, proper waste management is the missing chain link to a fully circular economy. While there are already systems for sourcing and recycling materials such as plastic, paper, glass or textile, management of organic waste remains difficult. As a result, vegetable, fruit, and garden leftovers are often wasted, despite their great potential as a resource for agriculture.
This must change. Therefore, WUR Student Challenges and the municipality of Rotterdam are calling hands-on, innovative students to rethink the way vegetable, fruit and garden leftovers are collected and repurposed in Rotterdam. Can you come up with solutions to collect more and better quality organic waste from the most densely populated areas of the city?
Rethink Waste Hackathon
During the two weeks of the ReThink Waste Hackathon, you will experience what it is like to participate in a student competition without committing to a full-year programme. In an interdisciplinary team of 3-6 students, you will work out a practical solution to a real-life problem in the municipality of Rotterdam. In the process you will be supported by experts from the municipality and waste treatment companies.
The Challenge
To meet its circular ambitions, the municipality of Rotterdam aims to collect more organic waste from its inhabitants and to reuse it as a valuable resource for agriculture in the form of compost. This is a complex challenge for two reasons. Firstly, in densely populated areas of the city with high-rise buildings, there is not enough space for sufficient amounts of the containers. Secondly, organic waste is often contaminated with other waste, mostly plastic, making it unsuitable for composing.
Rotterdam is calling you for contributing creative ideas to enhance organic waste collection in the city.These ideas can span from solutions to collect vegetable, fruit, and garden leftovers in densely populated areas, to technological innovations that allow assessing the level of contamination of the organic waste in the containers. They can also include interventions that help people separate their waste better. Are you ready to pick-up the gauntlet?
What is in it for me?
- Design a practical solution to a real-life problem
- Expand your network and collaborate in an interdisciplinary team
- Find out what it is like to participate in a student competition
- Win 500 EUR for your solution!
Questions? Email studentchallenges@wur.nl
How to join?
Register individually or as a group before 18 February 2024. If you do not have a team, we will assign you to one during the event.
Note: Hackathon takes place at the campus of Wageningen University. To participate you need to join all events live in Wageningen.
Events
ReThink Waste Hackathon
The Hackathon consists of three events that will take place live on Wageningen Campus. In between the events you should reserve up to 8 hours for group work with your team.
Pressure-cooker day
Date: 5 March, 9:00 - 18:00
Location: Plus Ultra II
You find out more about the problem definition and design your solution. Range of experts from the municipality of Rotterdam, waste collection companies and behaviour specialists will be there to support you in the process and give feedback on your ideas.
Pitch workshop
Date 12 March, 17:30 - 19:00
Location: Plus Ultra II
This hands-on training will help you prepare your pitch for the finals. It will be provided by a professional pitch trainer from the Pitch Academy, Thom Uildriks.
Finals
Date: 20 March, 17:30 - 19:00
Location: Impulse
Together with your team you will pitch your solution to the jury consisting of experts from WUR and the municipality of Rotterdam. The winning team will receive €500 prize money!
Fermentation workshop
Date: 13 February, 17:30 - 19:30
Location: Plus Ultra II (Bronland 10, Wageningen Campus)
Want to make your own fermented kimchi and learn about how to reduce food waste in your own household?
During this hands-on workshop organised by Green Office Wageningen you will dive into the art of fermentation and learn to make our own delicious kimchi! (Tip: The kimchi can be a perfect sustainable gift for the upcoming Valentines Day). In addition, special guest, the winners of last year's Rethink Waste Challenge, will present us their highly praised start-up idea. This will be an ideal opportunity to network and find team members for the ReThink Waste Hackaton!
Limited Spots are available, so register now!
Upcycling waste streams symposium
Date: 13 March, 18:45 - 20:40
Location: Impulse (Stippenweg 2, Wageningen Campus)
Would you like to explore innovative solutions to transform food waste into valuable resources?
During this symposium organised by The Alt Protein Project Wageningen, you will learn from WUR experts about the current practices of upcycling. Join us to be part of shaping a healthier, more eco-friendly future!
Programme:
| 18:45 – 19:00 | Doors open |
| 19:00 – 19:10 | Welcome |
| 19:10 – 19:40 | Mycelium as technology for valourizing agricultural side-streams |
| 19:40 – 20:10 | Closing the loop through Coffee Recycling |
| 20:10 – 20:40 | Risks of valourizing side-streams, a toxicology perspective |
In collaboration with:
