Repair & ReuseMikkeliSort circular demolition piles in MikkeliSort circular demolition piles in Mikkeli In Mikkeli, circular demolition sorted more than 99 percent of two public buildings so concrete, bricks, and a few special parts stayed in use. The sites were Pankalampi health centre and Tuukkala hospital, both taken down in 2021 under CityLoops rules. What you can do in Mikkeli - Ask the city to put the same sorting list into the next demolition contract (CityLoops in Mikkeli) - Ask for a pre-demolition audit early enough that designers can use the parts - Ask for a separate contract to clear furniture and easy parts before the heavy machines start - Visit Mikkelipuisto to see granite slabs that came from the Tuukkala yard - Read the CityLoops selective demolition guide and the Mikkeli report before you copy the contract How to join The buildings are gone, so there is no live tour. Pankalampi stood at Kiiskinmäenkatu in the 50130 district: a 1976 health centre with a 1992 extension, a 1979 dental clinic, and a 1992 garage, about 9,855 square metres. Tuukkala hospital, empty since 2010, had a 1960 part and a 1970s part. Ahosen Palvelut from Jyväskylä took Pankalampi. Terra Infra from Kouvola took Tuukkala. Building Services ran the contracts. Miksei and Xamk wrote a model contract other cities can reuse. Why it matters in Mikkeli The contract names the piles, and someone checks during the job. At Tuukkala, Metsäsairila recorded 9,019 tonnes, of which more than 8,000 tonnes were concrete and brick, and only 58 tonnes were mixed waste. The city also saved a fire escape from Pankalampi for a new day care, sold the backup power plant, and let a vocational project turn oak boards into a table top and cutting boards at ESEDU. Find more community projects in Mikkeli. Good to know - Why strip the building before the excavators? In Mikkeli, empty public buildings can sit for years. A separate strip does not need a demolition permit, so local firms can start earlier. - Where did special pieces go? A fire escape from Pankalampi went to a new day care. Granite slabs from the Tuukkala yard went to Mikkelipuisto.demolitionsortingconcrete +2
Food & GardenLyonBio-waste source separation: AGEC law in actionFrance's circular economy law brings composting to every doorstep France's AGEC law (loi anti-gaspillage pour une économie circulaire) mandated source separation of bio-waste for all households from 1 January 2024. Municipalities across the country are now building collection infrastructure, distributing home composting equipment, and running resident education programmes to turn a legal obligation into a daily community habit. What municipalities are doing - Distributing separate bio-waste bins and/or home composting containers - Running neighbourhood workshops on what can be composted and how - Deploying door-to-door collection routes for organic kitchen waste - Partnering with local farms and green spaces to close the loop from food waste to compost How to engage - Check your municipality's website for the bio-waste collection calendar and bin distribution schedule - Attend a local composting workshop: many communes organise them in spring and autumn - Ask your building's property manager about a shared composter if you live in an apartment - Follow Zero Waste France for national advocacy and practical guides Why it matters Only 26% of EU food waste was captured in 2023 (up from 18% in 2020). France's AGEC law creates the legal architecture for a step change: but only works when residents and municipalities implement it together. Every neighbourhood that adopts source separation reduces landfill and methane emissions while creating local compost for urban greening.bio-wastecompostingsorting +2
CommunityLeipzigLearn waste avoidance with AG AbfallVolunteer ambassadors for a cleaner city AG Abfall is a group of Leipzig volunteers working on waste reduction, correct sorting, and mindful consumption: joy and practicality, not shame. What they offer - Instagram updates on clean-ups, climate events, and avoidance tips - Workshops including the „Verpackungsampel“: which packaging can be reused or recycled, and what must not go in the bio bin (including misleading „bio“ plastics) - „Einmal Ohne, Bitte“ support for shops helping customers bring reusable containers Their motto The best waste is the waste that never appears; what remains should flow back into the circular economy. Why it matters Volunteer ambassadors turn dry sorting rules into neighbour-to-neighbour habits people actually remember.educationvolunteersorting
EventCommunityBerlinDeutschland trennt., community waste-sorting roads in BerlinDeutschland trennt., community waste-sorting roads in Berlin Deutschland trennt. is a nationwide action by the dual systems and their Mülltrennung wirkt initiative in Berlin. Show trucks, the TRENN-BÄR mascot, quiz wheels, and giant XXL packaging installations bring hands-on sorting advice to market squares and retail car parks across Germany: not in a lecture hall, but where neighbours already meet. What you can do - Visit a roadshow stop near you when the tour runs (check the event map on the campaign page) - Test your sorting knowledge at the quiz wheel and pick up practical tips for yellow-bin, paper, glass, and residual waste - Share what you learn with housemates or your building's waste station How to participate - Find dates and locations on Deutschland trennt. - The tour works with municipalities, waste companies, and 13 leading retail partners from grocery, DIY, drugstore, and organic sectors: events also appear at partner stores nationwide Why it matters Roughly 30% of what lands in yellow bins and sacks does not belong there: nappies, vacuum bags, and food scraps block recycling. Correct sorting at home keeps plastics, metals, and composites in the loop. More to explore - Try the 360° sorting-facility tour linked from Digitale Helfer to see what happens after the binsortingrecyclingroadshow +2
EventCommunityBerlinAbfallberatung: local waste advisor network in BerlinAbfallberatung: local waste advisor network in Berlin Every German municipality runs a kommunale Abfallberatung: waste advisors who answer practical questions about avoidance, separation, collection schedules, and special disposals in Berlin. Rules share the same basics nationwide, but local bins, dates, and exceptions differ street by street. What you can do - Enter your five-digit postcode on the advisor finder and call or email your regional contact - Ask about yellow-bin contents, bio-waste, glass colours, bulky waste, hazardous items, or composting at home - Request school visits, event planning help, or materials for your tenant association or club How to participate - Use Abfallberaterin finden to reach your local advisor: consultation is free - Advisors cover waste avoidance, recycling paths, recycling centres, bin ordering, and business waste basics Why it matters One wrong item in the yellow sack can spoil a whole batch at the sorting plant. A five-minute call to someone who knows your district's rules prevents that: and often saves money on bin fees.advicesortingeducation +2
