St. Gallen, 5 October 2012 The Art of Waste exhibition has opened this week in the Empa lobby in St. Gallen. The exhibition displays art objects, made by Empa employees and partners from various waste materials. The exhibits are the results of a contest, organised by the WRF team, in August this year. Read here for a report of the event.

The exhibition will be held until October 19, 2012. Visitors are welcome to visit (free entrance) and talk with the team members. External (non-Empa) visitors need to announce their visit by writing to info@worldresourcesforum.org some days in advance.

The message of the project is that “waste is no waste, waste is a resource, waste can even be art”. The WRF team has now produced for each piece of art (or waste) a special recycling guide explaining how to keep the materials used in the resource cycle. These recycling cards are on display, in both English and German languages, and are uploaded on the special “Art of Waste” website. And gradually all objects will effectively be brought back into the cycle.

The Art of Waste project is meant to raise awareness and understanding about the circular economy. The concept of circular economy is an important part of ecological economics and the industrial ecology and is currently being investigated by project associates of the WRF team. It will also be the major theme of the World Resources Forum, organised in Beijing, October 21023, 2012. A successful implementation of a circular economy system can dramatically reduce waste and the depletion of scarce natural resources. Even though recycling rates are growing, many products still get, if at all, only partially recycled.

Please visit our Facebook page to contribute to the discussion and stay informed. All recycling guides are uploaded here.