Program ’24

Our annual Circular Plastics Conference gives you an opportunity for vivid exchanges, new insights and networking.

Special to this edition is the collaboration with TI COAST, the Top Institute for Comprehensive Analytical Science and Technology. This partnership enhances our focus on innovation in the analysis and characterization of recyclates. We are excited to include this unique collaboration for the 2024 edition.

Drinks, snacks, a gourmet lunch and an exceptional walking dinner are included in the ticket price.

Program ’24 – Let’s Reflect and Act 

9:30 Registration & coffee ☕

11:25 – Roundtable discussion
A captivating table discussion with the speakers of the opening program complemented by key players and experts in the value chain of Circular Plastics.

• Mark Schmets – Directorate Sustainable Industry at the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs & Climate.
• Frans Beckers – Owner at FBBasic
• Thor Thummers – External Affairs at Unilever

13:00 – Parallel sessions, part 1

The workshops are intended to inform, inspire and to provoke guided dialogues. We’ve created a set-up that is focussed around different value chains. Within each value chain, we will put the spotlights on the:

1. User perspective. How to connect actors in a supply cycle to preserve materials and create (information) value? Actors: producers of base materials, components / semi-products, end-products, collectors, recyclers. How can the distinctive actors provide each other with adequate information to make sure that next-use feedstock is fit for the application and ultimately meets standardized quality requirements?
2. Legal perspective, with respect to responsibility that producers bear for the products they put on the market. We will do so through the position of both the EU and the Dutch Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) organisations. EPR entails a combination of rules that ensure that companies that make products are also responsible for collecting and reusing the waste from those products.
3. Analytical perspective, which bridges the gap between the producers’ quest and the EPR responsibility to reuse materials on one hand and the demand driven quality standards that are step-by-step used by producers on the other hand.

You can choose between:

• Session 1 – Packaging value chain
  • Rob Verhagen – Sustainability Director at OPACKGROUP
  • Chris Bruijnes – Head of Knowledge Development at Verpact
  • Homer Genuino – Senior researcher at NTCP
  • Moderation by Ronald Korstanje – Director Circular Plastics Initiative (CPI)
• Session 2 – Automotive value chain
  • Thomas Buss – Sustainability manager at Indorama
  • Thorsten Friedrich – Coordinator of Innovations at Auto Recycling Nederland (ARN)
  • Harry Philipsen – Senior Scientist polymer analytics at Envalior
  • Moderation by Oscar van den Brink – Managing Director at TI-COAST

14:45 – Parallel sessions, part 2

You can choose between:

• Session 3 – Textile value chain
  • Christian Franke – Head of project department at Trützschler Spinning
  • Peter Koppert – Innovation and Sustainability manager at MODINT
  • Carlos Kuhlmann – Associate Lector at Research Group Sustainable & Functional Textiles at Saxion
  • Moderation by Jasper Martin – Manager of Marketing and Sales at Cirmar
• Session 4 – Waste Electronics and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) value chain
  • Mark-Olof Dirksen – Senior Technical Projectlead Advanced Developments, Materials & Finishings, Recycling expert at Philips
  • René Eijsbouts – Strategic Advisor at OPEN Foundation (WeCycle)
  • Lein Tange – Director Sustainability at ICL Industrial Products
  • Moderation by Frans Beckers – Founder and Owner of Cirmar

16:30 – Wrap-up and summaries (plenary)

This final session of the Circular Plastics Conference 2024 will be lead by prof. dr. Kim Ragaert and prof. dr. Sascha Kersten. In this session they will wrap-up the key-take aways from the different aspects of the event, and provide an outlook for the next steps to take.