The “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry (Iași, Romania), together with CLUSTERO (Bucharest, Romania) and SORINTEX (Soroca, Republic of Moldova), organised on 8 December 2025 a Strategic Development Workshop dedicated to the circular transformation of the entire plastics value chain, within the European project Plan-C – Moving Plastics and Machine Industry towards Circularity.
The workshop brought together 26 participants from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, representing SMEs, large enterprises, research and higher education institutions, local public authorities, and business support organisations (BSOs). The event provided an interactive framework for dialogue and co-creation, facilitating the strengthening of regional cooperation in the field of circular economy.

Workshop objectives
• Analyse the results and challenges identified in previous Plan-C workshops;
• Prioritise measures with high impact on circularity;
• Outline a preliminary roadmap for a circular plastics value chain.

Agenda highlights
• Introduction to the workshop objectives;
• Recap of results from previous workshops;
• Interactive exercises to identify and prioritise barriers;
• Evaluation of solutions based on impact and feasibility;
• Structuring measures into short-, medium-, and long-term actions

Key stages identified for increasing circularity
Participants identified five essential stages for enhancing circularity:
• Waste Collection
• Waste Sorting
• Reintegration of Recycled Materials
• Design for Circularity
• Use, Reuse and Functional Redesign

Key proposed solutions
Among the most useful solutions identified were:
• Improving collection systems at local and national levels;
• Developing sorting and pre-sorting infrastructure;
• Introducing regulations to limit non-recyclable materials;
• Circular economy education programmes;
• Strengthening cooperation between industry, public authorities, and the research community.

Short-, medium-, and long-term actions
Participants structured the proposed measures in a phased approach, from immediately implementable actions (awareness campaigns, local collection points, pilot projects) to long-term measures requiring legislative interventions, major investments, and educational reforms.

The online workshop on 8 December 2025 represented a key step in consolidating the results obtained within Plan-C activities, facilitating the transformation of previously identified challenges into concrete measures and shared strategic directions. Through a participatory and solution-oriented approach, the event contributed to the development of a transnational roadmap for circularity in the plastics industry, with a strong focus on regional cooperation, coherent public policies, and the involvement of all relevant value chain stakeholders.

ICMPP participated in the 4th Plan-C Steering Committee Meeting (SCOM4), held at the Innovation Center, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Belgrade, Serbia, where the consortium discussed project progress, the outcomes of the workshops organised, and the next steps for integrating circularity into the plastics and machinery industries.

During the meeting, ICMPP presented insights and conclusions from the workshops organized in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, contributing to the consolidation of joint strategies for circularity across the plastics and machinery value chains in the Danube region.

Meeting agenda:
19 Nov 2025
- Project management and updates on the progress of Plan-C activities;
- Feedback and experience exchange on transnational workshops conducted so far (MD/RO, HU/SR/BiH, AT/DE);
- Presentations for EUSDR PA8 and external participants on the project status and best practices;
- Presentation of the status and next steps for WP2 and WP3 activities, including manuals and tools for promoting circularity in the machinery industry;
- Discussions on the transnational Action Plan and consolidation of workshop results;
- Communication strategies and publication of project results.

20 Nov 2025

- Continuation of WP3 activities – presentation of progress and next steps;
- Presentation of promotional activities for the implementation of the Transnational Action Plan;
- Wrap-up and update of the partners’ commitment list for the upcoming period.

CMPP’s participation in SCOM4 enabled the integration of workshop results from Romania and Moldova into the consortium’s strategic discussions, facilitating the identification of concrete solutions and the coordination of actions for implementing circularity in the plastics and machinery industries. The event strengthened transnational cooperation and provided a solid basis for the next steps within Plan-C, highlighting the importance of experience exchange and synergies among partners.

ICMPP, together with CLUSTERO (Romania) and SORINTEX (Republic of Moldova), organised the workshop “Circular Economy in the Plastics Industry” within the National Conference 2025 “Circular Economy in the Republic of Moldova. Circularity in a Linear World”, held on 13 November 2025 in Chișinău. The workshop agenda aimed to identify the main challenges faced by plastics producers and processors in the transition towards circularity, map critical stages in the plastics product life cycle, and explore practical solutions to overcome these obstacles.

Moderators:
Andrei Mirza – Cluster Manager, SORINTEX
Christina Leucuța– Senior Advisor, CLUSTERO
Dr. Andra-Cristina Enache – Scientific Researcher, ICMPP

Participants from industry, SMEs, business support organisations (BSOs), and research and innovation institutions worked together in an interactive Design Thinking-based session, analysing five key stages:
• Waste Collection
• Waste Sorting
• Reintegration of Recycled Plastics
• Product Design
• Use / Reuse

Key conclusions and findings:
    • Critical stages for circularity:
o Product design and end-of-life management (collection and sorting) were identified as the most important stages for achieving circularity.
o The Use / Reuse phase and the reintegration of recycled materials are essential for extending product lifetime and reintegrating materials into the production chain.

    • Main barriers identified (Hurdles):
    • Insufficient plastic waste collection in urban and rural areas.
    • Lack of efficient waste sorting systems;     • Limited access to funding for modern recycling equipment;     • Difficulties in reusing certain types of plastics;     • Lack of clear regulations on recycling and reuse;     • Insufficient infrastructure for collection stations;     • Low cost-efficiency ratio for recycled plastic products;     • High imports and uncontrolled waste inflows;     • Low level of digitalisation in waste management;     • Low public awareness and environmental responsibility

    • Proposed solutions and measures (“Lifts”):
o Supportive policies and funding schemes for recycling and reuse;
o Creation of circular material flows and reuse of industrial waste;
o Advanced sorting and recycling technologies, including digitalisation;
o Public–private partnerships for infrastructure development and innovation hubs;
o Education and awareness campaigns and implementation of eco-design principles;
o Collaboration between clusters, processors, and producers for knowledge transfer and best practices.

The workshop highlighted the importance of a collaborative and cross-border approach, involving industry, research, and authorities, for developing effective circularity strategies in the plastics industry.

The “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry (ICMPP), together with CLUSTERO – Romanian Cluster Association (Romania) and SORINTEX Textile Cluster (Republic of Moldova), organised the workshop “Circular Economy in the Plastics and Machine Industry”, held within the INNOPRO – Innovation Pathways Romania 2025 event in Târgoviște on 30 October 2025.

The workshop was organized within the project Plan-C – Moving Plastics and Machine Industry towards Circularity and aimed to support the transition of machinery manufacturers and the plastics processing industry towards circular models by identifying key challenges and co-creating practical solutions.

Moderators
• Dr. Andra-Cristina Enache – Scientific Researcher, ICMPP Iași
• Christina Leucuța – Senior Advisor, CLUSTERO
• Andrei Mirza – Cluster Manager, SORINTEX
• Peter Wolf – Manager, Inpulse Partners

The agenda focused on:
• dentifying the main challenges faced by machinery manufacturers in the transition towards circularity;
• mapping critical stages in the machinery life cycle;
• exploring concrete measures that can support circularity in the plastics and machinery industries.

Participants – representatives of SMEs, industry, business support organisations (BSOs), clusters, and education and research institutions – took part in an interactive session based on the Design Thinking methodology. The activities addressed the five key stages of the machinery life cycle:

• Design & Development
• Material Sourcing
• Use Phase & Maintenance
• Repair & Reuse
• Waste Management

During the discussions and interactive exercises, the main barriers to circularity were identified, including:
• low energy efficiency of machinery;
• lack of clear information on materials used;
• shortage of specialists in repair and maintenance;
• lack of spare parts;
• insufficient infrastructure for component reuse.

Based on these challenges, participants proposed concrete measures (“lifts”) focused on increasing energy efficiency, improving material traceability and circular design, developing technical skills, facilitating access to spare parts, and creating infrastructure for collection, reuse, and recycling.

The event highlighted the importance of collaboration between machinery manufacturers, plastics processors, clusters, and the research community, contributing to strengthening transnational cooperation and informing future actions within the Plan-C project.

The impact on circularity depends both on the number of problems identified and on their systemic effect across the entire value chain, while the participatory Design Thinking-based approach facilitates the identification of applicable and implementable solutions at industry level.

On 23–24 October 2025, the Plan-C project – Moving Plastics and Machine Industry towards Circularity – was presented at the 28th International Symposium “The Environment and the Industry” (SIMI 2025), held in Bucharest. A representative of the Plan-C team from ICMPP delivered an oral communication entitled “Plan-C: Driving Circularity in the Plastics and Machinery Industries in the Danube Region”, presenting the project’s innovative approaches and results supporting the transition towards circularity in the plastics and machinery industries.

The presentation highlighted the importance of transnational cooperation among plastics processors, manufacturers, and the machinery industry, as well as the use of the Design Thinking methodology and technology transfer for developing scenarios, prototypes, and guidelines aligned with circularity principles. Concrete solutions were discussed for product design, machinery life-cycle management, sustainable industrial processes, and strengthening regional innovation ecosystems.

The event provided a valuable framework for disseminating Plan-C results, exchanging experience between industry and research stakeholders, and strengthening transnational cooperation in the Danube region, supporting the objectives of the European Green Deal and promoting a sustainable circular economy.

During the symposium, the Plan-C team from ICMPP distributed invitations to the workshop “Circular Economy in the Plastics and Machinery Industries”, co-organised with partners CLUSTERO and SORINTEX, scheduled for 30 October 2025 in Târgoviște, thereby promoting the participation of relevant industry and research stakeholders in discussions dedicated to circular solutions.

The results of the Plan-C presentation were also published as a conference paper in the Book of Abstracts SIMI 2025, available online: https://www.simiecoind.ro/plan-c-driving-circularity-in-the-plastics-and-machinery-industries-in-the-danube-region.

SIMI 2025 served as a valuable international platform for researchers, academics, consultants, industry professionals, and environmental authorities, providing opportunities to share results, propose solutions to environmental challenges, and integrate sustainability into decision-making processes. In this context, the presentation of the Plan-C project highlighted the role of transnational collaboration and innovation in promoting circularity in the plastics and machinery industries, strengthening the project’s contribution to a sustainable future in the Danube region.

On 23–26 September 2025, the Plan-C project – Moving Plastics and Machine Industry towards Circularity – was presented at the 30th edition of the international conference Progress in Organic and Macromolecular Compounds, dedicated to the 105th anniversary of the birth of Academician Cristofor I. Simionescu, organised by the “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry (ICMPP), Iași.

The Plan-C partner representative from ICMPP delivered an oral communication entitled “Sustainable PET Recycling through Design Thinking: Circular Chemistry Solutions”, presenting innovative approaches for sustainable PET recycling and the development of circular solutions using the Design Thinking methodology. The presentation highlighted how transnational collaboration and the involvement of partners from the Danube region enable the development of prototypes and practical guidelines for SMEs, aligned with circular economy principles and European policies.

Participation in the conference provided a valuable framework for disseminating the results of the Plan-C project, exchanging experience with the international scientific community, and strengthening connections for future collaborations in the field of circular solutions for the plastics industry.

Following the oral communication, the results of the Plan-C project were also published as a paper in the Proceedings of the International Conference Progress in Organic and Macromolecular Compounds 2025 (ISSN 2810-2126), available online: https://icmpp.ro/macroiasi2025/proceedings.php.

On 17–20 September 2025, the Plan-C project – Moving Plastics and Machine Industry towards Circularity – was presented at the 13th International Conference on Environmental Engineering and Management (ICEEM13), organised in Iași by “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași, the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection “Cristofor Simionescu”, and Politecnica delle Marche University, Ancona, Italy.

Members of the Plan-C team from ICMPP contributed with an oral communication entitled “Driving Circularity in the Plastic Sector: Insights and Innovations from the Plan-C Project”, presenting the project methodology and results. The presentation highlighted how the Design Thinking approach enables the identification of key challenges and the development of innovative solutions to support the transition of the plastics industry from a linear to a circular model.

The results included technological and business prototypes, as well as digital solutions such as the CircularPlastHub platform, which could facilitate collaboration, knowledge exchange, and project coordination in the field of plastics circularity. The project’s transnational experience, based on collaboration with partners from the Danube region, was highlighted as an example of systemic innovation and cross-sectoral collaboration.
Participation in ICEEM13 provided a valuable framework for disseminating the Plan-C project results, exchanging knowledge, and strengthening links with the international research community interested in the circular economy and sustainable solutions for the plastics industry.

The event was supported by Salubris, which conveyed the message “Put waste in its place. Collect separately!” emphasizing the importance of proper waste management and individual responsibility in promoting the circular economy.

On 14–17 August 2025, the “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry (ICMPP) from Iași was represented at the international conference Materials, Methods & Technologies, held in Burgas, Bulgaria. During the event, the Plan-C project – Moving Plastics and Machine Industry towards Circularity – was presented through an oral communication entitled “Design Thinking for Circularity: Identifying Challenges & Developing Innovative Solutions in the Plastics Industry.”

The presentation highlighted how the Design Thinking methodology can support the transition of the plastics industry from a linear to a circular model, by identifying key challenges and developing innovative solutions in areas such as packaging, construction materials, the medical sector, and waste management. The contribution also underlined the importance of transnational cooperation and the involvement of stakeholders from research, industry, and public administration, in line with the objectives of the Plan-C project to transform the plastics value chain in the Danube region.

Participation in the conference provided a valuable framework for disseminating project results and strengthening links with the international research community interested in circular economy and sustainable solutions.

On 1–2 July 2025, the “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry (ICMPP) from Iași was represented at the European event Clusters Meet Regions, held in Cluj-Napoca, by a member of the Plan-C project team – Moving Plastics and Machine Industry towards Circularity. The event was organized by the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP), on behalf of the European Commission, in collaboration with Smart Transylvania, the Romanian Cluster Association, and the North-West Regional Development Agency.

The first day of the event focused on European policies, the role of clusters in supporting regional innovation, and technology transfer from research to the market. The agenda included thematic sessions highlighting best practices, successful examples of academia–industry collaboration, as well as discussions on strengthening innovation ecosystems and supporting the transition towards sustainable and circular economic models.
ICMPP participated in networking sessions and the matchmaking event, engaging in applied discussions with stakeholders from complementary fields, focused on innovation, interregional collaboration, and plastics circularity. In addition, together with partners CLUSTERO – Romanian Cluster Association and SORINTEX Textile Cluster (Republic of Moldova), preliminary details were established for the co-organisation of Romania–Republic of Moldova thematic workshops within the Plan-C project, dedicated to promoting circular solutions in the plastics industry.

The second day included participation in the Innovate-EU Knowledge Exchange Event, held at the Furniture Excellence Centre, featuring moderated discussions aimed at developing an action plan to improve regional start-up ecosystems in fields such as greentech, ICT, health, and agritech, through experience sharing and insights from various European projects supported by the Innovate-EU initiative. The programme also included a study visit to the Furniture Excellence Centre (Transylvanian Furniture Cluster).

Overall, the event provided a valuable framework for knowledge exchange, cross-sectoral dialogue, and the development of collaborations, supporting the objectives of the Plan-C project in advancing the transition towards a more circular and sustainable plastics industry.

On May 21–22, 2025, the “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry in Iași participated in the third Steering Committee Meeting (3rd SCOM) and the Step-Up Conference of the European Plan-C project, held in Smolenice, Slovakia. The event brought together the international project partners to review the progress of the first year and outline the next steps in support of the transition to a more circular and sustainable plastics industry.

On the first day of the event, during the 3rd meeting of the Coordination Committee, partners discussed project management aspects, reporting and recommendations of the first year of evaluation, followed by presentations on circular prototypes, solutions for the machinery industry and the development of a transnational strategy for the circular plastic value chain.

During the conference, Dr. Andra-Cristina Enache presented the paper "Circular Chemistry as the Key to a Circular Economy: Transforming PET Waste into Sustainable Materials", highlighting ICMPP's contribution to the development of innovative solutions in the field of chemical plastic recycling. The results of research on new magnetic, stable and easily recoverable catalysts, obtained in the laboratory and already protected by patent, which can be used to valorize PET waste in a sustainable way were presented.

The presentation highlighted how research at ICMPP aligns with Plan-C objectives and contributes to transforming science into industry-applicable solutions with real impact on the environment.

Also during the event, ICMPP was an active part of the collaborative workshop dedicated to scenario analysis and outlining a vision for a circular plastic value chain, alongside other actors in the field.

By actively participating in the conference and engaging in collaborative activities, ICMPP strengthens its role as a key scientific partner in Plan-C, contributing with advanced expertise in circular chemistry and concrete solutions for a more sustainable plastics industry in the Danube region.

On May 5, 2025, the team of the "Petru Poni" Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry in Iași reached the community of Lunca Cetățuii with a clear message: change begins with education. Under the umbrella of the European Plan-C project, the researchers organized an educational workshop, enthusiastically hosted by the "Comandor Alexandru Cătuneanu" Theoretical High School, in Lunca Cetățuii, Iași.

It was a day full of energy, ideas and involvement, in which students – together with teachers, parents and community members – discovered, through play and dialogue, how they can contribute to protecting the environment. They learned about the impact of plastic, the concepts of circular economy and design thinking, and then got down to business: working in teams, they analyzed real problems around them and came up with creative and sustainable solutions.

From interactive quizzes and animated discussions, to building prototypes from paper, plasticine and colored cards, everything was designed to encourage critical thinking, collaboration and active engagement. And finally, the Green Promise Corner, where each child wrote a promise for the environment, became the symbol of a generation taking responsibility for the future.

The personalized materials provided to participants – folders, notebooks, pens and information brochures with the Plan-C visual identity – completed the experience and contributed to strengthening the message conveyed.

This workshop demonstrated that education for a cleaner environment does not have to be abstract or boring. On the contrary, it can be interactive, engaging, and deeply relevant to the community. It was a small but meaningful step towards more circular thinking and conscious action.

On 4-5 February 2025, all project partners, together with two associated strategic partners, gathered at DBH FlexSpace H20, Budapest (Hungary) for the second Steering Committee Meeting. Also, the Joint Secretariat officers (Project Officer Katalin Kovács-Kasza and Finance Officer Mihajlo Cicmilovic) – were present at the project progress review session.

On the first day, discussions focused on recent achievements – ideas tested, lessons learned, collaborations that have taken shape – and how we can turn these results into concrete solutions for a circular economy in the plastics industry. The steps already taken towards creating prototypes and examples that can be replicated in other regions were discussed.

he second day was dedicated to the exchange of experiences. The “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry in Iași shared examples from Romania, starting from the workshops organized with local specialists and the innovative ideas generated there. It was an opportunity to learn from the examples of colleagues from Serbia and the Republic of Moldova, but also to build together a common vision for the future of the plastics industry – a more sustainable, more connected and more circular one. The meeting ended with a clear conclusion: transnational collaboration remains the key to building a greener and more efficient future in resource management.

On September 19, 2024, the "Petru Poni" Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry in Iași hosted the workshop "Developing a Community of Design Thinkers for Circularity in the Plastics Industry", an event dedicated to identifying concrete solutions for the transition to a circular economy.

The event brought together experts from:
• plastic processing companies and chemical solutions;
• regional public authorities;
• agencies specialized in environmental protection and sanitation;
• the academic environment;
• business and innovation support organizations.
The workshop focused on applying Design Thinking methodology to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges facing the plastics industry. Among the issues identified were: high volumes of waste going to landfill, the use of single-use products, poor collection infrastructure, lack of public awareness and insufficient investment in recycling, eco-design and applied research.
Participants worked in teams to outline solutions:
• Team 1 proposed the expansion of the Guarantee-Return System (SGR) for all types of plastic packaging, with a functional prototype involving producers, retailers, consumers and collection points.
• Team 2 advocated the need to simplify access to financing for circular economy projects, along with strengthening research-industry collaboration. Their solution: an integrated model of support for SMEs, based on partnerships, investments and skills development.

Based on the results obtained during the workshop, one of the proposed solutions will be chosen, depending on the estimated impact, and this will be developed in the form of a functional prototype. The workshop was held with the support of the Miro platform, which allowed for real-time collaboration, rapid visualization of ideas and development of prototypes in an interactive format.

The workshop organized by ICMPP contributed to strengthening a regional network of actors involved in the transition to a circular economy and demonstrated the value of collaborative approaches, based on open innovation and systemic thinking.

At the end of June 2024, the Plan-C project partners gathered in Horb am Neckar, Germany, for the first official Steering Committee meeting, hosted by partner TZ Horb. The meeting provided an intensive working framework, dedicated to reviewing the progress of the project and establishing the next steps to promote circularity in the plastics and industrial equipment industry.

The discussions on the first day focused on the activities within Work Package 1, aiming at mapping plastic applications, identifying challenges and examples of good practices, as well as defining priority areas for future design thinking workshops. An interactive workshop organized by Plastr and Omnipack contributed to structuring these directions.

A highlight of the program was the technical visit to Arburg, a leading manufacturer of plastics processing equipment. Participants had the opportunity to observe innovative solutions and advanced technologies relevant to the transition to a circular economy in the industrial sector.

The "Petru Poni" Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry in Iași (ICMPP) actively participated in the session dedicated to Work Package 2, contributing to the outline of activities aimed at developing support tools for SMEs in adopting circular models.
The second day was dedicated to the management and communication aspects of the project, establishing clear deadlines and responsibilities for the next period.
The meeting in Horb strengthened the collaboration between the partners and reconfirmed the common commitment to accelerate the circular transformation of the plastics industry in the Danube Region.

       The Lead Partner, Business Upper Austria (Biz-Up), organized a Kick-off Meeting for the Plan-C project, "Moving Plastics and Machine Industry towards Circularity", on February 27th and 28th, 2024, in Linz, Austria. The meeting provided an opportunity for the consortium partners to discuss and align on various project aspects, including work packages, project management, communication strategies, and the overarching goals related to the circularity of the plastics and machine industry in the Danube Region.

       On the first day, the meeting commenced with a warm welcome by the Lead Partner, Biz-Up. This was followed by an introductory session that set the context and objectives of the Plan-C project. A significant portion of the day was dedicated to a Design Thinking Activity facilitated by Biz-Up. This interactive session encouraged participants, split into groups, to delve into the problem-solving process, with a focus on creating a prototype of a custom-made product tailored to individual needs, in the context of circular economy .

       Following the activity, the Danube Region Programme was presented by JS, Katalin Kovacs-Kasza. This was succeeded by detailed discussions on the first two work packages. TZ Horb provided insights into the current status and future tasks of Work Package 1, while ICMF offered an overview of Work Package 2, outlining its introduction and future objectives.

       The second day focused on project management aspects ( including daily management, quality control, financial considerations, and project modifications). Subsequently, Innoskart presented the communication activities, focusing on the communication strategy and tasks for the upcoming months. This was followed by a presentation on EUSDR Priority Area 8 by Ms. Helia Kovačević Grčić and Mr. Toni Lučić, shedding light on the competitiveness of enterprises within this framework. The meeting concluded with a presentation by Biz-Up on Work Package 3, detailing the visioning, roadmapping, and strategy.

       The event concluded with closing remarks, allowing consortium partners to review and discuss the meeting's outcomes and set the direction for the upcoming meeting.

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