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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