What better way to raise awareness of environmental issues than by bike? That's the approach taken by Precious Plastic Touraine to tackle plastic pollution.
This non-profit organization (under the French law of 1901) has two missions: to collect and recycle plastic waste, while at the same time raising awareness of plastic pollution issues among the people of Touraine (French department) and equipping them to fight against it..
On a national scale, Precious Plastic France intends to "democratize plastic waste recycling with low-tech machines that are easy to implement on a local scale."
Thanks to local collections, the association recycles plastics that are rarely or not at all processed by other channels and players (corporate and local authority waste, Polyprolylene, Polyethylene), and manufactures sustainable design objects to complement existing systems.
Plastics are made from naphtha, a transparent liquid distilled from petroleum, and are divided into 3 main families: thermoplastics (which can be melted and reshaped), thermosets (which cannot be melted once shaped) and elastomers. Thermoplastics are in turn subdivided into 7 classifications established by the Société de l'Industrie Plastique. Due to the fineness of some plastics, and often the mixing of materials in objects, not all are recyclable. The urgency is that in 2021, 139 million tonnes of plastic waste were produced worldwide, representing a 6% increase on the previous year (International Mail). Despite this alarming figure, Precious Plastic France, which has set up an online academy, points out that 300 million tonnes of plastic are produced new every year. Yet only 25% of plastic packaging is recycled in France according to Plastic Europe's 2023 report on 2019 figures..
Educating the next generation is therefore a central concern for the Precious Plastic association..
To reach out beyond the academy to the youngest members of the community, the association's branch of Touraine has set up an initiative that's out of the ordinary. Precious Plastic Touraine she launched the Cyclomorf project: a mobile plastic recycling workshop equipped with mini recycling machines. The workshop travels to schools, environmental festivals and other public events to offer awareness-raising workshops..
During the summer of 2023, Cyclomorf cycled along the Loire to Blois, visiting leisure centers and cultural sites to organize events. A documentary was filmed on this occasion and will soon be available.
The Cyclomorf workshop provided by FlexiModal partner JHOG, according to specifications defined by the association, demonstrates a different use for the Runner, other than transport and collection. Cyclemobility has an impact on our daily lives and our future in all areas: education, delivery, business travel, collections and so on.
A fun and ecological way to pass on good practices to future generations.
Going one step further, bikes and trailers can be used for all types of waste: plastic, cardboard and bio-waste.
The educational Runner from Precious Plastic Touraine