Design for recycling is one of the ecodesign strategies to improve the environmental performance of products throughout their life cycle. The Waste Agency of Catalonia has been working for over a decade to promote this strategy as a tool for waste prevention. As stated in the waste regulations, prevention is the top priority in this field.
This year’s awards are part of the Catalan Ecodesign Programme(Ecodiscat 2012-2015), run by the Catalan Government’s Ministry of Territory and Sustainability to promote the incorporation of ecodesign into the production process, a cross-disciplinary approach and knowledge transfer and the consumption of sustainable products and services in Catalonia.
The Catalan Ecodesign Programme is part of the new Catalonia 2020 Strategy (ECAT 2020), a strategic agreement to improve the competitiveness of the Catalan economy and employment. This strategy, in its 6th strategic pillar, aims to promote transition towards a more efficient economy in terms of resource use, as a means of reactivating the Catalan economy and creating employment, ecodesign being one of the instruments to achieve this. As well as its environmental benefits (ecoefficiency), ecodesign should be understood as a factor for differentiation and competitiveness for companies and an opportunity for market positioning.
The Waste Agency of Catalonia is holding this latest edition of the awards to continue publicising this strategy among the agents most directly involved in ecodesign (manufacturing and distribution companies, designers and students) and also among the general public. It offers visibility to new work produced in this field.
This year’s awards are part of the Catalan Ecodesign Programme(Ecodiscat 2012-2015), run by the Catalan Government’s Ministry of Territory and Sustainability to promote the incorporation of ecodesign into the production process, a cross-disciplinary approach and knowledge transfer and the consumption of sustainable products and services in Catalonia.
The Catalan Ecodesign Programme is part of the new Catalonia 2020 Strategy (ECAT 2020), a strategic agreement to improve the competitiveness of the Catalan economy and employment. This strategy, in its 6th strategic pillar, aims to promote transition towards a more efficient economy in terms of resource use, as a means of reactivating the Catalan economy and creating employment, ecodesign being one of the instruments to achieve this. As well as its environmental benefits (ecoefficiency), ecodesign should be understood as a factor for differentiation and competitiveness for companies and an opportunity for market positioning.
The Waste Agency of Catalonia is holding this latest edition of the awards to continue publicising this strategy among the agents most directly involved in ecodesign (manufacturing and distribution companies, designers and students) and also among the general public. It offers visibility to new work produced in this field.
The Awards are structured into the following four categories:
A. Products. Products marketed, manufactured and/or distributed in Catalonia, designed to improve waste prevention, recyclability and/or incorporate recycled material. A product may be submitted by the company that manufactures or distributes the product in Catalonia or its professional designer.
B. Projects. Design project for a product that is not manufactured or marketed, to improve waste prevention, recyclability and/or incorporate recycled material.
Any natural or private legal person may take part.
C. Strategies. Initiatives, policies, processes or systems implemented or executed in Catalonia that integrate the use or promotion of products designed to improve waste prevention, recyclability and/or incorporate recycled products.
Any public or private natural or legal person may take part.
D. Materials.Materials designed to improve waste prevention, recyclability and/or incorporate recycled material, which are manufactured or distributed in Catalonia and/or are at an advanced stage of research, development or innovation (R&D&I).
Any company that manufactures or distributes the materials or organisation working in R&D&I may take part.
A. Products. Products marketed, manufactured and/or distributed in Catalonia, designed to improve waste prevention, recyclability and/or incorporate recycled material. A product may be submitted by the company that manufactures or distributes the product in Catalonia or its professional designer.
B. Projects. Design project for a product that is not manufactured or marketed, to improve waste prevention, recyclability and/or incorporate recycled material.
Any natural or private legal person may take part.
C. Strategies. Initiatives, policies, processes or systems implemented or executed in Catalonia that integrate the use or promotion of products designed to improve waste prevention, recyclability and/or incorporate recycled products.
Any public or private natural or legal person may take part.
D. Materials.Materials designed to improve waste prevention, recyclability and/or incorporate recycled material, which are manufactured or distributed in Catalonia and/or are at an advanced stage of research, development or innovation (R&D&I).
Any company that manufactures or distributes the materials or organisation working in R&D&I may take part.
a) Basic criteria:
- Design quality.
- Integration of strategies to promote waste prevention, the use of recycled materials and/or improvements in recyclability.
b) Other criteria:
- Innovation.
- Proposals that integrate other environmental aspects throughout the life cycle, such as energy savings, minimizing water consumption, reducing emissions (CO2 and others), etc.
- Application of life-cycle analysis methodologies and environmental standardisation mechanisms (ecolabels).
- Economic and social impact of the candidate's entry on the market and/or its field of application (products already marketed or strategies).
- Viability and chances of success of the candidate's entry (projects for products or materials under development).
- Communication and awareness-raising strategies.
Candidate selection The award candidates will be assessed in two stages:
Stage 1: a team of experts from the Waste Agency of Catalonia will decide which of the candidates' entries deserve to be evaluated by the Awards jury (second stage).
Stage 2: the jury will evaluate and select the winning candidates for each category.
Stage 1: a team of experts from the Waste Agency of Catalonia will decide which of the candidates' entries deserve to be evaluated by the Awards jury (second stage).
Stage 2: the jury will evaluate and select the winning candidates for each category.
It is made up of two experts in ecodesign and the environment and a representative of the following bodies:
Waste Agency of Catalonia, Ministry of Territory and Sustainability of the Government of Catalonia, as chair.
ADI-FAD (Association of Industrial Design - Art and Design Promotion)
Association of Professional Designers (ADP)
Barcelona Design Centre (BCD)
Directorate-General for Environmental Quality, Ministry of Territory and Sustainability of the Government of Catalonia
Candidates may submit their entries from 1 February 2013 to 15 March 2013 (inclusive).
The prize money of the Design for Recycling Awards 2013 is a total of €12,000.
This amount will be divided between the different categories in the following way:
This amount will be divided between the different categories in the following way:
- Category A.- Prize for the best product: three thousand euros (€3,000)
- Category B.- Prize for the best project: three thousand euros (€3,000)
- Category C.- Prize for the best strategy: three thousand euros (€3,000)
- Category D.- Prize for the best material: three thousand euros (€3,000).
If there are two or more prize-winning candidates in a category, the amount will be shared equally among the winners.
As well as the money, each award winner will be given a trophy and an awards certificate.
Honorary mentions may be given to candidates that have not won but deserve special consideration.
The Waste Agency of Catalonia Design for Recycling Awards 2013 will be given at a ceremony, where all the candidates who reached the second stage of evaluation will be presented.
The following candidates will be excluded:
• Those having submitted entries in previous editions that offer no substantial design changes or improvements.
• Those submitting the same product in different categories with a differing focus.
• Those that do not meet the established submission deadlines.
• Those that do not observe the obligatory submission procedure.
• Those lacking the documentation required to properly assess the entries.
• Works of fundamentally artistic value (works of art).
• Unique articles that cannot be produced in series.
• Those that do not strictly meet all the requirements stipulated the Design for Recycling Awards 2013 rules.
• Those having submitted entries in previous editions that offer no substantial design changes or improvements.
• Those submitting the same product in different categories with a differing focus.
• Those that do not meet the established submission deadlines.
• Those that do not observe the obligatory submission procedure.
• Those lacking the documentation required to properly assess the entries.
• Works of fundamentally artistic value (works of art).
• Unique articles that cannot be produced in series.
• Those that do not strictly meet all the requirements stipulated the Design for Recycling Awards 2013 rules.
Resolution TES/2876/2012 of 27 November, announcing the Design for Recycling Awards 2013.
• Rules published in the Official Journal of the Government of Catalonia (DOGC)
• Rules published in the Official Journal of the Government of Catalonia (DOGC)
Related information
Update:
14.01.2013