Broken glass everywhere

 

When I think of Corona, these song lyrics keep coming to my mind.

 

What is actually happening right now? Entire industries are collapsing (aviation, automotive, tourism, meat processing). A difficult social environment and the cramped living and working conditions lead to more infections, especially amongst disadvantaged people. The pandemic draws our attention to the social differences between rich and poor.

Why is it that some states are so severely affected? (2020.07.01; Brazil has registered more than 1,200 corona deaths within the last 24 hours. 2020.06.26; USA with 40.000 newly infected people in one day) The virus itself does not know these distinctions and affects all social structures due to the necessary restrictions on public life.

How is it with waste?

Waste also seems to spread initially via socially weaker structures. Via countries that still rely mainly on landfills and do not afford material and energy recycling. Here, too, the impact on the global climate concerns all social structures; the plastic particles in the world's oceans endanger rich and poor alike.

If the virus shows us that medical as well as social answers are needed, then the waste problem needs not only technical, but also primarily social solutions.

I am convinced that the conversion of waste into material and energy resources cannot be achieved without a fundamental change in all the social structures involved to form a circular society. This is the reason why WtERT also repeatedly presents case studies that go beyond all technology and are based on a special interaction of the local players.

For this reason, we at WtERT are working to identify outstanding and approved examples that help to overcome waste problems at all levels. By disseminating these examples, we want to participate in the fact that especially the social challenges can be mastered.

P.S.:

Physical distancing to slow the spread of the virus is essential. 

Our cover picture shows how the physical distance between visitors is ensured at a recycling yard in Germany.

 

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