Students from TU Delft, Inholland, and ProGrotius Unite to Tackle Delft’s Waste Challenges Through Collaborative Projects

Students from TU Delft, Inholland, and ProGrotius Unite to Tackle Delft’s Waste Challenges Through Collaborative Projects

(IN BRIEF) In Delft, students from various universities, including Inholland University of Applied Sciences, TU Delft, and ProGrotius, collaborated on a waste management initiative to address the city’s ongoing waste issues. The students participated in waste excursions, picking up litter and observing waste collection processes, while some conducted research on improving recycling methods. These efforts are part of broader community and academic collaborations aimed at developing practical solutions for waste reduction. By integrating different perspectives, these student-driven projects hope to make a real impact on Delft’s waste challenges, with long-term plans for collaboration between educational institutions and local organizations.

(PRESS RELEASE) DELFT, 30-Jan-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — In a joint effort to address the ongoing waste problems in Delft, students from several educational institutions teamed up for a series of hands-on activities and research. On a chilly December morning, first-year students from Inholland University of Applied Sciences’ Landscape and Environment Management program joined forces with the local municipality for a waste excursion in Delft-West. As they toured the neighborhood, they not only collected litter but also observed the daily operation of garbage trucks dumping their loads at Avalex. Following their excursion, students from ProGrotius embarked on their own community waste tour, while a TU Delft student conducted research at Avalex to enhance glass recycling processes.

Waste management and sustainability are integral topics in various academic programs, and the issues surrounding waste disposal in Delft are far from new. Abandoned furniture and household items regularly accumulate near underground containers, and residents often report these messes to the municipality for removal. In fact, more than 790 reports of litter were made across Delft in January 2025 alone.

Students Contribute to Real-World Solutions

Madelief Kranz, a student from Zeeland, was deeply shocked by the amount of waste she encountered on the excursion. “In Zeeland, if someone left something on the street, the neighbors would call them out,” she explained. Her classmate, Jaïr Martes, who hails from Rotterdam, was more accustomed to seeing litter. He emphasized the importance of engaging with the community to find solutions to waste problems. “It’s essential to go into the neighborhood and work with residents on these issues,” said Martes. Together, the students created an informative poster on littering, waste processing, and product reuse as part of their project.

Meanwhile, ProGrotius students and the TU Delft researcher approached the issue from different angles, each offering their unique perspective and solutions. A collaborative approach combining all these viewpoints could lead to effective, actionable solutions that directly benefit the community. Such collaboration would not only provide students with valuable real-world learning experiences but could result in tangible outcomes for the city of Delft.

Fostering Collaboration for a Cleaner Delft

Efforts to reduce waste are already underway through initiatives like WINNEN!, a collaboration between the municipality, Avalex, and Stichting Stunt. This network promotes waste reuse and repair, advocating for more action and less waste. At a recent gathering hosted by Stichting Stunt, participants from various schools and organizations shared ideas, exchanged contact information, and began to discuss potential partnerships. The goal is to create a long-term program, with plans for development by summer 2025.

TU Delft, in collaboration with ROC Mondriaan, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, and The Hague University of Applied Sciences, continues to engage students in the ongoing effort to address waste management in Delft. In the future, it’s possible that these students will no longer work separately on waste-related projects but will join forces as a single, united group, learning from one another and creating solutions that can benefit the entire community.

Media Contact:

Fien Bosman
0624953733
f.j.bosman@tudelft.nl

SOURCE: TU Delft