Revolution in the compost: Graz graduate receives Hans-Roth environmental prize

Von WOM

The Montan University Leoben was recognized for outstanding research at this year's awarding of the Hans-Roth Environmental Prize. The award ceremony took place on November 12, 2024 as part of the renowned Recy & Depotech conference in Leoben. The main prize, endowed with 4,000 euros, went to Paul Demaschr, who was awarded for his master's thesis for the mechanical and sensor -based preparation of organic waste.

DESASARS WORK deals with an pressing topic: reducing the interference in bio waste to less than two percent. This goal is crucial, since organic bin is often contaminated with unwanted materials such as plastic or glass. In many cases, such waste is not separated properly and end up in organic waste, which complicates the return of organic substances into the fabric circulation.

Innovative approaches to waste management

Through intensive cooperation with industry, Demasch has examined various technical processes for pretreating organic waste. The focus was on sorting methods and modern technologies. In his project, organic waste from the city of Graz was tested to find optimal combinations of shredding and screening machines. The results showed that sensor -based sorting is an important component to achieve the desired "purity bid". The technology helps to efficiently identify and remove unwanted fabrics.

The importance of this work is due to the growing interest in the circular economy and sustainable procedures. It is essential to consider waste as potential raw materials. Closing fabric cycles is essential to use resources efficiently and reduce environmental pollution. The process of composting can only be successful if the starting materials are free of disturbing elements.

At the award ceremony, other excellent contributions were also recognized that present innovative solutions for waste management. This includes topics such as the recycling of old textiles, maximizing the recovery of recycling from residual waste and research on sustainable materials in the construction industry. A home composting device was also discussed, which should create high -quality compost within 24 hours, but did not convince due to energy intensity and lack of plant compatibility.

The Hans-Roth Environmental Prize: A traditional award

The Hans-Roth environmental prize has been awarded since 2005 and promotes innovative approaches in the waste and circular economy. In this way, not only scientists are given the opportunity to present their research results, but also promote the exchange of knowledge between research and industry. The State Councilor Simone Schmiedtbauer, member of the state parliament Helga Ahrer and Mayor Kurt Waller presented the prizes to an audience of guests of honor, which underlines the importance of this award.

The initiative aims to promote new ideas and to support the practical feasibility of environmentally friendly solutions. With the award, not only is the performance of individual graduates recognized, but also the common goal of minimizing the effects of waste management on the environment. It remains to be seen which other innovative ideas from this research will emerge in order to tackle the challenges of waste management sustainably and to contribute to protecting our resources. Further information on these developments provides a current report www.recyclingmagazin.de .