#TakingForward: circular economy roundtable initiated by GF Piping Systems concludes successful build-up phase

To meet ambitious sustainability goals and to comply with emerging regulations, many industries are bringing their attention towards concepts such as a circular economy. When products have completed their service life, this approach attempts to prolong the product life cycle as much as possible by repurposing, recycling or reuse of old materials.

With sustainability deeply anchored in its strategy 2025, GF Piping Systems specializes in plastic flow solutions which already have a longer service life than materials such as metal. This longevity is attributed to their higher corrosion resistance and lower maintenance requirements. In pursuit of extending the benefits beyond product end-of-life scenarios, GF Piping Systems has launched various innovation projects in recent years.

Recognizing that circular economy requires concerted action by multiple stakeholders, GF Piping Systems initiated #TakingForward in November 2022. The roundtable brings together over ten organizations spanning the plastic value chain in Switzerland, including pipe producers, wholesalers, construction, renovation, and demolition companies, logistics providers, as well as recycling businesses. The primary goal of the initiative is to establish a robust logistics network that facilitates the retrieval and reuse of valuable plastic piping waste.

After a dedicated year of focused efforts, the project is poised to achieve a significant milestone. As of December 2023, GF Piping Systems will hand over leadership to the Association of Swiss Plastic Recyclers (VSPR, Verein Schweizer Plastic Recycler), which mandated Michael Gasser, a leading expert on circular economy, to become managing director. Gasser's mandate is to steer the overall initiative and oversee thematic pilot projects aimed at addressing key technical and organizational challenges associated with the development of a future-proof logistics network.

Joost Geginat, President of GF Piping Systems, comments on the project: „We are extremely proud to have been the driving force behind #TakingForward for the past year. I am confident that VSPR and Michael Gasser will do an excellent job in taking over and leading the efforts to turn the ambitious vision of the founding members into reality. By building an efficient plastic piping waste collection system in Switzerland, we will lead by example and together make an important contribution towards a circular economy.”

Find out more about GF Piping Systems’ sustainability initiatives here.