Circular economy for high schools: a student visit to the Austrian Ecosite
With Symsites, high school students can discover circular economy initiatives in their town and learn about biogas production, wastewater treatment and biomaterials.
In fact, a group of 48 high school students from NÖMS Sieghartskirchen, in Sieghartskirchen, visited the Austrian EcoSite with IFA-Tulln – BOKU University. After discovering the project and its local impact, the students visited the labs and took part in scientific experiments in a set-up of four interactive stations.
Station 1: Biogas Production
Students discovered the role of biogas as a renewable energy source and the importance of its substrates. They explored and measured the potential of different substrates with a batch test.
Station 2: Wastewater Treatment
The station explained the purification process. It focused on the role of biogas in wastewater treatment, showing how to restrict volume. Therefore, fruit juice was purified with nanofiltration and the result was compared with a flocculation experiment.
Station 3: Reactor Lab
In the reactor lab, the students explored various reactor types used in biochemical processes. They discussed each type’s differences, advantages, and disadvantages.
Station 4: Value-added products
The Institute of Natural Materials Technology hosted the final station. Here, students engraved their names on bioplastic cups made from waste streams via fermentation. This activity pointed out the circular economy idea of creating new valuable products from discarded materials.
Overall, the students had a comprehensive overview of how the EcoSite in Sieghartskirchen transforms waste into resources. They discovered the problem, viewed the processes used and created new products, understanding the theory behind the circular economy and putting it into practice.
