The Circular Movement visited Mexico to discover some amazing innovative projects—let’s check them out!

The three winning projects present solutions related to plastic recycling.

By Mariana Brizi, from Movimento Circular

Our International Award For a World Without Waste recognizes incredible Circular Economy ideas created by students across Latin America. To support this, we’ve been building partnerships with various science fairs in different countries, where we participate to observe and highlight the most promising youth initiatives. This year, it was Mexico’s turn, specifically at the Michoacán Science Expo 2024, held at the Morelia Campus of Vizcaya University of the Americas!

Dr. Aleli Cortés Vargas, director of the MICHOACÁN SCIENCE EXPO, invited us to take part in this wonderful experience, where 75 projects and over 100 students, guided by their teachers, participated. We’re incredibly grateful for the warm welcome and the chance to witness such innovative Circular Economy projects!

The International No-Waste World Award, an initiative of Circular Movement, aims to identify, celebrate, and give visibility to innovative solutions promoting a waste-free world and encouraging the development of more circular societies. Our ambassador in Mexico, Professor Marisol del Toro, attended both days of the event, interacting with all the participants. The students showed their concern for the world, and so did we!

The winning project focuses on the production of tiles made from PET. Photo: Circular Movement

Here are the award winners and honorable mention

Ecoteja: Created by students Augusto Matías Calvario, Salvador Guzmán, and Francisco Javier, this project turns PET bottles into roofing tiles. Each tile uses 15 to 20 bottles, which the students themselves collected to test the process. Goal: help solve the problem of PET disposal while offering a more affordable roofing option for low-income communities.

Biocomex produces thermal concrete made from recycled plastics. Photo: Circular Movement

Biocomex: Geraldine Rueda Aguirre presented a thermal concrete made from recycled plastics. This solution repurposes plastic waste, giving it a second life and providing a low-cost, durable construction material with the potential for community replication. Goal: close the plastic loop and provide an affordable option for construction.

In this project, PET bottles are transformed into reusable filaments for 3D printers. Photo: Circular Movement

EcoFila 30. PET Filament: Eduardo Ávila created a machine that turns PET bottles into filaments for 3D printing. Goal: generate economic opportunities for low-income sectors and reduce pollution caused by hard-to-degrade plastics by turning them into valuable material.

By producing a game that aims to educate about issues such as global warming and air pollution, this group of students received one of the honorable mentions of the award. Photo: Circular Movement

Honorable Mention

Greenforce One: Students programmed a basic game that runs on platforms like Cospays and Roblox, which are widely used by younger generations. The game raises awareness about issues like global warming and air pollution.
Goal: engage with younger generations and raise awareness about environmental issues through virtual reality as a medium.

How about an alternative to plastic that decomposes faster? Photo: Circular Movement

ECOPLAT: Valeria Ledesma and Vanesa Puente developed a heat-resistant material made from banana peels, which can be used for packaging, even in the food industry. This biopolymer decomposes in no more than 2 weeks—99% faster than conventional plastic. Goal: provide a strong material to the market with lower carbon emissions (around 50% less).

The Circular Movement recognized these five projects for aligning with the principles of the Circular Economy. The top three projects are now part of the International No-Waste World Award 2024. Stay tuned, we’ll soon invite you to join us for the exciting year-end award ceremony.

About Circular Movement

Created in 2020, Circular Movement is a collaborative ecosystem committed to encouraging the transition from a linear to a circular economy. The idea that all resources can be reused and transformed is the motto of the Circular Economy, the basic concept of the movement. Circular Movement is an open initiative that promotes collaborative spaces with the aim of informing individuals and institutions that a waste-free future is possible through education and culture, the adoption of new behaviors, inclusion, and the development of new processes, products, and attitudes. The work is done in partnership with Dow, a chemical, plastics, and agricultural products company based in Michigan, USA. Circular Movement currently impacts 2 million people through its activations and content.

And you? Do you want to learn more about Circular Economy?

If you are interested in learning more about this topic, access Circular Academy, the first free Latin American course on Circular Economy aimed at the general public. Together, in partnership and collaboration, we can make a difference in building a more circular planet.