A romantic summer evening on the banks of the Rhine in Cologne. The picnic blanket is spread out. The wine is poured. The candle is burning. Suddenly a plastic bag floats by. Not just a break in the mood, but also an environmental burden that the Cologne Krake association has declared war on. Around 300 members of the association, known as the Kraklinge, meet regularly to collect garbage. The volunteers have already collected 8.7 tons of floating waste this year. And there could be even more in the future. On September 15, the association put the Rheinkrake into operation - a floating garbage trap based on the British model that fishes waste out of the river around the clock. The concept is supported by the Cologne-based plastics specialist Igus.

Study on plastic waste in the Rhine

The Rhine octopus is anchored on the left bank of the Rhine, north of the Cologne Zoo Bridge, at Rhine kilometer 690.30. Due to the bend in the Rhine, the current here is particularly favorable for catching as much waste as possible. The floating litter trap uses a catch basket, which is attached between two floats and opened against the direction of flow. The basket is designed in such a way that it catches plastic floating on the surface of the water - but does not pose a danger to fish and birds. The association will then empty the Rhine octopus once a week, collect the waste on land and analyze it scientifically in cooperation with the University of Bonn. The environmentalists want to use the findings to conduct a long-term study on plastic waste in the Rhine.

Out of the environment, into a circular economy

Igus, which develops and produces products made from high-performance plastics for industry, is one of the supporters of the project. This is because promoting a circular economy for plastics is a declared goal of the company. Igus has been recycling 99% of the plastic waste generated during production for over 50 years and also launched its own recycling program for used energy chains in 2019. This year also saw the first products made from up to 100% recycled material.

Also new: the Igus:Bike project for sustainable, urban mobility. The concept includes an all-plastic bicycle that is completely lubricant- and rust-free and whose frame and wheels can also be made from waste. With the Igus:Bike platform, the company also aims to promote plastics expertise in the global bicycle industry and thus drive forward the circular economy internationally.

Igus has also invested in the recycling pioneer Mura Technology, which uses a new type of technology to turn plastic waste into reusable crude oil. Plastic thus becomes a sustainable and reusable resource. The first factory is currently being built in Teesside, England, and is due to start operations in early 2023.