The Project Irisphere was first launched under EU Interreg program to test the concept of industrial ecology in a specific site. In 2015, the project was expanded to a regional scale, coordinated by Citydev.Brussels, the regional public development company. The aim of Irishpere is to stimulate the development of circular economy in Brussels-Capital Region by guiding companies, improving the circularity of materials and increasing cooperation at regional level. One of the main action fields has been the recycling of construction materials, such as concrete, wood or carpet. The Irisphere project includes several important partners, such as the Port of Brussels and Brussels Port Community are focusing their cooperation on concrete material, since it has the one highest environmental impact but also, the highest potential gains. This cooperation is visible in a new project currently under development: a concrete recycling line installed on the waterway, allowing flows to circulate easily on the canal between the concrete mixers and the recycling centre. This would be the first of its kind in Belgium and the second in Europe and the world.
