Innovation needs space – not just freedom of thought to be able to think of new things and ask the right questions, but also in practice. With the new laboratory and office space in Lenart, Slovenia, the Interzero Plastics Innovations competence center is creating optimal conditions to further expand its leading role in the field of circular economy. This step is a significant milestone on the way to realizing the vision of a world without waste. High-ranking guests from politics, business and the press attended the ceremonial opening of the new location. Among them were the Chairman and shareholder of Interzero, Dr. Axel Schweitzer , the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr. Nataša Pirc Musar , and the German Ambassador Sylvia Groneick , both of whom emphasized the importance of Interzero’s innovation work for a sustainable future. “We must really internalize the sustainable use of goods and packaging, in other words, move from a linear to a circular economy,” said Dr. Axel Schweitzer in his opening speech. “In order to be able to keep more materials in circulation, the recyclability of packaging must be considered from the outset. We need innovative solutions for the materials and products that are not yet circular today.” Dr. Nataša Pirc Musar, President of the Republic of Slovenia and keynote speaker at the event, also emphasized in her speech the inevitability of the switch to circular and sustainable use of plastics as well as efficient reuse and recycling. “In order to achieve truly significant results, the problem must be addressed holistically across the entire life cycle of plastic products and materials and across national borders.” To this end, she will continue to count on the knowledge and innovative solutions of the competence center, the President continued. The services of the internationally accredited laboratory are specifically geared to the needs of the economy. In addition to research and development, the focus of the laboratory is on developing solutions that help companies manufacture new products from high-quality recyclates . The competence center’s activities also include advice on cost and energy optimization in production and on processing plastics from various raw material sources . “Through evaluation and analysis, we supply our customers with high-quality recycled plastics tailored to their needs that have comparable or even better technical properties than primary raw materials and thus represent a sustainable alternative,” says Dr. Manica Ulčnik-Krump, head of the facility. The possible applications for these materials are extremely diverse – from household, sports and leisure products to packaging and designer furniture. With the opening of the new premises, Interzero is once again underlining its claim to drive the transition to a circular economy through pioneering technologies and sustainable solutions .