What if young people learned today how they can make a difference in the circular economy tomorrow? With this in mind, Febelauto, Recytyre, Valorlub and Bebat joined forces for an ambitious educational project: “Circular Race”.

This interactive workshop, developed in collaboration with GoodPlanet, will start in September 2025 in various secondary schools in Flanders and Brussels. The aim of the workshop is to make students studying mechanics and (applied) automotive technology aware of the sustainable recycling of end-of-life vehicles and the circular challenges and opportunities in the automotive sector.

Learning about recycling through play

“Circular Race” is not a traditional lesson on sustainability. During the two-hour workshop (100 minutes), students actively immerse themselves in the world of circular vehicle recycling. Not with boring slides, but with playful and stimulating assignments:

• Educational cards show them how an end-of-life vehicle is processed: from collection to depollution, dismantling, shredding and recycling.
• They also learn what happens to the waste streams generated during vehicle maintenance (tyres, oil, batteries).
• Of course, the well-known 5 R’s (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle) are covered.
• A “second life” match game shows them which products can be made from recycled materials from end-of-life vehicles.
• An original quiz challenges them to test their own knowledge.
• A bingo game teaches them about the role of UPVs (management organisations with extended producer responsibility), as well as the importance of environmental contributions and premiums.
• They learn about the importance of certified processing and recycling centres, the environmental impact of poorly maintained and unsustainably recycled vehicles and their waste streams.
• Finally, they also visualise their future car garage and think about how they can integrate circularity into it in concrete terms.

After each successfully completed game task, the groups of students can earn car parts. Whoever can assemble a moving car at the end of the workshop wins.

A joint lever for awareness

The “Circular Race” is more than an educational package. It is an example of how cooperation between waste stream management organisations can lead to an inspiring and innovative initiative.

Each of the recycling partners involved, active in the automotive sector, contributes its expertise:

• Febelauto: end-of-life vehicles and drive batteries from electrified vehicles
• Recytyre: end-of-life tyres
• Valorlub: waste oils
• Bebat: starter batteries and other small batteries

GoodPlanet Belgium translated this content into a format that appeals to and engages young people.

Why this project is necessary

In the transition to a circular economy, young technical talent is invaluable. They are the future garage mechanics, repairers, recycling experts and innovators. With “Circular Race”, the initiators want to introduce young people at an early age to the societal relevance of their profession and the role they can play in a more sustainable automotive sector.

Start in September 2025

The pilot project consists of 40 free workshops that will be rolled out in Dutch-speaking secondary schools in Flanders and Brussels from September 2025.

With “Circular Race”, we are literally driving the circular economy into the classroom.

Circular Race is currently only available in Dutch. (To GoodPlanet)