ReBoat Presented at the Circular Gaia Symposium in Athens /10 October 2026

On Saturday, Gianni Chianetta, Chair of our partner Greening the Islands Foundation, presented ReBoat at the Circular Gaia Symposium in Athens, as part of the panel dedicated to Circular Islands & Circular Tourism.

Islands face unique waste management challenges, particularly during the tourist season, when waste volumes increase significantly and place additional pressure on local infrastructure. Transporting waste and recyclable materials to the mainland can be costly, while valuable resources are lost rather than retained within local economies.

ReBoat addresses these challenges through a mobile recycling facility designed to operate where and when it is needed. By processing waste locally, the initiative aims to transform waste into a valuable resource, reduce reliance on transportation to the mainland, and support more circular island economies.

Beyond its technological approach, ReBoat promotes the active participation of local communities and visitors in the transition towards circularity. By encouraging residents and tourists to contribute to local recycling efforts, the project seeks to foster shared responsibility and position tourism as a positive contributor to island sustainability.

Across its pilot locations in the Ionian Islands, the Aeolian Archipelago and the Azores, ReBoat follows a common objective: to develop adaptable solutions that respond to the specific needs of each island, while facilitating knowledge exchange and sharing lessons learned across the participating territories.

We thank the Circular Gaia team for creating a valuable platform for dialogue and for bringing island perspectives to the forefront of discussions on circularity and sustainable tourism.

Find the Agenda here.