CAD01: Cádiz Waste Challenge: Plastic, Urban & Industrial Streams in Overtourism

Every summer, Cádiz faces a surge of visitors that turns its beaches, streets, and festivities into vibrant hotspots—along with overflowing waste bins, plastic pollution, and stressed municipal systems. Current infrastructure and protocols were designed for a smaller population, but during peak tourism, waste generation (from plastics to food waste and bulky trash) skyrockets, overwhelming collection points and leading to litter spilling into the environment and, ultimately, the ocean.  Our challenge is to design and prototype a physical, scalable, and city-ready solution that can help Cádiz manage this seasonal waste overflow. Think smart bins, modular collection units, mobile sorting stations, artistic yet functional street devices—anything that can physically intercept, reduce, or optimize waste handling in high-traffic areas.  We’re calling for engineers, industrial designers, makers, environmental innovators, and creative minds to collaborate in developing something tangible that the city can actually deploy—and replicate in other coastal destinations nationwide.  This is not just about cleaning up after the party—it’s about engineering smarter ways for our coastal cities to thrive, no matter how big the crowd gets.

 

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Over the 48 hours, our goal is to design, build, and test a working prototype of a modular, city-ready waste collection and sorting unit that can handle seasonal waste surges caused by overtourism. This could integrate smart sensors for capacity monitoring, be weather-resistant for coastal environments, and include artistic or creative design elements to make it engaging for the public. The aim is to deliver something tangible, deployable by municipalities, and replicable nationwide.

Industrial designer; Mechanical engineer; Electronics engineer; Environmental engineer; Maker/prototyping expert; Marine biologist; Creative artist; Circular economy specialist