30 years OVAM – ‘A history from below’
In 2011 the Public Waste Association of Flanders (OVAM) celebrated its 30th anniversary. In honor of this occasion, the IPG conveyed the history of this organization to the public, by releasing a book and setting up a virtual exhibition about its history.
A history from below
This project was designed to be a ‘history from below’ that would interest a broad public. Through oral history interviews with a number of the workings of the OVAM, a number of different storylines were be placed in historical perspective. A historical perspective on remediation, waste products and policies on material were able contribute to the OVAM’s project to raise awareness about sustainable relationships between humans and their environment.
In his book, Torsten Feys presents the waste problem and soil pollution from a long term perspective. Against this historical background, the projects, policy lines, internal changes and plans of the OVAM are dealt with. Using the method of oral history, OVAM-staff, stakeholders and the citizen were given a voice in the book. The interviews were confronted with press articles, documents of parliament and with the archives of environmental organizations.
In October 2011, the book and the virtual exhibit on the 30 yeas of the OVAM were presented to the public in Mechelen. The book is not available in print, in order to reduce the ecological footprint of the project. For a digital version in pdf, go to the OVAM-website or mail to info@ovam.be.
Feys, Torsten, et al. 30 Jaar Ovam : de Openbare Vlaamse Afvalstoffenmaatschappij in historisch perspectief. Gent: Academia Press, 2011.
Organization
The project was financed by the OVAM and undertaken by the IPG of Ghent University under the supervision of Christophe Verbruggen and Bruno De Wever. Torsten Feys was the scientific collaborator for this project and was responsible for the content as well as for the practical undertaking of the project.
Duration: January - September 2011
Contact
Christophe.verbruggen@ugent.be