CETENMA (project coordinator) presented ValueWaste during the EU Partner Event “Agri-food innovative solutions towards a Zero Pollution EU” (organised by Innovarum). In this ocassion, CETENMA participated with a joint presentation of Valuewaste and Hoop.

They both were presented by Francisca Sánchez (CETENMA) as an example of how urban biowaste management can contribute to the sustainability of cities and the agri-food sector.

One of the topics that were covered was the 10 urban bioeconomy challenges:

1. Increase quantity and quality of selectively collected biowastes: poor selective collection.
2. Raise citizen awareness about biowaste separation: their contribution is crucial to increase the quality.
3. Find alternative schemes to valorise UWWS: current schemes (compost, direct land application) are not profitable and have a high environmental impact.
4. Ensure market value of biobased products for profitable processes: market value of the final products do not offset the costs of waste valorising.
5. Scale-up bio-based technologies: current technologies characterized by low TRL’s (increasing is expensive) and few large-scale experiences available.
6. Develop new sustainable and circular business models: current models are linear. New models must be integrated in the current waste management schemes.
7. Adapt legislation: current framework does not promote the utilization/commercialization of bioproducts.
8. Ensure safety/functionality of biobased products: to reach the market ensuring a safe use/consume.
9. Increase social acceptance of biobased products: consumers show uncertainties against products they are not familiar with coming from human waste.
10. Unlock investments and deploy local bioeconomy.