Periodic Reporting for period 2 - CIRCULAR BIOCARBON (Turning carbon of complex organic urban waste streams into value-added products)
Reporting period: 2022-12-01 to 2023-11-30
Even though the recycling of waste has improved a lot in the past decades, municipal solid waste still contains a large part of organic fraction (OFMSW) that is not used efficiently but rather incinerated with the municipal solid waste or sent to landfills. Through the concept of the biorefinery, it can be moved from waste to resources, performing the recovery of the valuable materials present in the organic waste produced in the city, closing the cycle of the materials, trying to reach zero waste. In this framework appears CIRCULAR BIOCARBON, aiming to contribute to the transition in Europe from linear to circular economy. CIRCULAR BIOCARBON will develop and demonstrate a new circular model of organic urban waste streams management, setting the basis for advancing towards a new circular vision of waste treatment in a city in the framework of the bioeconomy. The project will open up new business frameworks based on that new circular vision towards a sustainable bioeconomy. CIRCULAR BIOCARBON will develop and validate a first-of-its kind flagship biorefinery to valorise the OFMSW and sewage sludge (SS) into added-value end products and intermediate products, at commercial scale. In the CIRCULAR BIOCARBON biorefinery, the OFMSW and SS, will be processed jointly through a pool of cascading innovative technologies and steps, allowing to obtain green bio-based materials and marketable end products, meaning: coating of direct consumer products, mechanical moving parts or plastic moulding tools; biodegradable and compostable waste bags and mulch films; green graphene-based devices and products; and solid and liquid organomineral fertiliser with biostimulant properties. It is based on a unique and integrated model in which the process lines will be implemented in two different locations: Zaragoza (Spain) and Sesto San Giovanni (Italy) for logistical, customer, and market reasons. CIRCULAR BIOCARBON Project would provide several benefits for society, as for example: helping to reduce the dependence of non-renewable sources; raising awareness on, interest in, and understanding of the topics of European circular economy, resource efficiency and waste and wastewater management; enabling the creation of new job opportunities in the bio-based sector, particularly the rural and/or urban areas, among others.
1) CIRCULAR BIOCARBON biorefinery has been designed to valorise the OFMSW and SS into intermediates, building blocks, bio-based materials and added-value end products by means of a pool of cascading innovative technologies, at industrial scale, aimed at maximising material recovery from both organic urban waste streams. Moreover, with the aim to draw the strategic framework in which the biorefinery is developed, the review of the strategic framework, policy/institutional barriers and the preliminary identification of legal and technical requirements was carried out.
2) The construction of the new technologies and the revamping of the already existing plants is taking place in both sites (Zaragoza and Sesto San Giovanni). Purchases of equipment are ongoing and additional samples are provided to advance in the value chains optimization.
3) Gas, liquid and solid fractions conversion to high added-value materials: industrial partners have made alterations to their setups to process the intermediates and building blocks obtained in the biorefinery in their technologies. Also, they have started experiments in their processes that will function as a basis for their further process development. In addition to that, consistent effort by partners has been dedicated to the design of the technologies plant and to its integration with the existing equipment. A thorough characterisations were made for further upgrades and improvements to obtain the future final products. While final products are not yet available, some progress has been made, such as: analyse coatings made with biomethane mimics in order to optimize key process parameters. On the other hand, refining of downstream processes applying different purification technologies to demonstrate the PHAs processability and formulations. Partners are addressing delays in constructing a plant by producing PHA enriched biomass from an existing pilot plant, aiding in technology validation and film preparation. Furthermore, during construction, an existing High-Rate Algal Pond (HRAP) in Zaragoza will mimic conditions of new Algae reactor. Biomass from this unit will aid in de development of bio-based fertilisers.
4) Impact assessment: aiming to demonstrate and validate the potential benefits of the project concept through a sustainability assessment (techno-economic - LCC, environmental LCA and social assessment S-LCA), the definition of models and appropriate methodologies to assess the process of CIRCULAR BIOCARBON were carried out. Additionally, a common template (questionnaire) for collecting data related to environmental LCA, LCC and S-LCA was developed.
5) Replicability and exploitation: the conformation of the City Interest Group of the Project has been done (6 members) and two CIG webinars took place. Also, relevant organisations of the bioeconomy / biorefineries have been approached for future joint activities. Some business plan and market deployment strategy preliminary activities have been started.
6) Communication and dissemination: several activities have been done aimed at promoting the CIRCULAR BIOCARBON approach and communicating on the project’s progress and updates. The main achievements are creation and update of a Communications and Dissemination Strategy, creation and management of the Project website and social media channels, production of a brochure, banner, project Newsletters and promotional video, a joint workshop with Project Ô, first Webinar and media articles placed in established media outlets in Europe.
2) The construction of the new technologies and the revamping of the already existing plants is taking place in both sites (Zaragoza and Sesto San Giovanni). Purchases of equipment are ongoing and additional samples are provided to advance in the value chains optimization.
3) Gas, liquid and solid fractions conversion to high added-value materials: industrial partners have made alterations to their setups to process the intermediates and building blocks obtained in the biorefinery in their technologies. Also, they have started experiments in their processes that will function as a basis for their further process development. In addition to that, consistent effort by partners has been dedicated to the design of the technologies plant and to its integration with the existing equipment. A thorough characterisations were made for further upgrades and improvements to obtain the future final products. While final products are not yet available, some progress has been made, such as: analyse coatings made with biomethane mimics in order to optimize key process parameters. On the other hand, refining of downstream processes applying different purification technologies to demonstrate the PHAs processability and formulations. Partners are addressing delays in constructing a plant by producing PHA enriched biomass from an existing pilot plant, aiding in technology validation and film preparation. Furthermore, during construction, an existing High-Rate Algal Pond (HRAP) in Zaragoza will mimic conditions of new Algae reactor. Biomass from this unit will aid in de development of bio-based fertilisers.
4) Impact assessment: aiming to demonstrate and validate the potential benefits of the project concept through a sustainability assessment (techno-economic - LCC, environmental LCA and social assessment S-LCA), the definition of models and appropriate methodologies to assess the process of CIRCULAR BIOCARBON were carried out. Additionally, a common template (questionnaire) for collecting data related to environmental LCA, LCC and S-LCA was developed.
5) Replicability and exploitation: the conformation of the City Interest Group of the Project has been done (6 members) and two CIG webinars took place. Also, relevant organisations of the bioeconomy / biorefineries have been approached for future joint activities. Some business plan and market deployment strategy preliminary activities have been started.
6) Communication and dissemination: several activities have been done aimed at promoting the CIRCULAR BIOCARBON approach and communicating on the project’s progress and updates. The main achievements are creation and update of a Communications and Dissemination Strategy, creation and management of the Project website and social media channels, production of a brochure, banner, project Newsletters and promotional video, a joint workshop with Project Ô, first Webinar and media articles placed in established media outlets in Europe.
CIRCULAR BIOCARBON project will develop the first-of-a-kind flagship biorefinery designed to valorise the OFMSW and SS into high added-value end products at industrial scale. At the end of the project, a commercial scale biorefinery will be fully operative, treating all the organic waste produced by a medium-size city. During the RP1 and the RP2, it has been developed the design of the flagship biorefinery based on the joint treatment of both organic urban waste streams to produce intermediates, 9 building-blocks, 4 bio-based materials and 7 consumer products. Once the biorefinery is fully operative and the expected results are validated, the society will greatly benefit from them, as biorefineries and their diversification potential regarding market demands could help shed some light on the stressed environmental and socioeconomic situation the world is currently facing by making important contributions in the fields of sustainability of circular economy, helping Europe’s transition from a carbon-based chemical industry to bio-based one while achieving a better organic urban waste (both solid and liquid) management. Other expected impacts of the Project are for example the reduction of the greenhouse gas emissions, obtaining 4 new bio-based materials, 4 new bio-based value chains, 7 new cross-sector interconnections and 9 building blocks.