Context

Soil degradation is a critical challenge in Europe, threatening food security, biodiversity, and climate resilience. Intensive agricultural practices, overuse of synthetic fertilizers, and the depletion of organic matter have led to declining soil fertility, increased erosion, and reduced water retention. At the same time, the food industry generates vast amounts of organic waste, much of which remains underutilized or improperly managed, leading to environmental pollution and lost resource potential.

The Waste4Soil project was launched to bridge the gap between food waste management and soil restoration. While circular economy principles advocate for resource efficiency, existing solutions for food waste valorization remain fragmented and underdeveloped. Many residues from food processing—such as meat, dairy, cereals, olive oil, wine, and fruit by-products—could serve as natural soil improvers, but their potential is largely untapped due to regulatory barriers, lack of standardization, and limited stakeholder collaboration.

To address these challenges, Waste4Soil integrates technological innovation, scientific expertise, and stakeholder engagement to develop sustainable, scalable solutions for recycling food processing residues into high-quality soil amendments. Through seven Soil Health Living Labs across Europe, the project tests and optimizes various biobased soil improvers, such as compost, biochar, nutrient recovery solutions, and biostimulants.

By closing the loop between food waste and soil health, Waste4Soil contributes to EU policies such as the Green Deal, Farm-to-Fork Strategy, and Soil Mission, ensuring a resilient and sustainable agricultural system for future generations.

Objectives

The Waste4Soil project aims to transform food processing residues into biobased, circular soil improvers that enhance soil health, fertility, and sustainability. By leveraging cutting-edge technological and methodological innovations, the project seeks to reduce waste from the food industry and optimize its reintegration into agricultural systems, ensuring a closed-loop approach that benefits both the environment and food production.

To achieve this, Waste4Soil establishes seven Soil Health Living Labs across Europe (in Greece, Finland, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Italy, and Slovenia), where researchers, industry experts, farmers, and policymakers collaborate to develop and test effective valorization pathways for eight types of food processing residues (meat, fish, dairy, cereals, olive oil, wine, fruits and vegetables, and processed foods).

The project refines and enhances existing waste-to-soil solutions, including anaerobic digestion, biochar production, nutrient recovery, composting, and protein hydrolysates, ensuring safe and efficient applications for agricultural soils. Additionally, Waste4Soil integrates digital tools and data analytics to support stakeholders in optimizing waste management strategies.

By promoting a circular bioeconomy, Waste4Soil directly contributes to the EU’s Green Deal, Farm-to-Fork Strategy, and Soil Health Mission, helping transition towards climate-resilient, sustainable agriculture while reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers.

Activities

The Waste4Soil project is structured around activities aimed at transforming food processing residues into high-quality soil improvers, promoting sustainable soil management across Europe. It integrates technological innovation, scientific research, and stakeholder engagement to develop circular solutions for soil health.

1. Development of a Standardized Evaluation Framework

A user-driven Evaluation Framework will help stakeholders—farmers, waste managers, policymakers, and industry players—assess the circular potential of food processing residues. This framework provides decision-making tools, environmental impact assessments, and best practices for sustainable food waste transformation.

2. Implementation of Soil Health Living Labs

The project establishes seven Soil Health Living Labs across Europe (Greece, Finland, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Italy, and Slovenia), where different food waste types—meat, fish, dairy, cereals, olive oil, wine, fruits, vegetables, and processed foods—are tested as potential soil amendments. These Living Labs serve as experimental hubs for research, piloting, and validation of waste-to-soil solutions.

3. Optimization of Food Waste Valorization Techniques

Waste4Soil enhances various technologies to convert food waste into valuable soil improvers. Key areas include: