Activities

- Demonstrate the technical feasibility at semi-industrial scale of the three valorising processes from their current TRL (around 5-6) to at least TRL7:

o Value Chain 1- Pilot plant of methanotrophic bacteria fed by biomethane, producing every year 80 tons of biomass to be fractionated into 4 main products: protein, peptides, fat and nucleic acids.

o Value Chain 2 – Pilot plant of black soldier fly farming, resulting in an annual production of 15 tons of dry larvae, which means around 6 tons of meal flour with high protein content. Implemented at waste management site in Murcia.

o Value Chain 3 – Pilot plant of nutrients recovery from the liquor after digestate dewatering, with the final production of 0.12 kg of struvite and 1 kg of ammonium sulfate every hour implemented at waste management site in Murcia.



- Selectively collect and valorise at least 1,800 tonnes of urban biowaste every year in Murcia and collect feedback from citizens and indicators to better assess the implementation of new collection schemes.



- Use 192,000 m3 of biogas from biowaste from Kalundborg municipality (70% rich in methane), as carbon source for methanotrophic bacteria (protein production)



- Explore the functionality and market applications of the biowaste-derived products:

o Proteins (and other such as fats, nucleic acids, peptides...) as feed ingredients → assessment of the

nutritional and health effects in salmonid and shrimp’s diets.

o Phosphorous and Nitrogen recovered in the form of struvite/ammonia sulfate blend as fertilisers → to be used as granules or pellets, and with added potassium salts for enhancing their performance.

o Proteins, fats (e.g. omega-6 fatty acids), nucleic acids and derivatives food ingredient → bakery, sports nutrition, meat products, dairy and baby food.



- Assure the full safety of the biowaste-derived products, by conducting toxicology tests.



- Generate valuable data that can be used for future policies, public recommendations or regulations in terms of urban biowaste management and biowaste-derived products:

o Quantify the reduction of GHG emissions, derived from the use of biowaste (other than landfilling)

and the replacement of traditional sources for the targeted products: animal and vegetal protein, and mineral and synthetic fertilisers.

o In deep assessment of the safety and market applications (functionality) of the biowaste-derived products, that will contribute to new standards development.

o Social perception and awareness over the biowaste selective collection, that will help in the planning and integration of biowaste management schemes in urban context.



- Generate new business models within the framework of the circular economy, arising from the three valorising processes proposed by VALUEWASTE, including a go-to-market model, partnerships and alliances. The example of VALUEWASTE will be contributing to achieve the following EU challenges:

o Shift from productive sectors strongly dependent on fossil fuels towards a biobased economy.

o Increase the EU self-sufficiency in terms of protein and critical raw materials (i.e. phosphorous).

o Creation of new jobs, devoted to the large-scale valorising of urban biowaste.