Zetadec promotes the circular economy in Europe with an organic waste project
Zetadec is part of an organic waste project called SCALIBUR, the proposal for this project is accepted by the European Commission. SCALIBUR will be executed between 2018 and 2022 by 21 partners from 9 European countries. The project will receive funding through Horizon 2020, the European Union's current research and innovation framework programme.
SCALIBUR, the acronym for Scalable Technologies for Bio-Urban Waste Recovery, seeks to bridge the gap between technological viability and industrial applications in the field of urban organic waste recovery, strengthening strategic cooperation between the different sectors. In this way, it will contribute to two European challenges: to reduce deposits in landfills and achieve a circular economy by 2030.
The city of Lund will be used as a model for this initiative, transferring its experience inorganic waste collection to three cities: Madrid (Spain), Albano Latino (Italy) and Kozani (Greece). During project implementation, a study will be conducted on the quality, logistics and management schemes of the organic component of municipal solid waste and urban sewage sludge to set up innovative systems and technologies and obtain high-value products based on biomaterials, such as bioplastics, biofertilizers, biopesticides and proteins for food and animal feed.
On the one hand, solid waste from the hotel, restaurant, and catering sector (HORECA) will be transformed - through the breeding of insects - into proteins, lipids and chitin. Moreover, the waste deposited in selective collection containers for organic matter and the organic component present in wastewater will allow the creation of biopesticides and bioplastics through a process of high-solids content enzymatic hydrolysis - i.e. the decomposition of organic substances by water action with the intervention of enzymes called hydrolases - followed by a fermentation phase.
In addition, the resulting biogas from both solid waste and wastewater will be transformed through a bio-electrochemical treatment to obtain basic chemical and bioplastic products such as PHBV.
Zetadec will be involved in the conversion of solid waste from hotel, restaurant and catering sector (HORECA) – through the breeding of insects - into proteins for food and animal feed applications.
