The SYMBA project (Securing Local Supply Chains via the Development of New Methods to Assess the Circularity and Symbiosis of the Bio-based Industrial Ecosystem) will help deliver bio-based solutions with reduced environmental impacts on soil, water and air quality.
The project aims to achieve this by creating an innovative method of industrial symbiosis which can be replicated across the EU, geared to the local/regional bio-based industrial ecosystem. This method will be used to help design zero-waste value chains.
Increasingly, plastic components are being used in vehicles rather than metal ones, as plastic is lighter. The automotive industry is gradually stepping up the percentage of recycled plastic to reduce its environmental impact.
AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, is a non-profit research association active in the plastics industry. It has launched the SURFTOP Project to develop the use of recycled plastic in vehicle parts.
The BUILD-LIMONENE initiative is working on additives and biodegradable materials with a lower carbon footprint that can be used in the construction industry and become viable alternatives to the fossil-based materials currently available.
This new technology will contribute to the recovery of waste by using citrus peels and CO2 emissions.
From its base in the northern Netherlands, JC-Electronics supplies new, refurbished and repaired industrial electronics. By giving used and defective devices a second life, the company contributes to the circular economy and helps customers reduce their carbon footprint.
The transition towards the circular economy entails complex economic and social changes. Using a survey, the EDUCIRC project will provide policy recommendations on rural development, with particular emphasis on women and young people.
It will devise a new methodology for assessing the capacity of rural areas to deliver this transition and identify the main obstacles, strengths and problems, as well as possible solutions.
The online national Register of Electronic Equipment Repairers (Nationaal Reparateursregister) has been launched in the Netherlands. It enables consumers and (retail) professionals to find professional and skilled independent repairers and refurbishers of electronic equipment who work nearby.
Reliance on electronics comes with steep environmental costs, from mining minerals to disposal of end-of-life devices. As the use of electronic products has grown, their average lifespan becomes shorter. This in turn results in an increased volume of discarded and obsolete electronic devices.
Gruppo FOS in Caserta (Italy) provides a T&G (technology and groupware) Repair Centre and Swap & Repair services for electronic devices.
Eco Repair Score NV and VITO have developed the Eco Repair Score® to assess the environmental impact of a specific car repair job. It does this using a single score, with categories from A to E and associated colour coding.
The BRILIAN project is designed to support the adoption of sustainable and cooperative business models in rural areas, enabling a smoother transition to bio-based economies. It plays a fundamental role in revitalising these regions and promoting sustainable economic and social development by transforming primary producers into active players in the supply chain, aligned with the goals outlined in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the Green Deal and the European Bioeconomy Strategy.
The MixMatters project aims to optimise the value derived from mixed biological waste. It will introduce a groundbreaking, integrated and adaptable solution for efficiently harnessing the potential of mixed bio-waste.
