The RiceRes research project, launched in 2016 by the CNR (National Research Council) and the Universities of Milan and Pavia and financed by the Cariplo Foundation, aimed to make the most of waste materials from processing Italian rice.

Oryzite is a method for incorporating rice husks as a filler in all types of thermoplastics. The company transforms the rice husks into resin, which can then be used to obtain the same volume of injection-moulded plastic using much fewer fossil-fuel-based polymers.

Complementing traditional mechanical recycling efforts, Plastic Energy has developed a patented Thermal Anaerobic Conversion (TAC) technology to convert end-of-life plastic waste into a new feedstock, called TACOIL, that can be used in the manufacturing of virgin-quality plastics suitable for food-grade packaging.

RecyOuest is a green economy start-up that recycles contaminated filamentary thermoplastics such as agricultural nets and twines.

A team of researchers from the research centre CIEPQPF and the CFE of the University of Coimbra has developed an innovative application for recovered waste from walnut fruit: compounds with a “nematocidal” effect have been extracted that can control plant-parasitic nematodes affecting a wide range of species.

Econooc is a no-effort conservation beehive made from mycelium and other repurposed/sustainable materials. 

RECOSI is a social franchise focusing on the reuse and refurbishment of ICT and WEEE.