Circular Valorization of Organic Waste from Territories for Climate Resilience and Resource Protecti
active 2 weeks agoSummary of the Project Idea
The central idea of the project is the construction of at least one prototype plant (of course to be optimized during the project) integrated in an Italian coastal area (probably in the Veneto region that has already shown a strong interest) with the aim of replicating or adapting the approach in a transnational context with the other project partners.
It is proposed to build at least one prototype plant, as something similar, albeit different, could be done, i.e. specific to the territory of another country, where another partner in this project is located, and make sure that these two prototype plants dialogue and compare with each other throughout the project.
The prototype plant (I am referring to the specific activity in Italy, without excluding something analogous/comparable in another country) aims to exploit in an innovative and sustainable way specific “critical” organic waste of marine origin (blue crab, clam/mussel shells, algae, and even local green crab) and a synergistic mix of other agricultural/agricultural/fish processing waste available locally.
In Italy, through three interconnected process lines, the project will transform these materials into a wide range of high value-added products (such as chitin, chitosan, calcium carbonate, organic fertilizers, calcium lactate, conchiolin, protein/lipid matrices, and bioactive compounds such as phycobiliproteins, omega 3, polyphenols, etc.).
The three interconnected process lines can be schematized as follows.
1) The crab will be separated into carapace and pulp; the crab carapace will follow a process of extraction and transformation, which in part has a similarity with the processing of the shells. This overall process will involve the carapace of crabs (invasive and native, i.e., both blue and green) and mussel/clam shells.
2) The flesh of the blue crab (and for what has just been exposed also that of the native green crabs) will have two options: a) enter the food market, b) be processed together with the mix of locally available agricultural/agricultural/fish processing waste, and together with the algae processing waste. This is the bioconversion process line as a whole.
• At this preliminary stage, we give priority to option (b) for crab meat, although we do not abandon the other option; A possible change of destination for the pulp can also be carried out during the current project.
3) The algae will follow a process of extraction of some of their substances that can be placed on the market.
• In this preliminary phase, it is not excluded that an extraction process may also concern another product that is part of the waste mix mentioned above (all this is more plausible as well as the specific waste, within the waste mix, is abundant and present throughout the year).
As anticipated earlier, the waste from processing with algae will enter the aforementioned waste mix and therefore enter the bioconversion process.
In summary, the project will launch three experimental, eco-sustainable and profitably synergistic process lines.
The ultimate goal is to create a model with zero waste, through biological, biotechnological and physical-mechanical processes, all highly eco-sustainable, for supporting a greener and climate resilient adriatic and ionian region through the generation of environmental, social and economic benefits in the project territories.
