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DEEP PURPLE · Project

Turning City Sewage and Food Waste Into Cosmetics, Packaging, and Fertilizers

environmentPilotedTRL 7
deep-purple.eu

Imagine if all the sewage and food scraps from your city didn't just get dumped or burned, but instead got eaten by special purple bacteria that turn waste into useful stuff — cosmetics ingredients, biodegradable packaging, fertilizers, even self-healing building materials. That's what this project built: the first large-scale "purple biorefinery" in Europe, tested in real cities in Spain and the Czech Republic. It's like a brewery, except instead of beer, you feed it city waste and get valuable green products out the other end.

By the numbers
422 t/y
Organic municipal solid waste processed
438,000 m3/y
Mixed waste streams processed
440 t/y
Bio-products output
60%
Reduction of landfilled organic municipal waste
71%
Solids recovery from wastewater treatment
85 M€
Projected cumulative benefits
11,300 tCO2eq/y
GHG emissions savings
3
Demo biorefinery sites commissioned
The business problem

What needed solving

Cities pay heavily to dispose of sewage sludge, food waste, and wastewater — through landfilling, incineration, or basic treatment that destroys potential value. At the same time, manufacturers need sustainable raw materials for cosmetics, packaging, and construction, but bio-based alternatives are often too expensive or unreliable in supply. There is a massive gap between urban waste generators who pay to get rid of organic waste and industries willing to pay for green feedstock.

The solution

What was built

The project built and commissioned three multiplatform biorefinery demo sites that use purple phototrophic bacteria to convert municipal solid waste and wastewater into four product categories: cosmetics-grade ectoine, bio-fertilizers, biodegradable packaging materials, and self-repairing construction materials made from cellulose fibre and PHA biopolymers. These were tested at municipal scale in Spain and Czech Republic.

Audience

Who needs this

Municipal water and wastewater utilities looking to monetize sludge and reduce disposal costsCosmetics companies seeking sustainably sourced ectoine and bio-active ingredientsPackaging manufacturers needing biodegradable alternatives to petroleum-based plasticsConstruction materials companies interested in self-repairing bio-based building productsWaste management companies facing stricter landfill diversion regulations
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Waste management & water utilities
enterprise
Target: Municipal wastewater treatment operators and waste management companies

If you are a water utility or waste management company dealing with rising landfill costs and tightening regulations on organic waste — this project developed a biorefinery system using purple bacteria that converts wastewater and municipal solid waste into sellable bio-products. Demo sites processed 422 t/y of organic municipal waste and 438,000 m3/y of mixed waste streams, recovering 71% of solids from wastewater treatment. Instead of paying to dispose of sludge, you turn it into revenue.

Cosmetics & personal care
any
Target: Cosmetics manufacturers seeking bio-based and sustainable ingredients

If you are a cosmetics company looking for sustainably sourced ingredients to meet consumer demand for green products — this project produced cosmetics-grade ectoine recovered from urban bio-waste streams. Ectoine is a high-value ingredient used in anti-aging and skin protection products. The project delivered a full production report on cosmetics made from recovered ectoine, proving the supply chain from waste to finished product.

Construction materials
mid-size
Target: Building materials manufacturers and construction firms

If you are a construction materials company interested in next-generation sustainable products — this project developed self-repairing materials made from cellulose fibre and PHA biopolymers, both derived from urban waste. These materials can reduce maintenance costs for buildings and infrastructure. The technology was demonstrated at three commissioned biorefinery sites across Europe, producing 440 t/y of bio-products.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to set up a purple biorefinery at our facility?

The project data does not disclose specific capital or operating costs. However, the technology was validated at three demo sites processing real municipal waste, and the consortium projected 85 M€ in cumulative benefits. Contact the coordinator for site-specific cost modeling.

Can this scale to handle our city's waste volumes?

The demo sites handled 422 t/y of organic municipal solid waste and 438,000 m3/y of mixed waste streams, producing 440 t/y of bio-products. These are real municipal-scale volumes tested in Madrid, Toledo, and the Moravia-Silesia Region. The system is designed to adapt to fluctuating and diluted waste streams.

How is the intellectual property structured — can we license this?

The consortium includes 18 partners with 11 industry players including FCC Aqualia (a major water utility) as coordinator. IP arrangements would need to be negotiated with the consortium. The Innovation Action funding scheme typically requires exploitation plans, so licensing pathways likely exist.

What regulatory approvals does this need?

Bio-products like fertilizers, cosmetics ingredients, and construction materials each fall under different EU regulations. The project specifically produced deliverables on cosmetics from recovered ectoine and self-repairing construction materials, suggesting regulatory pathways were explored. Consult with the consortium for compliance details in your jurisdiction.

How does this compare to conventional waste treatment?

The project demonstrated a 60% reduction in landfilled organic municipal solid waste and 71% solids recovery from wastewater treatment. It also projected GHG emissions savings of 11,300 tCO2eq/y. Unlike incineration or landfilling, this approach generates revenue from bio-products rather than just disposal costs.

What is the timeline from pilot to full deployment?

The project ran from 2019 to 2024 and commissioned three demo sites. Given that these are operational demonstration facilities, deployment at a new site would depend on local waste streams and permitting. The technology is past the prototype stage — it has been validated at municipal scale.

Consortium

Who built it

The 18-partner consortium across 7 countries is heavily industry-weighted at 61%, led by FCC Aqualia — one of Europe's largest water management companies serving over 30 million people. Having a major utility as coordinator means the technology was designed for real operational environments, not just labs. The consortium includes 4 SMEs alongside 3 universities and 3 research organizations, covering the full chain from waste collection through bacterial processing to end-product manufacturing. Partners span Spain, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Denmark, Austria, and the UK, giving the results applicability across different European regulatory and waste management contexts.

How to reach the team

FCC Aqualia SA (Spain) — a major European water utility. Use Google AI Search to find the project coordinator's contact details.

Order a report on this consortiumSee FCC AQUALIA SA profile →
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing the purple biorefinery technology or sourcing bio-based materials from this project? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the right consortium partner for your specific application.

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