Imagine taking the leftovers from food factories—like tomato skins or olive pits—and turning them into a custom-made vitamin boost for the earth. Instead of letting these scraps rot in landfills, they are processed into safe, nutrient-rich soil improvers. It is like recycling kitchen waste on a massive industrial scale to help farmers grow better crops without relying on chemicals.
Food processors lose up to 5% of raw materials as waste, while farmers face €1.25B in annual losses due to soil erosion. There is a gap in turning these concentrated waste streams into safe, legal, and effective organic fertilizers.
A set of processing solutions and 'Lighthouse' sites that convert residues from meat, vegetable, wine, and olive oil industries into tailored soil improvers.
If you are a processing plant dealing with high volumes of organic residue—where up to 5% of raw materials become waste—this project developed recycling solutions that turn these streams into tailored soil improvers. This reduces waste disposal costs and creates a new value stream from by-products.
If you are a landowner dealing with soil erosion and declining carbon stocks, this project developed organic fertilizers from food residues. These products help restore soil health and reduce the need for expensive mineral fertilizers.
If you are a waste processor dealing with mixed food streams, this project developed innovative processing technologies to create biosafe, stable soil improvers. This allows you to offer higher-quality, tailored products to the agricultural market.
Based on available project data, specific pricing or production costs are not provided; the project focuses on evaluating the economic feasibility of valorisation routes.
Yes, the project uses 5 regional Living Labs and 'Lighthouses' to demonstrate improved waste management sites and optimal practices for industrial-scale circular bioeconomy application.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not mentioned, but the project aims to share key exploitable results through stakeholder networks.
The project specifically identifies legislative barriers and enablers to ensure the conversion of residues into organic soil improvers meets safety and legal requirements.
The project period runs from 2023-06-01 to 2027-05-31, suggesting that final validated solutions will be available toward 2027.
The consortium is well-balanced for commercialization, featuring 14 partners across 10 countries. With a 29% industry ratio (4 industrial partners, including 3 SMEs), there is a strong link between academic research (10 university/research partners) and market application, ensuring that the developed soil improvers are grounded in industrial reality.
Contact LUONNONVARAKESKUS in Finland for partnership opportunities.
Contact us to find the specific Living Lab matching your food waste stream.
