CARTIF Projects
UNITED CIRCLES
Networked industrial-urban symbiosis value chains for biomaterials, CDW, circular water loops and WWTPs
Description
United Circles, which involves 46 partners from 14 countries and an international organisation (UNITAR), seeks to transform various types of urban waste into useful resources by applying the concept of industrial-urban symbiosis.
The main objective of the project is to maximise efficiency in the use of material and energy resources to move towards more circular city-industry ecosystems.
To achieve this, United Circles will work with three value chains: construction and demolition waste, urban and industrial wastewater, and food waste. In each case, innovative conversion and recovery solutions will be developed. For example, construction waste will be used in the construction of a 3D printed building using low-carbon cement; wastewater treatment plants will be converted into water, energy and material recovery centres; and used cooking oil will be recycled into bioplastics.
These three symbiotic ecosystems will be integrated into respective ‘Circularity Hubs’ that will facilitate the expansion and financing of these technologies at regional level, in order to promote their large-scale adoption and make cities and their industrial environments more sustainable.
Objectives
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- Develop industrial-urban symbiosis models and technologies to convert construction waste, food waste and urban wastewater into useful resources.
- Establish governance, exchange and training mechanisms to support the development of Circularity Hubs (H4C), integrated in the European ecosystem.
- Provide digital services to H4C Hubs to improve industrial-urban integration.
- Improve socio-economic and environmental analysis methods and involve the community to devise sustainable environmental solutions with citizen participation.
- Boost funding for the Hubs, promoting investment in infrastructure to scale up technological solutions based on industrial-urban symbiosis.
Actions
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- Development and piloting of new solutions to close the water cycle (combining electrochemical and membrane technologies).
- Investigation of new waste-to-resource routes between the different demonstrators to multiply the possibilities for cooperation.
- Development of a pilot plant (TRL7) to improve water management in a cellulose products plant to convert it into zero consumption.
- The plant will be validated in the Salamanca Hub.
- Development of a digital system for the management of materials and product information in the form of a materials catalogue, mapping waste and resources in each region.
- Support in the development of governance mechanisms for the Hubs, defining their mission, vision and objectives to facilitate their growth.
Expected Results
- Validation of a new water management and treatment technology (capacitive deionisation coupled to direct osmosis) on a pilot scale under real conditions.
- Advancement of 5 new waste-to-resource recovery routes taking advantage of synergies between the demonstrators.
- Development of a materials catalogue to document material and energy exchanges within each Hub.
- Horizontal support to technologies in the Hub for nutrient recovery, biomethane production and recovered cellulose valorisation.
- Complete mapping of available waste in each demonstrator region.
R&D Line
- Research on sustainable water use techniques and reclamation processes
Partners
Horizon Europe
101178798
Total Budget: 25,349,066.25€
CARTIF Budget: 1,384,375€
CARTIF Funding: 1,384,375€
Duration: 01/11/2024 – 31/07/2028
Responsible
Fernando Burgoa Francisco
Division of Agrifood and Processes
Networking
Circular Economy and Biotechnology projects:
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LIFE SMART Hospital
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VALOR-PLUS
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LIFE REVAWASTE
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LIFE EUCALYPTUS ENERGY
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RECALZA
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CONREPOL
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GREEN-CAR
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LIFE RESCATAME
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BIOREFINERÍA FT
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BIALEMA
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BIORECOS
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ENHANCE HEALTH
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