Project description
Turning food waste into fertiliser
Studies show that food waste is one of the least recovered materials in a community’s solid waste stream. Unfortunately, food waste that decomposes in landfills creates methane, which contributes to climate change. One solution is to turn this waste into fertiliser. With this in mind, the EU-funded RUSTICA project is focussing on fruits and vegetables, aiming to develop the technology to convert organic residues from this sector into novel bio-based fertiliser products. The technical solution consists of five conversion processes (carboxylic acid production, microbial biomass production, electrodialysis, insect breeding and biochar production), which can be combined depending on the available waste streams and integrated with state-of-the-art technologies such as composting.
Objective
The RUSTICA projects provides a technical solution to convert organic residues from the fruit and vegetable sector into
novel bio-based fertiliser products of high quality that address the needs of modern (organic) agriculture. The project’s
ambition goes beyond the simple recovery of nutrients, and also includes the developments of economically viable and
environmentally sustainable alternatives to mineral fertilisers with the same or improved agronomic value. The technical
solution consists of 5 conversion processes (carboxylic acid platform, microbial biomass production, electrodialysis, insect
breeding and biochar production) which can be combined depending on the available waste streams, and integrated with
state-of-the-art technologies such as composting. Synergies between the individual conversion processes will be sought and
optimized to maximize economic and environmental benefits, and the processes will be demonstrated at TRL7. The resulting
ingredients (microbial biomass, mineral nutrient concentrates, insect biomass, insect frass, insect chitin, biochar) will be
combined to obtain tailor made fertiliser products adapted to specific crop needs.
Parallel with this technological innovation and integration, a multi-actor approach guarantees the implementation potential of
the technologies in the agro-food chain, and will lead to sound business models. Several non-technical aspects
(environmental and social LCA, legal framework, expected market developments...) will be evaluated in 4 European regions
and 1 region in Colombia. Stakeholder involvement at each step guarantees the development of marketable end-products
for the fruit and vegetable sector, with a high replication potential to other agricultural sectors. Cooperation with other EUfunded
projects working on nutrient recovery from other waste products will stimulate a joint solution to evolve towards a
sustainable and circular fertiliser management to close nutrient cycles within and between regions
Fields of science
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryorganic acids
- engineering and technologychemical engineeringseparation technologiesdesalinationelectrodialysis
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturehorticulturefruit growing
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturehorticulturevegetable growing
- agricultural sciencesagricultural biotechnologybiomass
Programme(s)
- H2020-EU.3.2. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy Main Programme
- H2020-EU.3.2.1.1. - Increasing production efficiency and coping with climate change, while ensuring sustainability and resilience
- H2020-EU.3.2.4.1. - Fostering the bio-economy for bio-based industries
Funding Scheme
IA - Innovation actionCoordinator
3000 Leuven
Belgium
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Participants (17)
Participation ended
9000 GENT
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
49105 Angers
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04117 SAN ISIDRO DE NIJAR
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00184 Roma
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04131 Almeria
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9032 Gent-Wondelgem
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
30430 Cehegin
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
51000 Rijeka
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
86479 Aichen
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
41010 Sevilla
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
8162 PR EPE
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
9820 Merelbeke
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2595 DA Den Haag
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9000 Gent
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763537 Palmira
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9000 Gent
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
9000 GENT
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.