TERRITORIAL AND REGIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS OF SYSTEMIC SOLUTIONS OF KEY VALUE CHAINS AND THEIR REPLICATION TO DEPLOY CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Project Information

TREASoURcE

Grant agreement ID: 101059491

DOI

10.3030/101059491

Project closed

EC signature date 3 June 2022

Start date 1 June 2022

End date 31 May 2026

Funded under

• Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Total cost

€ 10 476 617,78

EU contribution

€ 9 995 239,50

Coordinated by

TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OY
Finland

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - TREASoURcE (TERRITORIAL AND REGIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS OF SYSTEMIC SOLUTIONS OF KEY VALUE CHAINS AND THEIR REPLICATION TO DEPLOY CIRCULAR ECONOMY)

Reporting period: 2023-12-01 to 2025-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

TREASoURcE is focusing on implemeting different circular economy strategies like repurposing, reuse and recycling to currently non-circulating and underutilised plastic, batteries and biobased side and waste streams. We develop systemic circular economy solutions. The systemic CE solutions integrate the two main elements of TREASoURcE: stakeholder engagement demonstrations (SE-DEMOs) and key value chain demonstrations (KVC-DEMOs). TREASoURcE is focusing on the Baltic Sea Region countries, where main demonstrations happen in the Nordics and then solutions are aimed to be replicated in the Baltic countries.

The DEMOs support cities, regions and groupings in introducing CE practices to their citizens and businesses to help 1) improve circularity, decrease GHG emissions and contribute to achieving climate neutral economies: Finland by 2035, Sweden by 2045, other TREASoURcE countries by 2050 (EU-wide target), 2) increase resilience and create business opportunities, 3) enhance replication and knowledge transfer between cities, regions and their groupings. The systemic solutions of TREASoURcE address major challenges of effectively applying CE concepts beyond just resource management and recovery e.g. through the SE-DEMOs. The 3 key value chains are linked to municipal waste management, creating a strong connection to citizens and residential areas.

The overall objective of TREASoURcE is to initiate systemic change by implementing sustainable systemic CE demonstrations that significantly increase product and material circulation of highly consumed and waste generating plastics, batteries and biobased side and waste streams in the Nordics and Baltic Sea Region together with companies, societies (including citizens, consumers, communities and regional actors) and experts in the field. The project has three main Specific Objectives focusing on SO1) Demonstrated environmental, social, economic and political impacts of the systemic CE solutions (Circular plastics, batteries, and biobased side and waste streams) in the Nordics; 2) Replicated locally tailored systemic CE solutions in the Baltics and Poland and beyond; 3) Inclusive and just transition to CE for all supported by high level cooperation with all relevant stakeholders.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

We have supported decoupling from virgin fossil resources by recycling plastics into new feedstock for new products such as new polymers and industrial solvents. We have looked at 9 different streams that have not been currently circulating and investigated their recyclability with chemical and mechanical recycling methods. Efficient collaboration between the plastics KVC-DEMOs and SE-DEMOs have developed and found new ways for citizens and communities to reuse plastic products (The Christmas Swap), fix broken plastic products and equipment as well as share tools (Fixing festival), and learn about the importance of proper collection and recycling through different stakeholder engagement activities held.

Repurposing end-of-life electric vehicle batteries is an efficient higher level circular strategy than recycling of batteries and keeps the created products as such in use longer with a new purpose as energy storage. This supports the transition away from fossil-based resources (petrol, gasoline), extraction and processing of new critical raw materials and production of 1st life batteries. We have comprehensively assessed, planned and implemented/started implementation of 3 different battery installation solutions and will provide further concreate examples for replication.

We have boosted the uptake of circular nutrients and biogas use in to substitute fossil-based resources (petrol, gasoline) for communities, cities and regions, citizens and businesses. WP5 has also boosted the collection of biowaste and biobased side streams for biogasification by value chain building, development of a e-marketplace, established collaboration with several projects, groups and relevant stakeholders, as well as campaigns held. The e-marketplace has been launched and further tools are in preparation. The developed tools will especially support European farmers to tackle climate change and protect the environment. By spreading information and disseminating the local bioeconomy model and e-market concept to all farmers organisations around Europe it is possible to increase and diversify farmers market-based income.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

An overarching aim of the SE-DEMOs has been increasing circular and climate-neutral practices among citizens, communities, consumers, cities and regions, and businesses and to increase their uptake and participation in the CE systemic solutions and instilling ownership. This has been efficiently started with a very high-level amount of 7145 stakeholders already directly engaged during Period 1.

Key part of catalysing widespread replication is the TREASoURcE Replication Handbook, which has been developed and will be launched in Period 2. TREASoURcE has already produced some and will continue to produce a range of different CE related recipes and guidelines, which are easy to use and spread models for citizens, entrepreneurs, decision makers, regional actors and public bodies for easier and widespread replication.

To maximise the effects and impacts, efficient communication, dissemination, exploitation is central. The communication and dissemination activities of TREASoURcE have reached over 1,150,040 million stakeholders in Period 1. The stakeholder engagement and reach are critical for widespread replication and inherently transition to and uptake of circular practices.

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