The project took a holistic systems-based approach to addressing the application of a ‘circular economy’ across the agri-food sector, addressing all stages, from farm through to the consumer, and ‘valorisation’ pathways.
Agri-food waste value chain assessment: This work began with quantifying the available agri-food waste resource, across Europe and in China. Data quality guidelines for the collection and processing of agricultural wastes, co-products and by-products (AWCBs) data were created.
Energy extraction: The use of energy extraction via anaerobic digestion (AD) was addressed. A chicken manure Dry AD process was installed on a test farm, commissioned and its operation assessed. The effectiveness of a pre-processing nitrogen removal step was assessed at pilot scale.
Lignocellulosic AWCBs: This included, the production of bio-ethanol and specific pre-treatment techniques were created to increase bioethanol production; & biobutanol production was assessed for various acidic- and alkaline- pre-treatments. Fast pyrolysis was employed to maximise the creation of liquid biofuels (bio-oil) & soil fertilisers (biochar) from lignocellulosic AWCBs. Air-cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were commissioned to generate bioelectricity from AD digestates as well as industrial wastewaters and their potential assessed.
Biofertilisers: Numerous waste stream-extracted Biofertilisers (BF) were evaluated for their C & N mineralization dynamics. The agronomic and environmental impacts of selected BFs were assessed on Zucchini-, lettuce-, winter oat-, wheat- and rice-test crops.
Waste water: Membrane-based lab-scale technologies were assessed & optimised for the extraction of polyphenols & single cell proteins(SCP) from an array of fruit processing wastewater samples. A lab-scale two-stage anaerobic/aerobic MBR pilot system that produced biogas & recovered nutrients from fruit processing waste waters was commissioned. A decision matrix support system was created to identify the optimal lab scale bioreactor for the bioremediation of pig slurry. Six different bio-based materials (AWCB) were assessed for their ability to bio-adsorb P & N.
High value products from AWCBs: Techniques for the extraction of proteins, phenolic-compounds & fibres from potato wastes were created. Potato fruit juice proteins & rice bran oils (RBO) were assessed for their bio-plasticiser potential. Potato pulp was assessed for use as a bio-composite filler; novel bakery recipes were created.
Life Cycle Assessment & Life Cycle Costing: A holistic LCA, accounting for physical (e.g. carbon losses in soils, GHG emissions, etc.), societal and economic impacts.
Knowledge platform, training and dissemination: The Joint Stakeholders Platform (JSP) & education modules aimed at the youth (see: www.agrocycle-platform.eu) & piloted in schools in Ireland and China. Stakeholders were engaged at numerous events – national and international workshops, conferences and exhibitions – and on social media, mainly Twitter. Updates on aspects of AgroCycle were electronically circulated to 300,000 teachers in Ireland via a weekly newsletter eLeathanach.
Sustainable value chains & business models: A holistic integration of the multi-faceted aspects of the AgroCycle work programme was undertaken to deliver an integrated assessment of how agri-food ‘circular economy’ systems would work in practice. It has delivered full value chain analyses including new business models for the agricultural sectors and for the wine/horticultural and fruit/arable-grassland including farm, processing and retail. These various scenarios were ‘peer reviewed’ by stakeholders at a special Stakeholder Worksop on Agricultural Production Systems & Sustainable Value Chains, and the outputs published.
Innovation Impacts: The project website, a Twitter, Facebook & Linkedln profile were created. An internal project management & document sharing platform was created. Numerous applications to both national & international funding calls using both AgroCycle & non-AgroCycle consort. Establishment of AgroCycle marketplace, a trading platform for agri-food waste, was designed and launched online to match supply with demand.
