Project structure
REDOL project (meaning circular project in Aragon regional dialect) has been conceived to advance the SRL of Aragon’s Hub for circularity in order to demonstrate the set-up of new business models relying on solid urban waste (SUW) as alternative resource for local industries. Aragon is a European NUTS 21 region that has set an ambitious initiative to reach an innovative circular economy by 2030, enabling the full valorisation of residues.
Main activities are being deployed in the capital, Zaragoza, which aims to become one of the first 100 climate neutral cities by 2030 and has already put in place projects such as Circular Biocarbon, the first urban biorefinery aiming to valorise 100% of the city’s organic residues. REDOL will therefore complement these efforts by advancing in complementary SUW streams addressing 5 out of 7 of the key value chains defined by the CE Circular Economy Action Plan (electronics and ICT, packaging, plastics, textiles, construction and buildings).
REDOL concept relies on the implementation of a circular economy (CE) approach for the whole lifecycle of SUW. Circularity principles require the integration of the entire value chain, the implementation of digitalized sorting and classification of waste and an appropriate management and recycling to be able to valorise the secondary products.
Methodology
Having the previous information in mind, REDOL methodology has been developed in the following phases:
The four pillars
In REDOL, the circular management of solid urban waste (SUW) will be done through coordinated actions divided along four pillars:
- To upgrade waste manager´s facilities with new technologies (i.e. sorting, processing/recycling techniques).
- To design new circular products (valorisation of secondary raw materials and implementation of eco-design practices).
- To improve management and data sharing procedures by implementing digital tools (e.g. smart sensors, IoT, optimization algorithms, central industrial-urban symbiosis (I-US) Platform).
- To generate a vibrant ecosystem around circular and symbiotic value chains (i.e. to improve the organizational skills of local key actors and to engage and unlock the potential of local communities towards innovative circular schemes).
The resulting value chains obtained from REDOL successful execution are depicted in the following picture: