The project
Solid urban waste (SUW) is an abundant source for circular products production, but it is generally not exploited. In fact, over 500 kg of municipal waste per capita were generated in Europe in 2020, while only 45% was recycled.
The proximity of resources and people, a sufficient scale for effective markets and the ability to shape urban planning and policy are key factors for cities to achieve advancements in this area.
REDOL has been conceived to take advantage of this scenario and transform cities into hubs for circularity that implement zero residues strategies while fostering industrial-urban symbiosis (I-US) approaches among local and regional actors.
The problem
Circular economy (CE) concepts, endorsed at European level through the CE Action Plan (COM/2020/98), aim to achieve improved waste prevention and resource management by extending and closing material cycles.
Through this approach, cities must become a cornerstone of the Circular Economy Package to achieve the 2030 targets for recycling. However, there is a need to overcome major existing barriers first, for which it is necessary to place the focus on the entire solid urban waste (SUW) value chains and promote business models that create an environment in which all parties involved perceive a win-win situation.
The solution
REDOL will redesign five value chains for solid urban waste (SUW) in Aragon region to produce circular products through an industrial-urban symbiosis (I-US) approach.
Such an approach will result in the development of guidelines and recommendations for major decision-making bodies and initiatives at local and at an European level and will achieve improved citizens’ perception on solid urban waste (SUW) as a local resource. In this way, REDOL will achieve consumer acceptance of recycled products, thus increasing their participation in separate collection schemes at municipality level.
tons SUW/year being re-used, valorized or transformed into secondary raw materials
saved by leveraging economic and GHG emissions
ktCO2/year saved
How does it work?
REDOL will redesign 5 value chains for solid urban waste (packaging, plastics, construction demolition waste, textiles, and waste electric and electronic equipment) ending-up in the production of 12 circular products. Along the value chains a range of new solutions will be implemented for:
1) Upgrading management technologies to collect, sort and classify solid urban waste (SUW).
2) Enhancing the processing routes of sorted materials to avoid landfilling.
3) Applying cutting-edge digital tools to optimize value chains and interaction among key players.
Moreover, REDOL will provide the required organizational procedures, business models and social innovation actions required for the establishment of successful industrial-urban symbiosis (I-US) interactions and hubs for circularity at local level.
Such an approach will result in the development of guidelines and recommendations for major decision-making bodies and will achieve improved citizens’ perception on solid urban waste (SUW) as a local resource and on recycled products, thus increasing their participation in separate collection schemes.
REDOL will be implemented in Aragon, with Zaragoza in the center of the hub for circularity. This way, REDOL will support its transition towards a zero residues city by 2040.
