WASTE STREAM’S ANALYSIS
One of the first phases of the project concerned the analysis of the waste streams in the area including the five that have been included in the LOWaste market. The selection has been carried out between the sectors that do not have hazardous waste.
Project partners have identified a number of criteria to make the choice:
- Amount of recyclable waste and achievable recycled products;
- Marketability of the products produced as a function of the potential market, utility, aesthetics, quality and the presence of a commercial network for such materials;
- Ability to intercept waste, depending on the structure of the industry and regulatory constraints;
- Potential social benefits that can be derived in terms of employment, creation of new partnerships and regional development;
- Potential environmental benefits related to the reduction of waste, to improve the environmental conditions of the area, the creation of new sustainable products, the reduction of landfill;
- Potential economic gains in terms of industrialization of the sector, the creation of a new market and the possibility of shortening the chain;
- Critical issues related to regulatory constraints, implementation complexity and lack of demand.
The analysis involved the partners, trade associations and companies in the area. In particular, two workshops were carried out to analyze the streams of organic waste, textile, bulky, plastic, electronic, inert and edible oils. In each workshop, the project partners have brought their own contribution to the discussion in terms of the analysis of the streams from the point of view of quality and quantity, European Best Practices, and the first considerations on existing technologies.
The phase included a series of meetings, interviews and focus groups, which were held in companies considered to be representative of the areas of greatest interest, and this has allowed us to identify the best ways of interception of demand and the market potential of the Re-Products producible within the project.
At the end of this path five waste streams have been defined to develop the market for LOWaste.
The activities continue with the assistance of a working group – “Panel LOWaste” – composed of the members of the TWG, social cooperatives and private companies that have shown interest in both the supply side and the demand side.