Leading bioplastics manufacturer Novamont has joined hands with Italian multi-utility company Iren to design and develop an integrated waste collection system, that will reduce the volume of non-recyclable waste at source and fully implement the objectives of the circular bioeconomy.
To that end, the companies have entered into a three-year collaboration agreement under which specific projects will be set up to optimise the management of compostable products and packaging. The aim is for these to be recycled and recovered together with the organic fraction of solid municipal waste at Iren's treatment plants, and in this way further enhancing Iren's role as a strategic player in the Green Economy.
A technical working unit will be set up to handle the two-way exchange of information, knowledge and experience. Dedicated flows (some of which experimental) will be organised for organic waste fractions containing disposable compostable products coming from markets, catering businesses and large events.
The first step will be to design a technical and economic model for the efficient and environmentally sustainable management of waste generated during organic fraction pre-treatment stages at anaerobic digestion and composting plants.
A particular focus will be on activities to promote the use of the compost resulting from the organic fraction recycling process, in collaboration with the RE SOIL Foundation - an initiative that aims to effect a ‘step change in soil health and local regeneration’ in which Novamont participates, together with other partners.
“In line with the Green Deal, the circular bio-economy -- where soil is both the starting point and the end point -- is an essential tool we can use to solve the problems of pollution and over-exploitation of resources, learning at the same time to do more with less,” said Novamont CEO Catia Bastioli.
Headquartered in Novara, Italy, Novamont is an important pioneer in the development and manufacture of bio-based and biodegradable bioproducts for applications ranging from packaging, separate organic waste collection and retail purchasing to disposable tableware, and pharmaceuticals. The company has a portfolio of 1,800 patents, a workforce of 600 at four production sites and two research centres in Italy, and a global turnover of €270M (2019).