- The biorefinery is part of the CIRCULAR BIOCARBON project with a €23 million budget.
- It transforms urban waste and sludge into biopolymers, biofertilizers, and green graphene.
- The facility aligns with the EU's Circular Economy Action Plan to reduce landfill emissions.
Project Overview
The Zaragoza biorefinery, part of the CIRCULAR BIOCARBON project, is funded by the CBE JU under the EU's Horizon 2020 program. Managed by Urbaser, the project involves a consortium of 11 entities with a €23 million budget. The facility aims to convert the organic fraction of urban solid waste and wastewater treatment sludge into high-value products like biopolymers, biofertilizers, and green graphene.
Inauguration Event
The inauguration was attended by project partners and key European stakeholders from industry, politics, and academia. The biorefinery is located at the Zaragoza Urban Waste Treatment Center and the Alfonso Maíllo Innovation Center. It is expected to advance waste treatment processes in Zaragoza and its surroundings, focusing on selective waste collection to reduce landfill waste.
Environmental and Economic Impact
The biorefinery supports the EU's Circular Economy Action Plan, which aims to add value to high-quality waste streams for reuse, reprocessing, and recycling. By converting biodegradable waste, a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, the facility contributes to reducing the EU's total emissions. It also promises environmental and economic benefits for the region, creating local jobs and promoting sustainable growth.
Product Development
The facility will produce various products, including coatings for consumer products, mechanical parts, plastic molding tools, compostable trash bags, graphene-based devices, biodegradable soil mulches, and bio-based fertilizers. These products will serve both industrial and consumer markets, supporting industries in their transition to biotechnology-driven processes and reducing reliance on non-renewable resources.
