Search the EPA Research Database

Project title

Towards a bio-based all-island economy: urban bio-waste conversion to carboxylates, nutrient products and renewable energy

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG)

Lead Applicant

Vincent O'Flaherty

Project Abstract

Following a successful feasibility study, funded under the auspices of the 2017 Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Call, the Irish Nutrient Sustainability Platform (INSP) was founded by the applicants, with the support of a range of commercial and non-commercial stakeholders, in September 2019 as a cross-border, stakeholder-led, initiative to promote nutrient (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) sustainability across the Island. The Platform is founded on the principle that biowaste is a valuable resource of nutrients, energy and other high-value products. As such, the Platform’s mission is to catalyse the development of circular bioeconomy-based business models amongst its stakeholder members which focus on the valorisation and re-use of organic waste streams. Led by NUI Galway, University of Limerick and Queens University Belfast, the proposed UrBioPro project will work with the INSP to: develop a stakeholder-led transformative change model for the urban biowaste sustainability on the island; (ii) demonstrate the recovery of carboxylate platform chemicals, nutrients and biogas from urban biowaste and their valorisation to high value-added products as an appropriate technological cascade to enable system-wide change towards Irish urban biowaste sustainability; and (iii) develop an enhanced support capacity, through the Irish Nutrient Sustainability Platform, to develop and implement urban biowaste conversion projects in Irish cities and towns, north and south. Challenges addressed by the proposed project include accessing international knowledge and best practice, alignment of local cognate interests, seeding collaborations and technology demonstration. By leveraging the membership of INSP, an international network and the technological capacity of NUIG, UL and QUB, we propose to work with industry partners and other key stakeholders to create new value chains based on urban biowaste in order to: 1. Identify and address impediments and barriers to urban biowaste conversion into safe, effective and valuable commercial bio-based products [Workpackage (WP)1]; 2. Develop our project support tools and plans by developing additional capacity within the universities and INSP including expertise in regulation, financing and public engagement that will facilitate and support the development and implementation of projects in Irish urban locations (WP1) 3. Leverage the scientific work of the last 5 years at NUIG and QUB to further develop and validate an innovative urban biowaste biorefinery technology configuration based on an enhanced anaerobic digestion core, with carboxylate and nutrient product recovery from source separated urban biowastes (WP2). 4. Evaluate the suitability and sustainability of blended municipal-solid-waste-compost and wastewater-recovered-struvite composite as a sustainable alternative to conventional chemical granular fertiliser for use in commercial forestry. Validate the novel fertiliser products as a safe, efficient and sustainable replacement for conventional granular/chemical fertilisers in conifer forest plantations (WP3); 5. Assess the economic, social and environmental impacts of the developed carboxylate, fertiliser and biogas products and processes using life-cycle assessment methodologies based on accepted and validated approaches, to include public acceptance (WP4). 6. Disseminate project findings to the scientific community through peer- reviewed publications and conference presentations; and to industry, policymakers, regulators and general public through the Irish Nutrient Sustainability Platform and other appropriate channels (WP6).

Grant Approved

�481,979.76

Research Hub

Green and Circular Economy

Research Theme

n/a

Start Date

01/03/2022

Initial Projected Completion Date

28/02/2025