HarWASTing aims to develop innovative business models based on circular economy (CE) principles to promote bioeconomy in rural areas, by implementing a set of scalable and replicable technological solutions to efficiently exploit underutilised biomass from forestry and agriculture to develop innovative and high-value products. These models will support sustainable management practices and will promote an efficient use of natural resources, reducing overall waste generation and post-harvest losses by implementing valorisation processes and fostering CE principles. To this end, a methodology will be implemented to collect, treat and revalorize biomass from forest and agricultural harvest, pruning waste and bioethanol process side-streams, respecting the cascade principle for biomass use. A one-fits-all technology, Hydrothermal Carbonization, for a higher energy efficient treatment of lignocellulosic biomass residues will be combined with Pressurized Hot Water Extraction and innovative post-treatment technologies, to develop high-value added products and avoid any non-valorised side-stream. The whole concept will be demonstrated at small-scale pilot, built-upon existing wood, food and bioenergy value chains to further strengthen their economic and environmental sustainability through synergistic interlinkages between them. Mediterranean, Boreal and Continental bioregions will be studied. The holistic concept is based on the central valorisation route of Hydrothermal Carbonizationand its solid product, hydrochar, that is converted into hybrid wood-hydrochar panels with less than 10% of bio-adhesive for special applications such as fire protection or electromagnetic shielding. A novel support AI-based digital tool for forecasting agroforest feedstock availability will be developed. Innovative digital passports will help to commercialize the panels and bioadhesives. The hydrochar will be offered on a new digital platform which also serves for networking and for publishing of best-practices.

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 the EU 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. To this end, REDOL will redesign 5 value chains for SUW (packaging, plastics, CDW, textiles, WEEE) 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 SUW, 2) enhancing the processing routes of sorted materials to avoid landfilling and 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 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 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. This will imply 144.720 tons SUW/year being re-used, valorized or transformed into secondary raw materials, leveraging economic and GHG emissions savings over 14B€ and 280 ktCO2/year

Finishes and coatings are an essential element in the design and production of furniture. They determine both aesthetics and technical characteristics and functional features. They also require the review of legislative conditions related to health, safety at work and the environment.The latest innovations in finishing and coating products allow to reduce the environmental impact of the furniture, achieve greater resistance to scratching and abrasion, and meet current aesthetic requirements. At the same time, the innovations allow innovating in the final product and accessing new markets by presenting different furniture or carpentry elements.The main objective of the project is the transfer of knowledge of furniture finishes and coatings, to achieve an easier learning and a promotion of the final product innovation.Project Objectives:1) Transfer of knowledge of furniture finishes and coatings.2) Comparison of systems, finishing products and regulations between countries.3) Development of content and specific training tools in the field of furniture finishes and coatings. The joint development of the project with the participation of transnational entities has allowed greater scope and more ambitious results. Both the variety of finishing and coating products and the methods of application differ between countries: while in Estonia natural finishes, such as waxes and oils. are applied, in Spain, the United Kingdom and Italy mainly varnishes and coatings are used. The incorporation of necessary skills, knowledge and competencies on finishes and coatings requires a dynamic and fluid interaction between the FP and other actors within the innovation system at the transnational level. FUTUREfacing is based precisely on the joint work of VET providers, companies, social agents and technology centers with specific and complementary knowledge. The project consortium during its duration has developed:3.1) Intellectual products: A manual of finishes and coatings, a virtual varnish simulator and a specific database on finishes and coatings.3.2) Multiplier event: an international conference on finishes and coatings.3.3) Joint training activities for teachers.3.4) Dissemination activities: project web platform, conferences, newsletters, etc. The activities of the project have been addressed both to the students and teachers of FP as well as to the companies of the furniture sector and to the prescribers. Therefore, they have been invited to participate in all initiatives. In the case of joint training activities aimed at teachers, of the five scheduled days, one has been open to the general public. The results of the project are at all agents in the furniture's value chain disposal through its website. The manual has provided updated information about the products, the virtual simulator represents a unique opportunity to acquire or develop key skills in the application of finishes (as demonstrated in the different stays at educational centers) and the database allows to easily locate both products and suppliers.

Europe's position in the production of biochemicals from biomass and by-products is limited to a few compounds, while their demand is among the largest in the world. However, Europe has a lot of world leader chemical companies. On the other hand, lignocellulosic waste constitutes one of the most abundant resources without competing with food chain. REHAP’s 16 partners aim at revalorizing agricultural (wheat straw) and forestry (bark) waste through its recovery, and primary (sugars, lignin, tannins) and secondary (sugar acids, carboxylic acids, aromatics and resins) processing to turn them into novel materials, and considering Green Building as business case. The project will provide reductions in utilization of fossil resources of 80-100%, and energy utilization and CO2 emissions above 30%. Specifically, building blocks (1,4 and 2,3-Butanediol, estherpolyols), materials (PUs, phenolic resins, modified hydrolysis lignin) and products (wooden boards, insulation foams, cement, adhesive) will be obtained: • Isolation of tannins and carbohydrates from forestry waste to turn them into bio-phenolic resins for wooden panels and isocyanate-free polyurethanes (PU) for insulating foams, respectively. • Isolation of lignin and carbohydrates from agricultural waste to turn them into bio-phenolic resins for wooden panels and biosuperplasticizers for cement, and estherpolyol PU for adhesives, respectively. • Fire retardant lignin and sugar-based additives will be also developed. Developed processing technologies (chemo/thermo/enzymatic and fermentation) will be optimized at pilot scale (TRL6-7) for further exploitation and replication of results. All products will be integrated in a prototype to demonstrate industrial applicability into the Green Construction sector. Throughout the project, Life Cycle and Cost Assessment, market analysis, business plan, waste management strategy and measures for future standardization will be implemented using a systemic perspective approach.