The acceptance of products based on biological waste depends heavily on the active participation and feedback of relevant interest groups. The knowledge gained with the help of stakeholders is incorporated into the improvement of existing certification systems and thus strengthens the inclusion of new criteria for sustainability, origin and traceability of biological resources.
One focus of the European bioeconomy is on the valorization and sustainable use of biological resources. Given the growing awareness of climate change and environmental degradation, the transition to a bio-based economy is seen as a key step towards sustainability. Biological residues and waste – including food waste, organic municipal waste and by-products from forestry, agriculture and fisheries – can make a significant contribution to the EU’s green transition, with considerable environmental and economic benefits.
Biological waste is often perceived as a burden and incinerated or thrown away, even though it has the potential to replace fossil raw materials as a renewable resource. However, their industrial use is hampered by the inadequate certification of biological raw materials and their value chains. In order to increase the acceptance of raw materials and products from biological waste both in industry and among consumers, the EU-funded BioReCer (Biological Resources Certifications Schemes) project aims to strengthen existing certification systems. This is intended to ensure their applicability at EU and global level.
Since the start of the project in September 2022, BioReCer has already achieved important milestones on the way to a competitive, independent and sustainable EU bioeconomy. In the home stretch of the project, the current results and findings of bioeconomy experts will be used to develop guidelines for existing certification systems. The guidelines include new criteria on sustainability, origin and traceability of biological resources – from waste material to the finished end product (e.g. bioplastics, fertilizers, food supplements).
Milestones on the way to precise certification
Evaluation of raw material flows in four case studies
The transition to a bio-based economy based on the sustainable use of renewable biological raw materials promises considerable benefits for the EU: This is because it promotes economic growth, strengthens environmental protection and drives social development. The promotion of sustainable value chains based on biological raw materials is a crucial prerequisite for Europe’s green transition. In order to make larger quantities and different types of biological raw materials available for various industries, the parties involved face several challenges. The BioReCer project has analyzed value chains in four promising sectors: Fisheries, forestry, agriculture and urban communities. In these sectors, significant amounts of biogenic waste, wastewater, residues and by-products are generated, for example during harvesting or in downstream steps. BioReCer conducted Material Flow Analyses (MFAs) to trace the path of these biological raw materials through the value chains and to identify the origin, trade and fate as well as the potential for optimizing circular processes for biogenic waste and residues. The analysis of the case studies shows that large quantities of organic residues are neither collected nor recycled in the EU and are therefore not available to the bio-based industry. Biological waste, wastewater and by-products are mainly disposed of by landfilling, composting, anaerobic digestion or incineration or used for energy production. The MFAs show that only a small proportion of biological residues are recycled and fed into the bio-based industry, for example 3 % in forestry, 2 % in organic municipal waste and only 0.3 % in sewage sludge. Currently, organic residues are primarily used for bio-based products such as agrochemicals (including organic fertilizers), bioplastics, biocomposites, cosmetics and surfactants. However, the prospects for the circular bio-based industry are promising. Many technologies are under development, close to commercialization or already available.
BioReCer ICT Tool (BIT) – The digital backbone of BioReCer
The BioReCer ICT Tool (BIT) forms the technical basis of the BioReCer project. It aims to optimize the environmental performance, traceability and social acceptability of products made from biogenic waste and residues. This digital platform acts as an automated assessment tool that collects and transmits real-time data on the environmental performance of bio-based value chains. This includes information on the origin and use of specific raw materials or CO₂ emissions during transportation. The tool thus promotes environmentally conscious decisions and sustainable practices in the bioeconomy. The BIT also enables companies to check whether they meet the minimum requirements for sustainability certification and to identify which additional criteria are required for higher-level certification.
The BIT is currently in the final development and evaluation phase and has benefited considerably from feedback from the test user group. This is made up of raw material suppliers, representatives of the bio-based industry and certification bodies.
Standards for the EU bioeconomy
The user-friendly Standardization Toolkit created by BioReCer is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the bio-based sector. By adhering to the highest standards and considering relevant certification schemes, bioeconomy professionals can apply best practice to make their bio-based projects a success. The toolkit offers a comprehensive selection of 149 national and international standards (e.g. UNI, EN and ISO standards) and 26 certification schemes (including key schemes such as ISCC). These cover various aspects of the bio-based sector. The focus is on the circular economy, environmental management, recycling, product use and product comparison.
Valuable recommendations for political decision-makers
Based on the project results – such as the MFAs, the case studies and the identified circular economy indicators – BioReCer has developed seven recommendations, which have been summarized in a concise policy brief:
1. development of clear definitions for organic residues, the corresponding sustainability targets for bio-based materials and products, and the potential entry points for organic residues in the processing value chains.
2. EU support for the use of organic residues for bio-based products, especially if residues cannot be reduced or avoided. Compliance with the necessary safety standards must be ensured.
3. clear definition of quantitative sustainability targets and strategies for the use of ecological residues.
4. clarification of future requirements for bio-based products and the question of which of these requirements can be met by ecological residues.
5. recognition of adapted certification systems as a central solution to avoid greenwashing and consumer deception and to ensure corporate due diligence.
6. implementation of mass balance and free attribution (MBFA) in EU policy to promote the circular bioeconomy.
7. promotion of precise consumer information and awareness-raising measures on bio-based products.
In summer 2025, BioReCer will publish a final policy brief and guidelines for certification systems based on the project results available at that time. Interested parties are invited to provide feedback on the current version.
The importance of stakeholders for the successful completion of BioReCer
BioReCer benefits greatly from the expertise and exchange with stakeholders from the bioeconomy, such as certification bodies, consumer associations and policy makers. Their insights, contributions and feedback are crucial to identifying and successfully addressing the challenges and requirements of the project. To strengthen collaboration and stakeholder engagement, BioReCer has established the BioResources Stakeholders Platform (BRSP). This platform is part of the digital web portal BioReCer Innovation Ecosystem Living Labs (Brie-LL), which evaluates the methods developed as part of BioReCer. These include the assessment of bio-based value chains and the BIT.
5. So far, BioReCer stakeholders have contributed their expertise through various formats, including focus group discussions to identify barriers that hinder the uptake of bio-based feedstocks, workshops and training sessions to test and evaluate the BIT, webinars providing information on various certifications and BioReCer developments, and a Delphi survey to identify requirements to improve certification schemes.
The BRSP remains open to all stakeholders. Participation is particularly recommended for those who wish to contribute their views and opinions to the forthcoming recommendations to policy makers and certification scheme owners. Interested parties can register here: https://biorecer.eu/brsp/
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