European Cooperation
in Science and Technology
- COST ——————————
Secretariat
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Brussels, 4 July 2012
COST 4147/12
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
Subject :
Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of a European Concerted
Research Action designated as COST Action TD1203: Food waste valorisation
for sustainable chemicals, materials & fuels (EUBis)
Delegations will find attached the Memorandum of Understanding for COST Action as approved by
the COST Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) at its 185th meeting on 6 June 2012.
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MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
For the implementation of a European Concerted Research Action designated as
COST Action TD1203
FOOD WASTE VALORISATION FOR SUSTAINABLE CHEMICALS, MATERIALS &
FUELS (EUBIS)
The Parties to this Memorandum of Understanding, declaring their common intention to participate
in the concerted Action referred to above and described in the technical Annex to the Memorandum,
have reached the following understanding:
1.
The Action will be carried out in accordance with the provisions of document COST 4154/11
“Rules and Procedures for Implementing COST Actions”, or in any new document amending
or replacing it, the contents of which the Parties are fully aware of.
2.
The main objective of the Action is to provide an integrated alternative renewable source of
carbon for the production of industrially relevant bio-derived chemicals, fuels and material via
the exploration of novel and advanced routes for food supply chain waste valorisation.
3.
The economic dimension of the activities carried out under the Action has been estimated, on
the basis of information available during the planning of the Action, at EUR 48 million in
2012 prices.
4.
The Memorandum of Understanding will take effect on being accepted by at least five Parties.
5.
The Memorandum of Understanding will remain in force for a period of 4 years, calculated
from the date of the first meeting of the Management Committee, unless the duration of the
Action is modified according to the provisions of Chapter V of the document referred to in
Point 1 above.
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TECHNICAL ANNEX
A. ABSTRACT AND KEYWORDS
Food supply chain waste (FSCW) creates huge environmental, economic and social problems.
There is now a growing recognition that the twin problems of waste management and resource
depletion can be solved together through the utilisation of waste as a resource, using green and
sustainable technologies. The EUBis Action represents a timely opportunity to develop novel
strategies for the valorisation of FSCW to new, sustainable and functional feedstocks. The
symbiotic organisation of a COST Action will greatly benefit EU research in this field, and will
focus on key areas to provide cohesive direction on the valorisation of FSCW within a
multidisciplinary and multinational collaborative network.
The overall aim of EUBis is to bring about a critical mass of researchers and stakeholders to harness
the potential of FSCW as an alternative carbon source to produce commercially viable chemical
commodities. The EUBis Action will bring together skills and expertise that cross scientific
borders, covering biology, chemistry, biotechnology and food science and technology as well as
experts in environmental and economic assessment. EUBis will interconnect different technology
hubs across Europe, overcome technological barriers, go beyond current waste
exploitation/management approaches, and bridge gaps between academic disciplines as well as
between academia and industry.
Keywords: Food supply chain waste, valorisation, sustainability, bio-derived chemicals, alternative
carbon source
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B. BACKGROUND
B.1 General background
FSCW is a major issue in modern society and alternatives to its economically and environmentally
costly disposal practises (e.g. landfill, incineration) need to be developed. At the same time society,
especially in Europe, faces a huge looming crisis of resources. Europe is especially dependent on
importing oil and minerals to feed its industries yet Europe has the highest consumption of raw
materials per capita in the world. As these traditional resources become scarcer their availability
will become more politically controlled leaving the EU vulnerable to highly politicised negotiations
and pricing. First generation food waste (FW) recycling (e.g. anaerobic digestion, composting,
animal feed) only have marginal economic value. However FSCW waste valorisation to produce
products including materials, fuels and chemicals represents one of the most promising research
avenues from both environmental and economic standpoints. The disposal of FSCW could in
principle be replaced by strategies which have a lower environmental impact and which allow the
recovery of valuable products for existing and new markets. Moving towards ‘closed loop
manufacturing’ will both help the EU resist future geo-political issues over resources, reduce
pressures on landfill sites and help Europe move towards a resource-intelligent and technologyleading region. The EU has recognised that, in order to sustain our demands in energy, chemicals
and food, while addressing environmental issues, we need to substantially reduce our dependence
on oil by establishing a bio-based economy. Future European standards on bio-based content will
encourage greater use of bio-feedstocks. Other major drivers for this topic include: increasing
compliance costs to meet regulations for existing substances (e.g. REACH), favouring investment
into economically and environmentally sound alternative feedstocks, and growing public awareness
towards environmental issues and cradle-to-grave concerns leading to industry’s increasing concern
over their ‘green credentials’, making the launch of a COST Action dedicated to the valorisation of
FSCW highly relevant.
COST is the ideal framework to defragment academia, interconnect technology hubs, enable
collaboration between academia and industry and facilitate technology transfer, in COST and non
COST countries for the development of processes and feedstock agnostic technologies for FSCW
valorisation. Research groups and industries involved in this area of research have significant
expertise but are working independently.
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The symbiotic organisation of a COST Action would greatly benefit EU research, and would focus
on key areas to provide cohesive direction on the valorisation of FSCW within a multidisciplinary
and multinational collaborative network, providing critical mass to this highly topical research area.
B.2 Current state of knowledge
The valorisation of FW has many advantages. It is a rich source of functionalised molecules (i.e.
biopolymers, proteins, carbohydrates, phytochemicals) and contains valuable extracts for various
applications (e.g. resins from cashew nut shell liquid), avoiding the use of virgin land and water
resources. In addition, it solves a waste management issue and represents a sustainable renewable
resource, making the valorisation of FSCW doubly green.
On a European level research is being promoted via the Framework VII KBBE (Knowledge-Based
Bio-economy) theme. In the UK a number of FSCW related research projects are being carried out
in collaboration with industry on for example the use of supercritical carbon dioxide to extract
chemicals from cereal straws and also the use of starch-rich wastes to make adhesives for carpet
tiles and other consumer goods. In France, work on the valorization of oil crop by-products is now
being supported by the French government funded “project PIVERT”. In Spain, a research team in
Barcelona is studying the use of amino-acids derived from FSCW for the synthesis of amino-acid
derived surfactants such as ethyl-N-lauroyl-L-arginate HCl, which have been successfully
commercialised. Waste cooking oil and citrus waste produced from the juicing industry are also
being studied in Spain as raw materials for the production of bio-diesel and bio-ethanol
production/D-limonene extraction respectively. In Italy, a research group is working on the
valorization of urban FW and agriculture residues as sources of fuel and bio-based products for use
in the chemical industry, environmental technology and agriculture. In most areas, research has
been done on a pilot-scale. In Greece, a research group in Athens is exploring the production of
biogas and biodiesel (from microbial oil produced via fermentation) from confectionary industry
waste streams and the valorisation of wine lees through the production of various added-value
products including ethanol, antioxidants, tartaric acid and generic fermentation feedstock. In
addition, whey is being explored as feedstock for microbial oil production that could be used for
oleochemical synthesis.
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The topic is gaining increased attention worldwide: the NAMASTE project (New Advances in the
integrated Management of food processing wAste in India and Europe) is directed at the
valorisation of selected by-products, such as fruit and cereal processing residues, for the global
Food & Drink Industry. In Japan, scientists of the NEC Company have succeeded in producing
biopolymers from cashew nutshell (highly thermostable, impermeable and durable with potential
for use in electronic devices). In Brazil, derivatives from cashew nut shell liquid have been
reported as complexing agents (Patent, WO 99/43634 to Seidel, PR et al). In America, the Center
for Crop Utilization Research at Iowa State University is focusing on adding value to Midwest crop
(i.e. soy, corn) by-products to increase the value of the food supply chain.
However due to the broad reaching array of expertise required to achieve the goal of food waste
valorization to bio-chemicals, materials and fuels, current research remains fragmented and to a
large extent is waste-specific, limiting the exploitation of the massive chemical potential of FW.
The research area needs this EUBis Action, as it would not only bring together academics and
industrialists with appropriate expertise, but would facilitate sharing of knowledge and technology
transfer between different sectors, different disciplines and also access to different local sources of
high-volume, chemically interesting food supply chain waste. Synergies could be highlighted
between industries, helping to develop parallel activity in the food supply chain for the production
of bio-chemicals, bio-materials and bio-fuels.
B.3 Reasons for the Action
The EUBis Action will establish a multidisciplinary European based cooperation network to
develop FSCW valorisation using green technologies to obtain bio-derived chemicals, materials and
fuels that could be integrated into new industrial supply chains. This approach has the potential to
significantly enhance Europe’s drive towards the formation of a bio-based economy via the creation
of an alternative renewable carbon feedstock based on waste, and will offer a more profitable and
environmentally valuable alternative to current waste use practices. Additionally, this Action will
promote social and industrial awareness of waste utilisation in consumer products. The Action will
be aimed primarily at scientific and technological advancement, but will also have direct relevance
to European economic and societal needs.
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The overall aim of the EUBis Action is to bring about a critical mass of researchers and
stakeholders to harness the potential of FSCW as an alternative carbon source to produce
commercially viable chemical commodities. This will be achieved by interconnecting different
technology hubs across Europe and beyond, overcoming technological barriers, going beyond first
generation organic waste reuse/recycling, and bridging gaps between academic disciplines as well
as between academia and industry. The combination of an interdisciplinary approach to waste
valorisation with novel technologies has the potential to have a global impact on the waste
management, biotechnological, food and chemical industries. To fully realise the potential of food
waste, a diverse combination of skills and expertise is required that cross scientific and nonscientific borders, covering economic, social and environmental factors alongside biology,
chemistry, engineering, food science and technology and environmental sciences. This Action will
facilitate the cooperation of scientists across Europe in the following COST Domains: Chemistry
and Molecular Sciences and Technologies (CMST); Food and Agriculture (FA); Earth System
Science and Environmental Management (ESSEM); Materials, Physics and Nanosciences (MPNS);
and Individuals, Societies, Cultures and Health (ISCH). Chemists alone cannot fully exploit FSCW
without knowledge of food science and technology, while biologists need to work with chemists in
order to fully understand the biological matrix containing valuable chemicals to maximise their
extraction and to integrate technologies to obtain a wider range of products than is currently
achieved. Experts in environmental management and enviro-economics will be essential to assess
the performance of a given process and ensure that the processes developed are both viable and
sustainable. Stakeholders from the food industry and other chemical using industries need to be
represented from an early stage in order to make sure that products generated from FSCW
valorisation will have a marketable application in those industries.
B.4 Complementarity with other research programmes
There are ongoing European research projects in the area of food waste valorisation, but these focus
on the use as food and feed rather than chemicals and fuels. For example the NAMASATE project,
is an EU project dealing with the conversion of fruit and cereal processing by-products and wastes
into new food and feed. No specific European research initiatives on FSCW valorisation to valuable
chemicals and fuels have been identified through European organisations such as ESF (European
Social Fund) and EUREKA.
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The EUREKA project "EUROAGRI FOODCHAIN" is looking at the valorisation of agro products
to food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and fuel applications, but again this focuses almost wholly on
feed and agri-food products rather than waste. However the recent FPVII call under the Knowledge
Based Bio-economy theme could potentially give rise to some complementary research projects and
as such the Action would seek to align itself with such projects and invite partners to join. EUBis
has complementary aims to, but does not overlap with, the COST Action CM0903: Utilisation of
Biomass for Sustainable Fuels and Chemicals (UBIOCHEM). UBIOCHEM also aims to move
Europe towards a bioeconomy but has more of a focus on non-food crops along with catalysis and
alternative reaction media as core technologies. EUBis will ensure regular communications with
UBIOCHEM to avoid duplication of effort, as well as benefiting from the work completed to date.
C. OBJECTIVES AND BENEFITS
C.1 Aim
The main objective of the Action is to provide an integrated alternative renewable source of carbon
for the production of industrially-relevant bio-derived chemicals, fuels and materials via the
exploration of novel and advanced routes for FSCW valorisation in close collaboration with key
stakeholders. Sustainable valorisation chains for food waste will be developed for optimal bio-based
products as a base for a European BioEconomy.
C.2 Objectives
The main objective will be achieved by reaching the following secondary objectives:

Formation of a multidisciplinary scientific community with common interests in the
valorisation of FSCW

Promote the participation of researchers from Europe and also internationally in
seminars, symposia, workshops and training schools in all FSCW related scientific
activities to encourage scientific exchange and technology transfer

Strengthen cooperation between academia and industry to drive forward research in the
field by jointly defining appropriate R&D routes and support product development and
final market implementation for both speciality and commodity chemicals
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Map interesting FSCW waste sources, their availability and their inherent chemical
potential through determined criteria

Scope existing and new methodologies for the benign and selective extraction and
processing (chemical and bio-chemical) of products from FSCW

Identify commodity and speciality added-value products (chemicals, materials and
fuels) to be produced from FSCW (product-driven biorefining)

Demonstration of the most promising FW valorisation processes at larger scale

Provision of information in an easy to understand format to engage with end users and
the general public.

Exploration of novel in-situ methods for converting natural extracts into higher value
chemicals, material and/or fuel products (i.e. microwave processing)

Evaluation of the sustainability of FSCW valorisation processes: analysis of their
economic, environmental and social impact

Defining a sound theoretical framework for promoting a broad policy support to novel
FW valorisation activities
C.3 How networking within the Action will yield the objectives?
The Working Groups (WGs) within the Action will facilitate the exchange of information via
sharing experimental procedures and the joint preparation of reports and publications. The WGs
will also work synergistically in order to ensure the objectives of the Action are attained due to the
highly multidisciplinary nature of the research area. Short-term Scientific Missions (STSM) for
Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) between collaborating institutions and the organisation of Training
Schools will be fundamental to the sharing of expertise and facilitate technology transfer to realise
the Action’s objectives. Furthermore the involvement of key food supply chain stakeholders and
chemical-using industries in all of the above will ensure the direction of the research to be
coordinated by the Action is towards industrially relevant products and processes, thereby satisfying
the overall objective of the Action.
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C.4 Potential impact of the Action
The EUBis Action presents an enormous potential for industries including plastics, adhesives, home
and personal careproducts, lubricants & fuel additives and biofuels, as well as for municipal and
private stakeholders in waste treatment. Its expected benefits are:
1.
Developing an alternative renewable carbon feedstock for chemicals, materials and
fuels, giving economic and environmental advantage to industry in the EU
2.
Lowering the environmental burden of the food supply chain by reducing waste and
carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and increasing food security by providing additional
value streams in food manufacture and distribution
3.
Increasing collaboration opportunities with European countries and major developing
countries that are key producers of FSCW, widening the impact of the network further.
4.
Overcoming boundaries to connect different technology hubs and building capacity to
improve European green technological innovation for export
5.
Promoting Industrial Symbiosis in industry
6.
Developing innovation in the area of FW utilization through the participation of leading
small and major E.U. enterprises that will implement these new developments, placing
then at the forefront of innovation
7.
Demonstrating opportunities to turn waste treatment installations into biorefineries fed
with FSCW and encouraging on site application of green technologies to valorise food
waste streams at source (food processing)
8.
Strengthening Europe’s scientific networking capacity across a number of discipline
boundaries and providing opportunities for Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) to spend
time at collaborating institutions
9.
Raising awareness of the importance of FSCW valorisation by engaging with all
stakeholders from academia and industry, through to policy makers, non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) and the general public
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C.5 Target groups/end users
This Action will work closely with both industries that are key to future 2nd generation FW
valorisation and actors across the whole supply chain from agriculture and food processors to retail
and waste management companies. The results of the Action will be of direct relevance to the
following chemical related industry sectors: Energy; Home and Personal Care; Flavour and
Fragrances; Fine Chemicals; Biotechnology–Fermentation; Oleochemicals; Food; Agro-chemicals;
and other industries involved in Waste Treatment and Environmental Remediation. The Action
aims to form strategic partnerships with industry, but also with key government and nongovernmental organisations to create research projects that have a commercial application,
recognising the vital importance of collaboration between academia and industry. A wide range of
stakeholders operating in the manufacture of home and personal care products, lubricants
formulation and production, food manufacturers, biodiesel manufacturers, chemical companies, as
well as stakeholders in the field of waste treatment technology and environmental services, have
been consulted during the preparation of this Action and have also agreed to be involved in
individual Working Groups (WG), which will be of particular benefit when considering potential
applications of the resulting research outcomes and will provide direction to the WGs. The results
of the Action will also be of importance for stimulating policy-makers involvement (both at local,
national and EU levels) in the development of innovative FW valorisation procedures.
D. SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME
D.1 Scientific focus
The manpower and equipment needed to achieve the objectives of the Action already exist in the
research groups/institutes and stakeholders to be brought together by the Action. The Action will
coordinate the following areas of research, considered as essential for the development of food
supply chain waste valorisation into bio-chemicals, bio-materials and bio-fuels.
1.
Clean separation and extraction: extraction of valuable small molecules and materials
using green/non solvent methods (e.g. supercritical CO2) and eco-friendly low cost
processes involving minimal water and reagents consumption
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2.
Clean synthesis: chemical conversion of intermediates to higher value chemicals and
materials (e.g. biopolymers) using clean synthesis methods (e.g. heterogeneous
catalysis).
3.
Bioprocessing: study of the application of white biotechnology and biocatalysis to
FSCW for the production of chemical intermediates and bio-fuels
4.
Reactor technology: application of low environmental impact technologies for the
valorisation of FSCW, e.g. microwave processing, and including demonstration at larger
scale
5.
Technico-economic analysis: economic assessment of alternative technologies used to
valorise FSCW, including logistics of supply and the evaluation of the feasibility of the
green processes and products at an industrial level.
6.
Sustainability impact: assessment of the impact of the technologies and processes used
for the valorisation of FSCW.
7.
Engaging policy makers: assessing the best strategies to direct policy interest towards
FW valorisation through local/global stakeholders’ involvement.
These activities may be built upon and expanded upon implementation of the Action and as more
interested participants with varying expertise and experience join the Action.
D.2 Scientific work plan methods and means
The implementation of this Action will be based on the cooperation of four Working Groups (WG)
that will be fully interconnected and supply information to each other, ensuring an integrated
impact. All WGs will have the common objective of strengthening cooperation between academia
and industry to drive forward research in the field by jointly defining the appropriate research &
development routes and support product development and final market implementation. The WGs
will also work together to map interesting FW sources, their availability and their inherent chemical
potential through determined criteria, potentially via the establishment of an Action Task Force.
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WG1: Pre-treatment and extraction
Research tasks coordinated by this WG will be related to existing and new methodologies for the
benign and selective extraction of chemical products from FSCW. WG1 will work closely with
WG2 and 3, in particular with regards to combined extraction and reaction methods for valorising
FW. After identification of appropriate FSCW, the valorisation process will start by pelletising,
densification and/or mechanical pretreatment of FSCW followed by the extraction and separation of
valuable small molecules and materials using green/no solvent methods and eco-friendly low cost
processes using minimal reagents consumption for example:

Liquid CO2

Supercritical fluids

Ultrasonic-assisted extraction

Accelerated solvent extraction

Microwave assisted extraction

Bio-solvents
The combination of solvent modelling and the use of green extraction technologies can enable the
selective recovery of high value chemicals, and hence WG1 will also look at solvent selection. This
work will focus on the quantification of solvent effects in extractions, and then use this to optimise
the choice of solvent for favourable kinetics. This is then used as a platform from which to propose
alternative solvents to minimise environmental impact while maintaining efficiency in the
application. The combination of solvent modelling and green extractions increases the selectivity
towards molecules of interest and selective extractions.
Extractives often negatively influence manufacturing and finishing processes, but can find novel
uses in a biorefinery setting. A recent highly interesting example is tall oil, isolated from pine
during pulp and paper making process. This contains fatty and resin acids and neutral compounds,
which can be used for biodiesel production. Lipophilic extraction of the materials will be made and
analyses will be performed according to previously described methods.
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The overall objectives for WG1 are:

to scope existing and new methodologies for the benign and selective extraction of
products from FSCW

to identify major added-value products (chemicals, materials and fuels) to be produced
from FSCW (product-driven biorefining)

to demonstrate the most promising of these at larger scale
WG2: Bio-processing
WG2 will coordinate research on the application of white biotechnology and biocatalysis to FSCW
for the production of chemical intermediates and bio-fuels. The aim of this WG is to explore the
science and technology surrounding the breakdown and/or transformation of plant-derived FSCW
biowastes using biocatalysts (enzymes) and microorganisms, both separately and in combination.
The participants will consider the commercial and (where offered) bespoke enzymes and cocktails
and their potential for the degradation and disassembly of biocomponents in biowastes to target
products. Such biocomponents will include plant cell walls (cell wall polysaccharides, lignin,
phenolics, waxes) and intracellular components (including lipids, proteins, starch). The ratios and
compositions will be waste-stream dependent. Hence, a consideration of the different waste streams
and their quantities will be relevant, and is likely to include field wastes, processing wastes, and
municipal waste components from different food chains. Breakdown and further biotransformation
will include consideration of a range of micro-organisms. Yeast will be a preferred candidate due
to its leading position in industrial biotechnology and the exceptional range of genetic resources
available from public domain culture collections in Europe, in addition to the various environmental
and economic advantages that accrue from its usage in commercial-scale operations. The
importance of scale-up activities will be addressed through the interaction of organisations with
biorefining facilities.
The overall objectives for WG2 are:

to scope existing and new methodologies for bio-processing of FSCW

to identify major added-value products (chemicals, materials and fuels) to be produced
from FSCW (product-driven biorefining)

to demonstrate the most promising FW valorisation processes at larger scale
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WG3: Chemical processing
This WG will concentrate on the design and development of advanced strategies and approaches to
chemically process FW residues aiming to produce high added value end products which can in
principle be integrated into existing markets. Research tasks coordinated by this WG will be related
to the implementation of novel low environmental impact methodologies for the valorisation of
various food waste feedstocks.
A range of clean synthesis methods and technologies are highly suitable for the transformation of
intermediates obtained in WG1 and 2 to higher value chemicals, materials and fuels. These include
the use of heterogeneous catalysts (e.g. supported metal nanoparticles), microwave irradiation (e.g.
to generate carbonaceous materials via low temperature fast pyrolysis of the selected feedstock),
and other related technologies (e.g. flow chemistry) for FW valorisation practises. WG3 will also
look at thermo-chemical conversion of low value residues for synthesis gas (carbon monoxide
hydrogen) and energy production and effluents treatment before their discharge for the reduction of
impact on the environment.
Key intermediates to focus on will include sugars, chitosan, fatty acids and triglycerides from
various FW feedstocks from for example the fruit and vegetable harvesting/processing, dairy,
fishery and oil industries. The main end products to be produced from WG3 range from novel
renewable surfactants, biodiesel to biopolymers with biological activities and platform molecules
(e.g. lactic acid).
The overall objectives for WG3 are:

to scope existing and new methodologies for chemical processing of FSCW including
exploration of novel in-situ methods for converting natural extracts into higher value
chemicals, materials and/or fuel products (e.g. microwave processing)

to identify major added-value products (chemicals, materials and fuels) to be produced
from FSCW (product-driven biorefining)

to demonstrate the most promising FW valorisation processes at larger scale
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WG4: Technical and Sustainability Assessment/ Policy Analysis
WG 4 will focus on the assessment of FSCW valorisation from a technical and sustainability
perspective. This is will include the economic assessment of alternative technologies used to
valorise FSCW, including logistics of supply and the evaluation of the feasibility of green processes
at an industrial level. WG4 will also assess the environmental and social impact of the alternative
technologies used in WGs 1, 2 and 3 for the valorisation of FSCW. Policy analysis will also be
carried out to define key local and global sources of pressure (as well as the channels through which
such pressure can be exerted) to promote and secure policy support to FW valorisation activities.
The research to be coordinated by WG4 will be related to the techno-economic assessment of
processes that utilise various types of FW for the production of biochemicals, biomaterials and
biofuels. Novel processes or biorefineries utilising FW will only be commercially viable if
production economics are competitive with conventional counterparts or offer new market
alternatives. The partners involved in WG1, 2 and 3 will provide experimental details and
potentially data from larger-scale operations on novel sustainable technologies that can be evaluated
in WG4 in terms of their techno-economic feasibility. Appropriate computer software (e.g.
SuperPro Designer) will be employed to formulate a basis for comparison among different
processing schemes. Associated companies will asked to provide detailed flowcharts, cost, energy
and resources consumption required for pilot scale trials.
Techno-economic feasibility studies would initially require process design, selection of unit
operation, calculation of material properties and calculation of material balances. Costing studies
will subsequently include estimation of equipment cost, fixed capital investment, total capital
investment and total operating cost. The economic feasibility will be assessed via appropriate
criteria such as net present value, internal rate of return and payback time. Sensitivity analysis will
be carried out to evaluate the cost contribution of key parameters for each process. Environmental
parameters will be assessed for each process or biorefinery concept.
The overall objectives for WG4 are:

To decide upon a unified set of metrics for evaluating the sustainability of FSCW
valorisation processes
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
To evaluate the sustainability of FSCW valorisation processes by analysing their
economic, environmental and social impact

To define a sound theoretical framework for promoting a broad policy support to novel
FW valorisation activities
E. ORGANISATION
E.1 Coordination and organisation
The EUBis Action will coordinate nationally-funded research on FSCW valorisation as well as help
transfer the knowledge and maximise the benefit from EU-funded activities such as through the
KBBE programme. The Management Committee (MC) will have overall responsibility for the
management of the Action in terms of:
1.
Achieving the objectives & milestones set out in the plan of work and integrating the
work of the four WGs.
2.
Scientific and financial reporting and administration
3.
Acting as the intermediary between the Action participants and the COST Office and
Trans-Domain Committee.
4.
Organisation of workshops, conferences and training schools involving all WGs
5.
Regular maintenance of the Action’s website
6.
Organising the exchange programme (Short-Term Scientific Missions in particular for
ESRs) between partners, both within WGs and also across WGs. Scientists will spend
time at partner institutions to promote collaborative working within the Action and
ensure sharing of expertise.
The day-to-day operation of the Action will be delegated by the MC to a Steering Group consisting
of the Chair, Vice Chair, the WG leaders, Dissemination Manager and industry representatives
covering the key interests of the food and user industries. Effective coordination of national (and
multi-national) level research and communication amongst the participants will also be ensured via
a number of measures:
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1.
To ensure that research activities are fully integrated and results are fed to other WGs
via a feedback loop, each partner will have access to each other’s information via the
use of a secure internal web-based document repository (e.g. Google docs, DropBox).
2.
Due to the consortium being located all over Europe, a combination of virtual review
meetings (bi-annually) and face-to-face meetings (annually) will be carried out to
monitor and review the progress of the Action as a whole. These will be held in
different countries each time. These meetings will also act as brainstorming sessions
and allow discussion on new opportunities and developments.
3.
Additionally there will be regular communication between the WG leaders and the
participants of the WGs and where any informal meetings are required, these will be
organised accordingly
The MC will have overall responsibility for ensuring key milestones are reached, including:

Mapping of FSCW sources and their chemical potential

Organisation of workshops, symposia and conferences

Establishment and subsequent successful advertisement of STSM programme for the
Action in particular for young researchers

Organisation of training schools on cutting edge techniques for FSCW valorisation

Identification of best available benign extraction technologies for FSCW

Identification of environmentally acceptable and economically viable chemical and biochemical processing methods for FSCW valorisation

Report on the results of the Action in a non-technical format for dissemination to the
general public
E.2 Working Groups
The Action will be divided into 4 WGs (detailed in Section D). Each WG will be assigned a leader
plus deputy (nominated to MC), who will report to the MC and their role will be to:

Coordinate the different participants and subprojects within their respective Working
Groups including STSMs (in liaison with the MC)
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
Set and monitor milestones for the WG

Prepare reports on the WGs research activities with information provided by all WG
participants to be approved by the MC and then made available on the Action website

Organise WG meetings (exact timings and frequency to be decided by the WG leader)

Inform Dissemination Manager of noteworthy publications and other relevant material
for dissemination

Participate in the Steering Group
E.3 Liaison and interaction with other research programmes
As detailed in B.4 the Action is complementary to COST Action CM0903 (UBIOCHEM) and
EUROAGRI FOODCHAIN. COST Action FP0901: Analytical techniques for Biorefineries, is also
directly relevant to the FSCW valorisation. The EUBis Action has strong connections with both of
these COST Actions (via the Chair of the Action and Task Force leader respectively) and will seek
to align the outputs of the Action as well as organising joint events with thematic strands where
appropriate. In the same way, the Action will also establish collaboration with EUROAGRI
FOODCHAIN and any other relevant EU level research projects, and also with organisations such
as CEFIC (the European Chemical Industry Council), EuropaBio (European Association of
Bioindustries), the new Biobased Standards Technical Committee (TC411), IEA Bioenergy Task42
Biorefining, an international biorefining knowledge building and exchange programme and the
European Food Sustainable Consumption and Production Round Table, a European initiative
looking at the continuous improvement of the environmental sustainability of food supply chains.
EUBis will ensure regular communication with relevant research projects and programmes to avoid
duplication of effort, as well as benefiting from the work completed to date.
E.4 Gender balance and involvement of early-stage researchers
This COST Action will respect an appropriate gender balance in all its activities and the
Management Committee will place this as a standard item on all its MC agendas. The Action will
also be committed to considerably involve early-stage researchers. This item will also be placed as
a standard item on all MC agendas.
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Both early stage and female researchers will take a full part in presentations of their work at
scientific conferences and workshops. Both ESRs and female researchers will be strongly
encouraged to participate in training schools and STSMs which will realise capacity building on an
individual level by allowing participants to build and enhance their existing knowledge and skills.
This, combined with the sharing of knowledge and expertise between organisations and institutions
engaged throughout the Action will realise capacity building on a European level.
F. TIMETABLE
The Action will have a total duration of four years. The timetable of the Action is given in the table
below. STSMs and training schools will take place throughout the duration of the Action.
Year Month Activity
Initial Management meeting (appt. of Chair, Vice Chair,
1
1
WG Leaders and Dissemination Manager)
2
Establishment of website
5
Establishment of WGs & interim report
6
Kick off Meeting
12
2nd MC & Review meeting (virtual)
12
Year 1 Report
17
Interim Report from WGs
2
18
International Conference/Workshop
18
3rd MC & Review Meeting
24
Year 2 Report
3
25
4th MC & Review Meeting (virtual)
29
Interim Report from WGs
30
International Conference/Workshop
30
5th MC & Review Meeting
36
6th MC & Review Meeting (virtual)
36
Year 3 Report
41
Interim report from WGs
4
42
7th MC & Review Meeting
46
Final International Conference
48
Final MC Meeting
48
Final Report
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G. ECONOMIC DIMENSION
The following COST countries have actively participated in the preparation of the Action or
otherwise indicated their interest: BE, DE, EL, ES, FI, FR, IE, IT, NL, RO, SE, UK. On the basis of
national estimates, the economic dimension of the activities to be carried out under the Action has
been estimated at 48 Million € for the total duration of the Action. This estimate is valid under the
assumption that all the countries mentioned above but no other countries will participate in the
Action. Any departure from this will change the total cost accordingly.
H. DISSEMINATION PLAN
H.1 Who?
To ensure maximum impact of the outcomes of the Action, the following target audiences have
been identified for dissemination of the results:

Academic community

European level and Government Policy makers

CEN Bio-based Standards Technical Committee (TC411)

Chemical Industry

Energy companies

Food processors/manufacturers

Local growers/producers of food

NGOs

General public
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H.2 What?
The Action will develop tailored dissemination activities, educational material and training
packages incorporating the project results and case studies for the target audiences to ensure
maximum impact of the project and result in the exploitation of results. These will be delivered via
a series of activities including: workshops, conferences, publications, training schools, website,
social networking tools, and by engaging other organisations such as NGOs. The programme of
dissemination activities will encourage cross-country, cross-company and cross-sector transfer of
knowledge and will provide a regular flow of information from the Action. Dissemination methods
will be coordinated by the Dissemination Manager and will include:
1.
Establishment and maintenance of a dedicated Action website
2.
Preparation of reports informing of progress
3.
Preparation of public and industrial relations material for the project
4.
Preparation of policy briefs that will target policy stakeholders, communicating project
findings to inform policy makers on an EU and national level
5.
STSMs and training schools
6.
Conferences and workshops
7.
Publications in international peer reviewed journals and presentations given by Action
members at relevant national and international conferences and event
H.3 How?
The Action website, which will be regularly updated by the Dissemination manager, will be used as
a universal dissemination method and facilitate communication with all stakeholders by providing
access to specifically tailored information depending on their level of understanding e.g.
background of the Action and objectives; technical and non-technical reports informing of progress
within the Action as a whole and also for individual WGs; details of forthcoming events (and
subsequently their proceedings). The website will be regularly updated with highlights and relevant
news items, and will be supplemented via the preparation of public and industrial relations material
for the Action, for example an annual newsletter and fact sheets about the Action and WGs and a
general leaflet about the Action for distribution at events to interested parties.
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Feedback will be invited on the website and on the promotional material to inform the direction of
the Action and to promote more open discussion. The website will also map the location of Action
members, their expertise and the high volume sources of FSCW waste available to them locally, to
provide a ‘big picture’ view of the work of the Action.
STSMs and training schools will support training and education, and the Action will organise an
exchange programme (via a series of STSMs) and training schools for in particular young
researchers (including PhD students). This will serve to promote greater interconnectivity between
the individual WGs and enhance understanding of various technologies and new developments
within the partnership. The consortium as a whole provides young researchers with excellent
networking opportunities and training on new tools and technologies. At each annual meeting there
will be a special session focussed on the needs of young researchers.
In addition to standard WG meetings, conferences and themed workshops will be organised by the
MC with parallel sessions tailored to the needs of individual stakeholders including training
activities, knowledge transfer and partnering opportunities and towards the end of the Action an
International Conference will be organised to widely disseminate the project outcomes. External
speakers will be invited to present at these events where appropriate. Wherever possible these
events will be run in collaboration with other relevant organisations/initiatives, for example, the
Action could have a yearly interaction (joint workshop) with the annual International Conference on
Renewable Resources and Biorefineries, which focuses on bringing together academic researchers,
industrial experts, policymakers and venture capital providers to discuss challenges emerging from
the transition towards a biobased economy and present new developments in this area.
Publications in international peer reviewed journals and presentations given by Action members at
relevant national and international conferences and events will disseminate information to the
academic and industrial communities, and will acknowledge the support of COST and directly
promote the Action to other potential members. Direct engagement of Action members with the
media will be strongly encouraged. This will be achieved via preparation of news items for the
media, such as press releases, articles aimed at popular newspapers and scientific magazines, direct
contact with representatives from the media, and through external resources such as the
AlphaGalileo Foundation.
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Interactions with additional networking organisations and initiatives and NGOs will ensure
dissemination in the wider context e.g. SCARnet, AgriFoodResearch.net, Sustainability in the Food
Chain Exploitation Platform, Green Chemistry Network, WasteValor (Waste Valorisation and
Sustainable Management of Resources) network.
The Action will exemplify the use of FSCW for the creation of added value products, avoiding the
environmental and social concerns and providing real economic benefit. To inform policy makers
on an EU and national level of major results and breakthroughs of the Action, policy briefs will be
prepared by the MC. Policy makers will also be invited to attend the international conference.
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