Area 6.3.1.3. Waste - ENV.2008.3.1.3.1. Waste prevention: Industrial networking and zero-waste entrepreneurship <28Feb08

Area 6.3.1.3. Waste
ENV.2008.3.1.3.1. Waste prevention: Industrial networking and zero-waste entrepreneurship

The development of innovative technologies, waste-prevention methodologies, strategies and system tools (e.g. eco-design, local industrial clusters, and resource exchange) exportable into other European and worldwide contexts shall represent the main focus of this action.

The goal is to develop a structured and innovative production model for resource-use optimisation and waste prevention, also taking residues as secondary raw materials, and test it in real cases of
sustainable industrial networks.

Results should translate the vision of a sustainable development into elements of a sustainable entrepreneurship, focusing at enhancing business opportunities according to a "towards zero waste" approach.

This action should also be capable to provide evidence and directions on how to implement the main EU policy FP 7 Cooperation Work Programme 2008: Environment (including climate change) initiatives in this area (Sustainable Consumption and Production, ETAP, Eco-label, EMAS, Waste Framework Directive, ELV Directive) in a coherent, integrated, and sustainability oriented way, inter alia by identifying and assessing policy measures that could be taken at EU, national or regional levels to favour the development and the uptake of industrial networking and zero-waste entrepreneurship and achieve waste prevention.

Assessment studies shall be carried out13. This action should foresee a substantial participation of
industrial partners, with a relevant presence of SMEs. Additionally, this project should establish links with other projects addressing innovative product chains with a Life Cycle Approach (i.e. biorefineries). (Policy relevant topic)

Funding scheme: collaborative project (large-scale integrating project)

Expected impact: The assessment of the life cycle benefits and costs for achieving the main EU environmental resource-related targets (in the context of the industrial networks assessed) will be a measure of the outcomes of this action.

Looking at the whole process chain of the involved industrial networks, results should contribute to achieve at least two of the following goals:

(1) a decrease of at least 30% of greenhouse gases emissions,

(2) at least 70% of overall re-use and recycling of waste,

(3) a reduction of at least 75% of fresh water utilisation.

ENV.2008.3.1.3.2. Technologies for high added value production from waste
The goal of this action is the development of innovative and cleaner technologies (thermal, chemical, mechanical, etc) that could lead to the production of high added value products from waste.

The input materials should preferable be end of life products and production residues of high technological and economic value (e.g., composite materials, carbon fibres, glass fibres, etc.) and/or waste flows containing high carbon content (e.g. waste tyres).

The potential consequences deriving from the full-scale implementation of the developed technologies on Carbon balance and the release of greenhouse gases should be adequately investigated. Assessment studies shall be carried out14. This action should foresee the substantial participation of industrial partners, with a relevant presence of SMEs.

Funding scheme: collaborative projects (small or medium-scale focused research projects)
Expected impact: This action should lead to the development of one or more prototype(s). The process(es) developed should guarantee at least 30% material recycle and 80% recovery (including energy recovery) of the input material weight calculated as dry mass.

Environmental Life Cycle Assessment studies (ISO 14040 conform), Life Cycle Costing analyses, and Life Cycle Social Assessments shall be carried out. All the environmental LCA data resulting from the real case studies shall be made available to the European Platform for LCA according to its data format and quality requirements. Other tools for process evaluation (e.g. entropy and exergy analysis, material and energy flow analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, etc.) could be applied.
14 Environmental Life Cycle Assessment studies (ISO 14040 conform), Life Cycle Costing analyses, and Life Cycle Social Assessments shall be carried out. All the environmental LCA data resulting from the real case studies shall be made available to the European Platform for LCA according to its data format and quality requirements. Other tools for process evaluation (e.g. entropy and exergy analysis, material and energy flow analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, etc.) could be applied.

FP 7 Cooperation Work Programme 2008: Environment (including climate change)

Area 6.3.1.4. Clean Technologies
ENV.2008.3.1.4.1. Substitution options for Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs): a prototypical case for source control of Priority Pollutants in a Life Cycle Thinking perspective
Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are chemicals used to make foam, textiles, electronics,
and other products fire resistant. They are included in the list of priority pollutant as a
hazardous priority pollutant, and its use will be phased-out. There are currently raising concerns about their persistence and toxicity and therefore, in light of this mounting evidence, a review of safer alternatives, meeting relevant fire safety standards, is necessary. Less toxic safer chemical substitutes appear to be already available for some applications. However, detailed risk assessment and viability information for the industrial implementation of potential substitutes are only partly available. Research should analyse the viability for the industrial implementation of safer alternatives, including product capability and application aspects, environmental and health hazard identification and characterisation, risk assessment, and socio-economic assessment in a life-cycle perspective. Assessment studies on the various substitution options shall be carried out15. This action should foresee the substantial participation of industrial partners, with a relevant presence of SMEs. (Policy relevant topic)
Funding scheme: collaborative projects (small or medium-scale focused research projects)
Expected impact: This activity should produce applicable results for defining sustainable alternatives to BFR, thus contributing to the phasing out of this substance as suggested in the Water Framework Directive. Risk assessment data on alternatives should help policy definition.

Area 6.3.1.5. Built environment
ENV.2008.3.1.5.1. Innovative environmental technologies including design concepts and materials for the reduction of damage to the environment
New concepts and materials to reduce environmental impacts of the built environment (such as consumption of water, energy, raw materials; land-use; generation of noise, vibration, waste and; negative impacts on quality of air, soil or water), without loss of performance.
Consideration may be given amongst others to new technologies such as biomaterials, or new
construction products that facilitate recycling and the deconstruction of buildings and infrastructure, etc. Projects should quantify and demonstrate the extent to which they offer more sustainable solutions than present construction practices. In order to ensure the effective up-take of the new technologies, all technical and non-technical barriers must be adequately considered in the research proposal. This action should foresee a substantial participation of industrial partners, with a relevant presence of SMEs.
Funding scheme: collaborative projects (small or medium-scale focused research projects)
Expected impact: The proposed innovative technologies should provide significant reductions in the demand for natural raw materials, fuels and energy. Project should significantly contribute towards the uptake of more sustainable construction practices, towards meeting the Kyoto protocol obligations and reducing Europe’s reliance on imported energy. It should also contribute to the adaptation to climate change impacts.

Area 6.3.1.6. Marine environment
ENV.2008.3.1.6.1. Development of automated sensing technologies for estuaries, coastal areas and seas
Estuaries and coastal areas are extremely important as source of nutrients, sediments and
pollutants for the marine environment. Sustainable fishery activities require a detailed
knowledge on their input. Moreover, monitoring is necessary to assess the impact of climate
change on key parameters for aquatic systems as defined by European policies and initiatives
such as the Marine Thematic Strategy and the Maritime Policy Green Paper. This demands
sophisticated monitoring technologies where gliders (but also profilers or AUV) and buoys
equipped with sensors could play an important role. Examples of parameters to be measured
with adequate spatial and temporal resolution include, but are not limited to, nutrients,
pollutants, chlorophyll, Carbon species, micro-organisms, and selected physico-chemical
parameters (e.g. pH, O2, T). The projects should produce clear and measurable advances – in
relation to a selection of the key parameters and to the system operation - with respect to
sensor miniaturisation, energy consumption, robustness, long-term accuracy and overall
system performance (interoperability, data management, capital and operational costs, etc.).
The prototype sensors should be developed to a level that will allow them to move to market
as a next step. The participation of SMEs is particularly encouraged.
Funding scheme: collaborative projects (small- or medium-scale focused research
projects)
Expected Impact: The developed technologies should be shown to reinforce the
benefits of autonomous monitoring systems for the marine environment. Furthermore,
they should ensure the enhancement of Europe’s sea monitoring capability, leading to
the creation of market opportunities for the European private sector.