Environment & resource efficiency : LIFE projects 2015.
Date: 2016-12-08
Institutions: Directorate-General for Environment
Subjects: EU environmental policy, EU programme, environmental protection, exploitation of resources, project of common interest, sustainable development, sustainable forest management, waste management

Environment & 
 Resource  
Efficiency

LIFE

PROJECTS 2015

Environment

LIFE Environment

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 
ENVIRONMENT DIRECTORATE-GENERAL

LIFE (“The Financial Instrument for the Environment and Climate Action”) is a programme launched by the European 
Commission and coordinated by the Environmen t and Climate Action Directorates-General . The Commission has 
delegated the implementation of many components of the LIFE programme to the Executive Agency for Small and 
Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME).

The contents of the publication “Environment & Resource Efficiency LIFE Projects 2015” do not necessarily reflect 
the opinions of the institutions of the European Union.

HOW TO OBTAIN EU PUBLICATIONS

Free publications:
•  via EU Bookshop (http://bookshop.europa.eu);
•  at the European Commission’s representations or delegations. You can obtain their contact details on the Internet 

(http://ec.europa.eu) or by sending a fax to +352 2929-42758.

Priced publications:
•  via EU Bookshop (http://bookshop.europa.eu).

Priced subscriptions (e.g. annual series of the Official Journal of the European Union and reports of cases 
before the Court of Justice of the European Union):
•  via one of the sales agents of the Publications Office of the European Union (http://publications.europa.eu/others/

agents/index_en.htm).

Europe Direct is a service to help you find answers to your questions about the European Union.
Freephone number (*): 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11
(*) Certain mobile telephone operators do not allow access to 00 800 numbers or these calls may be billed.

Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2016

ISBN 978-92-79-54915-1
ISSN 1977-2319
doi:10.2779/056098

© European Union, 2016
Reuse authorised.

Introduction to LIFE Environment & Resource Efficiency 2015

LIFE Environment & Resource Efficiency 2015: 
Commission funds 56 new projects in 10 countries 
with €71.9 million

The European Commission has approved funding for 56 LIFE Environment & Resource Efficiency projects 
under the LIFE programme, the European Union’s fund for the environment and climate action. The action 
grants have been awarded to ‘beneficiaries’, or project promoters in 10 Member States. The projects are led 
by beneficiaries based in Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden 
and the United Kingdom.

LIFE Environment & Resource Efficiency 
in 2015

LIFE Environment & Resource Efficiency co-finances pi-
lot and demonstration projects developing, testing and 
demonstrating policy or management approaches, best 
practices  and  solutions  to  environmental  challenges. 
The  56  projects  selected  for  funding  will  be  led  by  a 
range of public and private sector organisations. 

The  projects  involve  a  total  investment  of  €142.2 
 million,  of  which  the  Commission  is  providing  action 
grants worth €71.9 million.

These projects cover actions in five thematic areas: air, 
environment and health, resource efficiency, waste and 
water.  The  21  resource  efficiency  projects  alone  will 
mobilise €43.0 million that will facilitate Europe’s tran-
sition to a more circular economy.

The  nine  waste  projects  will  have  a  total  budget  of 
€34.6  million;  the  total  budget  for  the  15  water  pro-
jects is €31.9 million; five air projects will have a total 
budget of €19.3 million; and a total of €13.4 million will 
go towards six environment and health projects.

Background

The LIFE programme is the EU’s funding instrument for 
the  environment  and  climate  action.  The  general  ob-
jective  of  LIFE  is  to  contribute  to  the  implementation, 
updating  and  development  of  EU  environmental  and 
climate  policy  and  legislation  by  co-financing  projects 
with European added value.

The budget for the LIFE Programme for 2014–2020 is 
set at €3.4 billion in current prices, administered through 
the Environment and Climate Action sub- programmes.

The  Climate  Action  sub-programme  will  provide  €864 
million  in  co-financing  for  climate  projects  between 
2014 and 2020. Its main objectives are to:
•  Contribute  to  the  shift  towards  a  low-carbon  and 

• 

 climate-resilient economy;
Improve  the  development,  implementation  and  en-
forcement  of  EU  climate  change  policy  and  legisla-
tion;

•  Support  better  environmental  and  climate  change 

governance at all levels; and

•  Support  the  implementation  of  the  7th  Environment 

Action Programme. 

More information on each LIFE Environment & 
 Resource Efficiency project is available at:: 
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/
index.cfm 

Contact details for the relevant national authorities 
can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/
contact/nationalcontact/life_env.htm 

Index of Environment & Resource Efficiency projects selected in 2015

Location

BELGIUM

FRANCE

GERMANY

GREECE

ITALY

 Project number

 Title of project

LIFE15 ENV/BE/000204 
LIFE RECYSITE

Production of fully recyclable and reusable green com-
posites based on bioresins and natural fibres

LIFE15 ENV/BE/000267 
LIFE REFRESHMENT

REFRESHMENT - Pilot for  enviRonmEntally FRiendly, Ef-
ficient, Sustainable and Healthy products developMENT

LIFE15 ENV/FR/000412 
LIFE FARBioTY

Fire and Ageing Resistant  Biocomposite for Transporta-
tion industrY

LIFE15 ENV/FR/000512 
LIFE - AGROMINE

LIFE15 ENV/DE/000162 
LIFE+ - Isobel

Cropping  hyperaccumulator  plants  on  nickel-rich  soils 
and wastes for the green synthesis of pure nickel com-
pounds

Isobel - Integrated SOlutions for BEd Load management

LIFE15 ENV/GR/000257 
LIFE-F4F (Food for Feed)

Food  for  Feed:  An  Innovative   Process  for  Transforming 
Hotels’ Food Wastes into Animal Feed

LIFE15 ENV/GR/000338 
LIFEPOSITIVEMgOFGD

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000183 
LIFE MOTTLES

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000225 
SOS4LIFE

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000268 
LIFE NEREiDE

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000281 
LIFE BrennerLEC

New desulphurisation technology for SOx reduction with 
positive  net   environmental  impact  based  on  MgO  rea-
gents

MOnitoring ozone injury for seTTing new critical LEvelS

S.O.S. 4 LIFE - Save Our Soil for LIFE

Noise Efficiently REduced by  recycleD pavEments

BrennerLEC - Brenner Lower  Emissions Corridor

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000303 
LIFE CRAL

Industrial  pilot  plant  for  semisolid  process  route  with 
eco-compatible feedstock materials

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000332 
LIFE BITMAPS

Pilot  technology  for   aerobic   BIodegradation  of  spent 
TMAH Photoresist  solution in  Semiconductor industries

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000369 
LIFE ECLAT

New  model  of  circular  economy  that  also  predisposes 
the use of waste materials in other industries

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000391 
LIFE MARINAPLAN PLUS

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000392 
VITISOM LIFE

Reliable and innovative technology for the realization of 
a  sustainable MARINe And coastal seabed  management 
PLAN

VITiculture Innovative Soil Organic Matter management: 
variable-rate distribution system and monitoring of im-
pacts

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000396 
LIFE-BIOREST

Bioremediation  and   revegetation  to  restore  the  public 
use of  contaminated land

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000417 
LIFE Paint-it

A new environment-friendly  manufacturing approach for 
 marine antifouling coating

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000423 
LIFE AGROWETLANDS II

Smart water and soil salinity  management in agro-wet-
lands

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000509 
LIFE B.R.A.V.E.R.

Boosting Regulatory Advantages Vis à vis Emas Regis-
tration

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000585 
LIFE DOP

LIFE  DOP  -  Demonstrative  mOdel  of  circular  economy 
Process in a high quality dairy industry

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000586 
LIFE MONZA

Methodologies fOr Noise low  emission Zones introduc-
tion And management

Location

ITALY

 Project number

 Title of project

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000631 
LIFE CHIMERA

CHIMERA  –  CHIckens  Manure   Exploitation  and  RevAlu-
ation

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000641 
LIFE+ SOIL4WINE

Innovative  approach  to  soil   management  in  viticulture 
 landscapes

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000654 
LIFE BIOPOL

Production  of  Leather  making   BioPolymers  from  bio-
masses  and  industrial  by  products,  through  Life  Cycle 
Designed processes

LIFE15 ENV/IT/000697 
LIFE M3P

Material Match Making Platform for promoting the use 
of industrial waste in local networks

PORTUGAL

LIFE15 ENV/PT/000609 
LIFE PAYT

PAYT - Tool to Reduce Waste in South  Europe

SPAIN

LIFE15 ENV/PT/000674 
LIFE Index-Air

Development  of  an  Integrated  Exposure  –  Dose  Man-
agement Tool for Reduction of Particulate Matter in Air

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000157 
LIFE BAQUA

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000208 
LIFE ECOMETHYLAL

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000209 
LIFE Zero Cabin Waste

Solutions  through  the  new  use  for  a  waste  of  banana 
crop  to   develop  products  in  aquaculture  and   plastics 
sector

High  quality  methylal  from 
 non-recyclable  plastic 
waste  by  an  improved  Catalytic  Hydro- Gasification 
Plasma(CHGP) process

international  airline 

Tackling 
 catering  waste  by 
 demonstrating integral and safe recollection,  separation 
& treatment

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000231 
LIFE rPack2L

Integrated Management of  Multilayer PVC/PE Packaging 
Waste

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000252 
LIFE LEMA

Intelligent  marine  LittEr   removal  and  management  for 
local  Authorities

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000284 
LIFE AMMONIA TRAPPING

Development of membrane  devices to reduce ammonia 
emissions  generated by manure in poultry and pig farms

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000373 
LIFEVERTALIM

Prevention  and  Integral   management  of  high  polluted 
 effluents from Food SMES to urban sanitation systems

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000379 
LIFE MCUBO

Modelling, Measurement and  Improvement of the water 
 management’s environmental  impact in the food indus-
try

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000382 
LIFE LEMNA

Duckweed  technology  for  improving  nutrient  manage-
ment and resource efficiency in pig production systems

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000394 
LIFE DrainRain

RunOff  Water  Purification  from  Pavements:  A  Novel  
Integral  System of Pervious  Concrete  Pavement & Insitu 
Water  Treatment

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000399 
LIFE PRIORAT+

Efficiency in the use of  resources for the improvement of 
 sustainability of vine and wine  sector at Priorat region

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000416 
LIFE - COMBASE

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000437 
LIFE-reWINE

COMputational  tool  for  the   assessment  and  substitu-
tion  of  Biocidal  Active  substanceS  of   Ecotoxicological 
 concern

Glass bottles reuse in southern Europe wine sector

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000480 
LIFE REWATCH

Demonstration of an  innovative  recycling scheme to in-
crease the water efficiency in the  petrochemical industry

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000506 
LIFE + POLYFARMING

Demonstration of a new  agro-silvo-pastoral land use to 
improve farm profitability in  mountain areas

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000530 
LIFE LEACHLESS

Low energy treatment technology for leachate valorisa-
tion

Location

SPAIN

SWEDEN

THE NETHERLANDS

 Project number

 Title of project

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000591 
LIFE-ANSWER

Advanced nutrient solutions with electrochemical recov-
ery

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000598 
LIFE-EMPORE

Development of an efficient and sustainable methodol-
ogy  for  EMerging  POllutants  REmoval  in  WWTPs  (EM-
PORE)

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000612 
LIFE ECO-SANDFILL

Spend  foundry  sand  valorisation  in  construction  sector 
through the validation of high-performance  applications

LIFE15 ENV/ES/000658 
LIFE-ECOTEX

Demonstration of polyester of footwear waste recycling 
into new textile products using glycolysis technology

LIFE15 ENV/SE/000265 
LIFE HALOSEP

HALOSEP - Innovative method for recycling and reuse of 
waste streams from incineration plants in the EU

LIFE15 ENV/SE/000279 
LIFE SURE

LIFE SURE - Sediment Uptake and Remediation on Eco-
logical basis

LIFE15 ENV/SE/000315 
BIODOLOMER for LIFE

LIFE15 ENV/SE/000465 
Hg-rid-LIFE

LIFE15 ENV/NL/000173 
BG4US LIFE 2015

LIFE15 ENV/NL/000217 
LIFE CLINSH

BIODOLOMER - Demonstration of a unique, fully renew-
able  green   material  for  the  reduction  of   plastics  and 
 packaging waste

Mercury Decontamination of  Dental Care Facilities

Bio Guardrail 4 yoUr Safety LIFE 2015

CLean INland SHipping

LIFE15 ENV/NL/000429 
LIFE AGANFOILS

Upcycling post-consumer film from dirty Mechanical Re-
cycling  Facilities (MRFs)

UNITED KINGDOM

LIFE15 ENV/UK/000386 
LIFE Laser Fence

Laser systems for the  prevention of food chain poison-
ing and  minimization of chemical exposure to the envi-
ronment

Production of fully recyclable and 

reusable green composites based 

on bioresins and natural fibres

L I F E 1 5   E N V / B E / 0 0 0 2 0 4 
L I F E   R E C Y S I T E

Project background

The benefits of components and products designed and 
produced in fibre-reinforced composite materials to sub-
stitute  metals  are  well  recognised  by  many  industries. 
The higher strength, lower weight and reduced mainte-
nance requirements of these materials has led to many 
engineering applications in the transport industry and in 
the construction sector. 

Thermoset composites are more widely used than ther-
moplastic  composites  because  they  enable  easier  fibre 
impregnation  and  therefore  easier  processing,  higher 
thermal  stability,  stiffness,  strength  and  resistance  to 
creep. However, these thermoset composites present two 
major  environmental  problems.  Firstly,  recycling  or  re-
use  of  conventional  thermoset  composites  is  extremely 
difficult  as  they  cannot  be  remoulded,  reshaped  or  dis-
solved.  Secondly,  current  composite  applications  mainly 
use  non-renewable  petroleum-based  resources.  On  the 
other  hand,  strategic  sectors,  such  as  the  transport  in-
dustry,  require  more  sustainable  materials  and  need  to 
fulfil European regulation in terms of waste management. 
Solutions are needed to reduce the problem of composite 
disposal and to avoid incineration or landfill.

Project objectives

The RECYSITE project aims to develop thermoset eco-com-
posites from renewable resources: natural fibres from bio-
waste  (linseed  fibres)  and  resins  from  natural  resources 
(linseed  oil  and  humins).  The  project  will  optimise  the 
treatment of two bio-materials - fibres and resins - in 
two pilot plants that are used to produce cost-efficient 
and  100%  recyclable  eco-composites.  It  will  then  vali-
date  the  proposed  solutions  in  two  different  sectors: 
transport and construction. In particular, the project will 
validate the composites in a refrigerated swap body for 
the transport industry and modular façade walls for the 
construction sector. These two sectors have been chosen 
due to their importance to the European economy. They 
involve more than 15% of the jobs and GDP in Europe, 
which will help boost the transferability of the results. 

The project will contribute to the implementation of the 
Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe and its goal of 
turning waste into resources, and the End-of-Life Vehi-
cles Directive, establishing that the design and produc-
tion of new vehicles facilitates their dismantling, reuse, 
and the recovery of components and materials. 

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Centre Scientifique & Technique de l’Industrie Textile 
Belge

Postal address
Rue Montoyer, 24/2
B - 1000 Brussels
BELGIUM
Phone  +32 92438233
+32 92204955 
Fax 
luc.ruys@centexbel.be
Email 

Name of contact person
Luc RUYS

Duration of project:
36 months (01/07/2016 – 30/06/2019)

Total budget in euro:
2,073,656.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,233,391.00

• 

Expected results
•  Development of innovative processes for the recycling of 
new biomaterials, via the recovery of the fibre and matrix;
•  Production  of  individual  components  from  compos-
ites with a 100% recyclability rate, and cost-effective 
substantial weight reduction;
In the transport sector, the selected demonstrator will 
be  built  with  a  target  curb  weight  reduction  of  30-
50% and reduced raw material consumption of up to 
30% with respect to the current metallic parts; 
In  the  construction  sector,  the  use  of  conventional 
composite materials will target decreases in the pro-
duction,  due  to  the  use  of  sustainable  lightweight 
composite materials having at least 20% lower car-
bon footprint than the conventional cement;

• 

•  Processing of 100 tonnes/yr of natural fibre and 40 

tonnes/yr of bio-based thermoset resins;

•  Evaluation of the project’s impact on the environmen-
tal problems identified and on the socioeconomic con-
ditions; and 

•  Preparation  of  support  documents  for  Spanish, 
French, Belgian and Dutch governments for the recy-
cling strategies and methodologies in transportation 
and construction.

REFRESHMENT - Pilot for 

 enviRonmEntally FRiendly, Efficient, 

Sustainable and Healthy products 

developMENT

Project background

L I F E 1 5   E N V / B E / 0 0 0 2 6 7 
L I F E   R E F R E S H M E N T

The  brewing  process  generates  large  amounts  of  by-
products and wastes. Spent grain is the most abundant 
by-product, accounting for around 85% of the total gen-
erated brewing by-products.  

Due to its high protein and fibre content and abundance 
throughout  the  year,  several  alternative  uses  for  spent 
grain have already been explored. However, there are a 
number of barriers to the large-scale adoption of some of 
these alternatives. First, the spent grain contains a high 
amount of water, which leads to significant costs and en-
vironmental  problems  associated  with  transport  and/or 
drying procedures. Secondly, due to its high moisture and 
fermentable sugar-content, the spent grain spoils quickly 
and thus needs to be used within a few days.

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Anheuser-Busch InBev nv/sa

Postal address
Brouwerijplein 1 
B - 3000 Leuven
BELGIUM
Phone  +32 479 92 42 49
Fax 
Email 

N/A
jorge.gil-martinez@ab-inbev.com

Name of contact person
Jorge GIL-MARTINEZ

Duration of project:
30 months (01/07/2016 – 31/12/2018)

As  a  result,    the  spent  grain  by-product  is  currently 
mainly used as animal feed, while its application as raw 
material  in  food,  energy  production  and  biotechnologi-
cal processes is still underdeveloped and its nutritional 
value untapped. 

Total budget in euro:
2,312,910.00

EU contribution in euro:
834,792.00

Project objectives

The  main  objective  of  LIFE  REFRESHMENT  is  to  devel-
op an innovative method for the re-use of spent grain 
as  a  raw  material  for  the  production  of  two  types  of 
non-alcoholic beverages. The first will be a clear organic 
fermented  and  carbonated  drink.  The  second  will  be  a 
healthy  cereal-based  breakfast  drink,  containing  fibre 
and  probiotics.  Moreover,  the  by-products  generated 
during  the  production  of  the  healthy  beverages  from 
spent grain could also be re-used for the production of 
cereal bars.

The project will be implemented initially on a  demon-
stration scale, then on full industrial scale at the Stella 
Artois brewery in Leuven, Belgium. The concept process 
will be adapted to different natural flavours in the bever-
ages. This technique will also increase resource efficien-
cy and reduce and valorise the waste generated during 
the brewing process. Some 30% of all produced spent 
grain  could  potentially  be  further  processed  using  this 
new  technology.  The  project  therefore  has  a  potential 
global impact, contributing to a shift towards a circular 
bio-based economy, with a reduced ecological footprint.

In addition, the project technology also offers good pros-
pects  for  replication,  and  thus  is  in  line  with  the  goals 

and priorities of the 7th Environment Action Programme. 
It  also  contributes  to  the  implementation  of  other  EU 
policy  and  legislation,  including  the  new  EU  Circular 
Economy Package and the Waste and Water Framework 
directives.

Expected results
•  Resource  efficiency:  around  42  000  tonnes  of  spent 
grain  produced  in  the  Leuven  and  Magor  breweries 
will be re-used on site;

•  CO2 reduction: around 14 472 tonnes CO2 reduction 
associated with transport as the spent grains will be 
re-used on site; 

•  Water usage: due to the high amount of water in the 
spent  grain,  water  usage  efficiency  will  be  50-75% 
higher compared with the current process used in the 
cereal-based beverage industry; and

•  Development  of    a  new  ‘green’  economic  activity  
 encouraging the creation of new jobs in the brewing 
industry.

Fire and Ageing Resistant 

 Biocomposite for Transportation 

industrY

L I F E 1 5   E N V / F R / 0 0 0 4 1 2 
L I F E   F A R B i o T Y

Project background

The transportation sector is the largest industrial source 
of CO2 emissions in Europe. One of the reasons for this 
high  figure  is  the  widespread  use  of  glass  fibre  com-
posite materials, whose production uses large amounts 
of non-renewable sand, water and energy; compounded 
by the poor recyclability of carbon and glass fibre rein-
forced epoxy. The current production of composite ma-
terials therefore goes against ecological priorities set in 
the Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe, the Circular 
Economy  Package  and  the  Roadmap  to  a  Single  Euro-
pean Transport Area. The latter sets objectives regarding 
all  aspects  of  transportation,  with  the  aim  of  reaching 
a 60% reduction in transport emissions by 2050. A key 
area of innovation for reaching this target is materials 
and  design.  The  development  of  alternatives  to  light-
weight  glass  fibre  composite  materials,  especially  us-
ing natural fibres that have equivalent qualities, would 
significantly  reduce  environmental  impacts  –  e.g.  by 
being more recyclable, biodegradable and less energy-
consuming during their production. However, the poten-
tial of such materials has yet to be fully exploited, with 
combustibility being a particular concern.

Project objectives

FARBioTY  aims  to  reduce  the  environmental  footprint 
of  the  transport  industry  by  increasing  the  volumes 
of  flax  fibres  used  for  producing  composite  materials. 
New techniques of integrating the materials into resins 
will  be  used  to  produce  new  composite  materials  with 
good  (equivalent)  mechanical  properties.  Crucially,  the 
project  will  implement  a  new  solution  to  make  these 
natural fibres pass European fire standards, given that 
they cannot be used in transport applications otherwise. 
Flax  fibres  adoption  has  the  potential  to  reduce  fibre 
glass  production  and  the  exploitation  of  raw  materials 
(sand,  petroleum-derived  materials  and  water).  Flax  is 
a natural and abundant resource, which can be sustain-
ably managed to provide the natural fibres needed. The 
project therefore contributes to the Roadmap for a Re-
source Efficient Europe and the Circular Economy Pack-
age.  The  project  will  demonstrate  the  new  material  in 
the railway sector by measuring environmental impact 
and  mechanical  performance  in  situations  where  the 
innovative composite material is used instead of glass 
fibre  reinforcement.  The  results  will  be  compared  with 
data  available  for  currently  used  composite  materials 
through a life-cyle assessment (LCA). 

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Teillage Vandecandelaere

Postal address
5, rue de l’Eglise
F - 14 540 Bourguébus
FRANCE
Phone  +33 231239290
+33 231231076
Fax 
fcallebert@depestele.com
Email 

Name of contact person
Franck CALLEBERT

Duration of project:
36 months (01/09/2016 – 31/08/2019) 

Total budget in euro:
1,440,182.00 

EU contribution in euro:
855,061.00

Expected results
•  A  demonstration  for  railway  sector  applications  that 
shows  that  one  tonne  of  flax  fibre  can  replace  0.58 
tonnes of glass fibre, so contributing to the avoidance 
of sand consumption, reducing water consumption by 
30%, non-renewable energy consumption by 30%, and 
CO2 emissions by 56% per functional unit produced;

•  A complete preliminary study;
•  The detailed technical specifications for the flax fibres 
and resins to meet standards of the railway sector;
•  Technical and functional specifications of the railway 

beacon to be produced;

•  A step-by-step description of the production process;
•  The new treated biocomposite material;
•  One sample of the new railway beacon;
•  Data on environmental benefits of the whole fabrica-
tion  process,  compared  to  the  one  employing  glass 
fibres through LCA;

•  Technical data on the composite material and railway 
beacon  performances  during  the  year-long  demon-
stration  period,  with  a  focus  on  meeting  fire  stand-
ards, and a longer term view through simulations; and
•  Exploitation plan and recommendations for replicat-
ing the technology in other transport sectors and for 
meeting the standards required for use in the naval 
and aeronautic sectors.

Cropping hyperaccumulator plants 

on nickel-rich soils and wastes for 

the green synthesis of pure nickel 

compounds

Project background

The worldwide demand for nickel (Ni) is experiencing an 
unprecedented growth under current industrial and eco-
nomic  pressures.  The  European  Innovation  Partnership 
(EIP) classified Ni as a raw material with high econom-
ic  importance.  However,  mine  production  mainly  takes 
place outside of the EU, which represents only 8.6% of 
total world production. 

Nickel-rich  soils,  such  as  ultramafic  or  serpentine  soils 
have  been  abandoned  by  local  farmers,  but  they  have 
a  high  potential  for  metal  recovery  with  application  in 
metallurgical processes. Technologies are lacking to ex-
ploit primary sources in which Ni is present at significant 
levels but where extraction by conventional mining pro-
cesses is not economically viable. New means of metal 
extraction,  recovery  or  recycling  are  therefore  urgently 
needed to reduce the dependence on imports. Phytomin-
ing  or  agromining  is  a  non-destructive  approach  with 
good  potential  for  the  recovery  of  high-value  metals 
from sub-economic ores.

Project objectives

LIFE - AGROMINE aims to demonstrate a non-destructive 
phytomining  approach  for  the  recovery  of  high-value 
metals from sub-economic ores. The project’s approach 
will  use  plants  to  accumulate  trace  metals  from  soils 
and transport them to their shoots, which can then be 
harvested.  Phytomining  or  agromining  therefore  offers 
an eco-efficient alternative to classical pyro- or hydro-
metallurgical processes. 

Specific project objectives are to:
•  Provide  ecosystem  services  through  agro-ecological 

phytomining cropping systems;

•  Recover  recycle  valuable  metals  from  Ni-rich  soils 

and industrial wastes;

•  Utilise by-products generated through the metal re-

covery process to improve soil fertility; 

•  Show the environmental benefits of nickel phytomin-
ing  through  life-cycle  assessments,  energy  balance, 
monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions, carbon stor-
age and the monitoring of the invasiveness of serpen-
tinophyte plants and impacts on local biodiversity;
•  Demonstrate  the  socio-economic  viability  of  phy-

• 

tomining;
Improve soil quality and function, and carbon  storage, 
after implementing phytomining cropping systems; and

L I F E 1 5   E N V / F R / 0 0 0 5 1 2 
L I F E   -   A G R O M I N E

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Université de Lorraine

Postal address
34, Cours Léopold
F - 54000 Nancy
FRANCE
Phone  +33 383593792
+33 383595791
Fax 
Guillaume.Echevarria@univ-lorraine.fr
Email 

Name of contact person
Guillaume ECHEVARRIA

Duration of project:
48 months (01/07/2016 – 30/06/2020) 

Total budget in euro:
2,730,456.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,582,800.00

•  Conserve rare and endangered metallophyte species 
after their introduction into cropping systems through 
the constitution of germplasm banks and the careful 
use of native and adapted wild species at agricultural 
and land remediation sites.

Expected results
•  Five  field  trials  established  across  Europe  (Albania, 
Austria,  Greece,  Spain  and  France),  covering  distinct 
climate and soil conditions;

•  A complete evaluation of the phytomining cycle;
•  Demonstration of additional ecosystem benefits that 
can be obtained during the phytomining cycle through 
monitoring actions and training;

•  Beneficial  effects  for  different  parameters  demon-
strated,  such  as  a  10-50%  increase  in  organic  soil 
content and a 10-30% increase in water retention; 
•  The potential for using harvested biomass from each 
target plant species for Ni-products and energy provi-
sion demonstrated; and

•  The  economic  viability  of  the  phytomining  process 

quantified.

Isobel - Integrated SOlutions for 

BEd Load management

L I F E 1 5   E N V / D E / 0 0 0 1 6 2 
L I F E +   -   I s o b e l

Project background

River  segments  with  hydropower  facilities  are  usually 
considered as ‘heavily modified water bodies’ under the 
Water Framework Directive. A natural river continuously 
carries  bed  load  material  downstream,  forming  gravel 
and shallow water areas. These structures are important 
spawning grounds and nursery areas for many species. 
Barrages  disrupt  this  process  by  keeping  the  bed  load 
in  the  retaining  area,  which  eventually  silts  up.  This  is 
the  case  for  the  river  Iller  (Germany),  which  is  heavily 
influenced by water power facilities. Between Altusriedz 
and Lautrach, five power plants with barrages stop the 
natural bed load transport of the river. 

The  riverbanks  are  steep  and  mounted  with  large  rocks. 
Many  of  the  barrages  already  have  bypasses  to  enable 
fish  to  pass  the  barrier.  However,  key  habitats  are  still 
missing for several species that lived in this part of the riv-
er before the barriers were present. Therefore, despite the 
existing fish bypass structures, no natural development of 
the river banks and the alluvial zones is possible. Current 
bed load management techniques play a key role in the 
process of establishing these key habitats. However, they 
are not 100% effective and still disrupt the environment.

Project objectives

The LIFE+ ISOBEL project will demonstrate an innovative 
and environmentally friendly approach to revitalising the 
free-flowing  parts  of  the  river  Iller  and  to  reaching  the 
good ecological status of all water bodies requested by the 
Water  Framework  Directive.  The  project’s  integrated  bed 
load management system will be accompanied by guide-
lines  for  its  implementation  in  rivers  throughout  Europe. 
The proposed system will much less disruptive to the river 
and river banks than current techniques, and also generate 
less noise and demand less transport and energy.

The project aims to:
•  Define  the  ‘good  ecological  status’  for  the  targeted 

water body;

•  Develop and implement target-orientated, minimally 
invasive,  bed  load  management  that  generates  the 
desired water structures;

•  Establish  suitable  near-natural  habitats  for  the  flora 
and fauna (e.g. spawning and nursery grounds, protec-
tion against drifting at high water levels), by replacing 
existing rock mountings by flat riverside structures;
•  Make the ecosystem more robust and climate resilient;
•  Connect river, river banks and alluvial zones;

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
BEW Bayerische Elektrizitätswerke GmbH

Postal address
Schaezlerstraße 3
D - 81650 Augsburg
GERMANY
Phone  +49 821 3284031 
+49 821 3283840 
Fax 
ralf.klocke@lew.de
Email 

Name of contact person
Ralf KLOCKE

Duration of project:
42 months (01/07/2016 – 31/12/2019)

Total budget in euro:
1.812.231.00

EU contribution in euro:
1.087.338.00 

•  Evaluate the water structure development, the effects 

on biodiversity and socio-economic impacts; and
•  Develop guidelines to boost the replication and trans-

ferability of project results.

Expected results
•  Diverse  river  and  riverbank  structures  providing  key 

habitats for the target species;

•  Reduced overall demand for bed load material com-

• 

• 

pared to conventional measures;
Improved quality and quantity of habitats in the river, 
the river banks, the riparian zones and the bypasses, 
especially for rheophilic fish species;
Improved  biodiversity  self-sustaining  populations  of 
many endangered species (e.g. Hucho hucho, Cottus 
gobio, Triturus cristatus);

•  Monitoring  of  the  impact  of  the  activities  (before, 
 directly  after,  and  one  year  and  two  years  after), 
 including the ways fish use the bypasses;
Improved  ability  of  natural  habitats  to  adapt  to 
 climate  change  and  improved  landscape  for  recrea-
tional activities;

• 

•  Transferable  guidelines  for  effective  bed  load  man-

agement; and

•  Results disseminated to all relevant target groups at 

regional and EU level.

Food for Feed: An Innovative 

 Process for Transforming Hotels’ 

Food Wastes into Animal Feed

L I F E 1 5   E N V / G R / 0 0 0 2 5 7 
L I F E - F 4 F   ( F o o d   f o r   F e e d )

Project background

The food and drink value chain is responsible for 17% 
of the EU’s direct greenhouse gas emissions and 28% 
of material resource consumption. European consump-
tion of animal protein and water have global impacts; 
it is estimated that 90 million tonnes of food waste is 
produced every year, equivalent to 180 kg per person. 
In some EU countries, especially those in the south, the 
majority  of  food  waste  ends  up  in  landfill.  In  Greece, 
for  example,  more  than  95%  of  food  waste  went  to 
landfill in 2013, either directly or indirectly. 

The  EU  Landfill  Directive  (1999/31/EC)  sets  as  a  tar-
get a 35% reduction of biodegradable municipal waste 
going to landfill on the 1995 disposal level by 2020, 
and the Circular Economy Package foresees a binding 
target to reduce landfill to a maximum of 10% of mu-
nicipal waste by 2030. It also foresees that measures 
will be taken so that foodstuff and by-products from 
the  food  chain  are  used  in  feed  production  without 
compromising safety.

Project objectives

The main aim of the LIFE-F4F (Food for Feed) project 
is to evaluate though a pilot-scale demonstration, an 
innovative and simple technology, and a low-emission 
 process that enables the safe transformation of food 
waste – mainly from hotels and more generally from 
the hospitality industry and restaurants – into animal 
feed. The aim is to collect 450 to 600 tonnes of food 
waste during the project, and it is anticipated that 2.5 
to  3.0  tonnes  of  food  waste  will  produce  1.0  tonnes 
of feed.

Food will be processed using solar energy to pasteur-
ise  and  dry  food  waste,  a  process  that  has  not  been 
tested or applied previously. The F4F process will ad-
dress  the  need  to  reduce  waste  food  going  to  land-
fill, and will support the implementation of separation 
schemes at source for food waste to create valuable 
raw materials for the production of feed.  This re-use 
process will transform a waste management process 
into a feed producing one. As it utilises solar power, it 
is also a low energy and low carbon emission process. 
The project aims to influence EU legislation on waste, 
the Circular Economy Package and the Roadmap to a 
Resource Efficient Europe.

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
United Association of Solid Waste Management in 
Crete

Postal address
Archiepiskopou Makariou 22
GR - 71202 Heraklion
GREECE
Phone  +30 2810361610  
Fax 
Email 

+30 2810361620
esdak@otenet.gr

Name of contact person
Nikos STYLIANIDIS 

Duration of project:
42 months (01/09/2016 – 28/02/2020) 

Total budget in euro:
2,580,619.00 

EU contribution in euro:
1,459,227.00

Expected results
•  Optimally one full-scale industrial unit implement-

ing the F4F process;

•  A  source  separated  food  waste  collection  system 
that does not affect the quality of the collected food 
waste, especially in relation to the presence of non-
food waste. 

•  A hand sorting, grinding and solar drying/pasteuris-
ing pilot unit, able to produce at least 50 tonnes/yr 
of acceptable quality feed; 

•  A detailed feed production manual based on the op-
erational  data  of  the  pilot  unit  and  the  extended 
evaluation of the end product;

•  A  series  of  manuals  such  as  design,  construction, 
business and marketing plans that would provide all 
the technical, operational and economical details;
•  An environmental assessment of the process; and
•  Feeding of results into the EU legislation on waste, 
the Circular Economy Package and the Roadmap to 
a Resource Efficient Europe.

New desulphurisation technology 

for SOx reduction with positive net 

 environmental impact based on 

MgO reagents

Project background

The  EU  Industrial  Emissions  Directive  defines  emission 
limit  values  for  a  wide  variety  of  industrial  activities. 
Permits  for  industrial  activities  are  granted  under  the 
IED on the basis that installations implement best avail-
able techniques for their sector, which are described in 
best available technique reference documents (BREFs).

Magnesium  oxide  (MgO)  production  has  increased  in 
 recent years in the EU, generating emissions of sulphur 
dioxide (SO2), nitrous oxides, carbon monoxide and car-
bon dioxide. The SO2 emissions derive mainly from fuel 
combustion, which is needed to generate sufficient ther-
mal energy to produce MgO.  Production of magnesium 
oxide is covered by a BREF on cement, lime and mag-
nesium  oxide  (CLM),  however  the  effectiveness  of  the 
sulphur dioxide abatement techniques in the CLM BREF 
has yet to be proven for magnesium oxide production.

The  CLM  BREF  references  flue  gas  desulphurisation  as 
the main technique for SO2 emissions abatement. This 
involves wet scrubbing with reagents that neutralise the 
SO2. The technique is efficient in reducing SO2 emissions 
but consumes high volumes of water and has other dis-
advantages.  An  alternative  is  dry  desulphurisation,  but 
this involves use of hazardous absorbers and generates 
low-added value solid waste.

Project objectives

The LIFEPOSITIVEMgOFGD project will demonstrate that 
a new dry technology based on magnesium oxide rea-
gents can be an effective desulphurisation solution for 
magnesite processing, especially for facilities located in 
areas with limited water resources. The project will test 
at full scale a technique to treat the combustion gases 
of  a  magnesite  calcination  rotary  kiln  located  at  the 
beneficiary’s site in northern Greece, an area of limited 
water availability. The technique will generate waste in 
the form of a mixture of magnesium sulphate and mag-
nesium  oxide  powders,  which  will  be  used  to  produce 
fertilisers and construction materials.

Expected results
The  LIFEPOSITIVEMgOFGD  project  will  prove  the  effi-
ciency of a new dry flue gas desulphurisation technol-
ogy, with the following quantitative results:
•  A  total  reduction  in  sulphur  oxides  of  1  000-3  500 
miligrammes per normal cubic metre (Nm3), to reach 
an SOx level below 1 500 mg/Nm3;

L I F E 1 5   E N V / G R / 0 0 0 3 3 8 
L I F E P O S I T I V E M g O F G D

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Grecian Magnesite Mining Industrial Shipping and 
Commercial Company S.A.

Postal address
Michalakopoulou 45 
GR – 11528 Athens
GREECE
Phone  +30 2396022761
+30 2396022762
Fax 
t.zampetakis@grecianmagnesite.com
Email 

Name of contact person
Theofilos ZAMPETAKIS

Duration of project:
42 months (01/07/2016 – 31/12/2019)

Total budget in euro:
2,333,817.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,129,690.00 

•  A recovery rate of at least 75% of magnesium oxide 

sub-product from old mining waste;

•  A recovery rate of at least 90% of the generated solid 
waste, which will be used for the production of ferti-
lisers and construction materials;

•  A reduction of at least 40% in energy consumption, 

compared to wet technologies;

•  A reduction of at least 80% of the use of water, as 

compared to wet  flue gas desulphurisation;

•  Operation of a full-scale pilot installation, which will 
allow  technical  specifications  and  operating  param-
eters for optimum performance to be determined, so 
that the technique can be considered as a best avail-
able technique when the CLM BREF is revised; 

•  A  demonstration  that  the  dry  technology  can  be 
replicated  in  other  plants  because  of  the  reduced 
investment  requirements  and  operating  costs.  The 
technique also permits easy retrofitting of current in-
stallations, and produces a re-usable by-product; 
•  A life-cycle analysis to demonstrate the environmental 
and socio-economic benefits of the new technology; and
•  Promotion  of  the  project’s  results  to  the  magnesia 
sector and to other energy-intensive sectors that rely 
on fuels that contain sulphur.

MOnitoring ozone injury for seTTing 

new critical LEvelS

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 1 8 3 
L I F E   M O T T L E S

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR)

Postal address
Strada delle Cacce, 73 
I -  10135  Torino 
ITALY
Phone  +39 0555225591
+39 0555225666
Fax 
elena.paoletti@cnr.it
Email 

Name of contact person
Elena PAOLETTI

Duration of project:
48 months (01/07/2016 – 30/06/2020)

Total budget in euro:
1,838,406.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,079,093.00

management to maintain a healthy forest environment;
•  Scientifically-based  thresholds  and  critical  levels  to 
be  considered  as  new  legislative  standards  for  pro-
tecting forests from O3 pollution and for a long-term 
monitoring strategy;

•  Guidelines for sustainable forest management;
•  An  assessment  of  EU  regions’  exposure  and  vulner-

• 

ability to the effects of O3; and
Incorporation of the outputs into policy and manage-
ment  processes  for  forest  protection,  in  particular 
through  the  adoption  of  an  integrated  monitoring 
system, and through support for future EU air quality 
decision-making.

Project background

Climate change and air pollution are interlinked, repre-
senting a challenge for the management of forests. Eu-
ropean standards for the protection of ecosystems, in-
cluding forests, have been defined through experiments 
carried out under controlled conditions. Yet, research has 
highlighted  the  need  to  also  conduct  ‘open-air’  experi-
ments and epidemiological investigations based on ob-
servations with high temporal resolution (e.g. one hour 
intervals).  The monitoring of ozone (O3) concentrations 
(the  most  phytotoxic  air  pollutant  for  trees)  is  difficult 
at remote forest sites and the use of passive samplers 
is unavoidable. Moreover, such monitoring systems suf-
fer from low temporal resolution (e.g. two weeks to one 
month), making it impossible to correlate O3 data with 
epidemiological  observations.  Most  European  countries 
carry out forest monitoring, but the different approaches 
used make comparisons problematic. Therefore, there is 
a need for a harmonised and up-to-date European forest 
monitoring scheme for O3.

Project objectives

The  LIFE  MOTTLES  project  aims  to  define  scientifically 
based thresholds and critical levels for the protection of 
forests from O3 in the changing climate scenario. To do 
this,  it  will  set  up  an  integrated  system  of  monitoring 
stations for the continuous measurement of parameters 
affecting  the  sustainability  of  European  forest  ecosys-
tems. The system will be tested across three European 
countries.  These  tests  will  support  the  drawing  up  of 
recommendations and adaptive management strategies 
for  sustainable  forest  management  and  stimulate  the 
development of usable legislative standards for protect-
ing forests against O3.

Expected results
•  An innovative network of monitoring stations across 
Europe,  for  the  continuous  investigation  of  parame-
ters affecting the sustainability of forest ecosystems, 
in particular the O3-induced diseases on vegetation; 
•  The creation of open-access data for complete inte-
gration of the new network with the European Forest 
Data Centre and the Forest Information System of the 
European Commission;
Increased  knowledge  on  air  pollution  effects  on  for-
est resilience to support the drawing up of adaptive 
management strategies;

• 

•  Efficient and effective integrated policies and measures 
for  practical  implementation  of  a  sustainable  forest 

S.O.S. 4 LIFE - Save Our Soil for 

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 2 2 5 
S O S 4 L I F E

LIFE

Project background

The  vital  functioning  of  soil  is  prevented  by  sealing,  the 
covering  of  the  ground  by  an  impermeable  material  and 
a major cause of soil degradation in the EU. Soil sealing 
often  affects  fertile  agricultural  land,  puts  biodiversity  at 
risk, increases the risk of flooding and water scarcity and 
contributes to global warming. The Soil Thematic Strategy 
highlights the need to develop best practices to mitigate 
these negative effects while, the Roadmap to a Resource 
Efficient Europe proposes that by 2020 EU policies take into 
account their impact on land use with the aim of achiev-
ing  no  net  land  take  by  2050.  A  working  group  was  set 
up  to  focus  on  European  Guidelines  on  Best  Practices  to 
Reduce, Mitigate and Compensate Soil Sealing, though cur-
rent studies suggest that soil sealing is nearly irreversible. 

Project objectives

SOS4LIFE  is  a  demonstration  project  that  aims  to  im-
plement European regulations on soil protection defined 
by the European guidelines on best practices to reduce, 
mitigate and compensate soil sealing. The main objective 
of the project is to implement a viable regulatory frame-
work and planning tool to achieve, at municipal level, the 
‘no  net  land  take’  target  and  promote  de-sealing  inter-
ventions as a way of compensating for newly urbanised 
areas and improving urban resilience to climate change. 

SOS4LIFE aims to address the lack of tools and appro-
priate urban regulations for municipalities to counteract 
land take. The specific objectives of the project are to:
•  Evaluate  ecosystem  services  provided  by  urban  soils 
and  quantify  costs  and  impacts  caused  by  land  take 
and soil sealing, both in urban and rural contexts;

•  Define a viable regulatory framework and operational 
tools for achieving, at the municipal level, the no net 
land take target and for promoting urban regeneration;
•  Promote  and  practice  de-sealing  interventions  as  a 
way of compensating newly urbanised areas and im-
proving  urban  resilience  to  climate  change  through 
practical case study applications;

•  Give  methodological  bioclimatic  criteria  for  the  rede-

sign of the de-sealed open spaces;

•  Develop a Urban and Soil Decision Support System (US-
DSS)  to  be  adopted  by  municipalities  and  regions  for 
monitoring  land  use  change,  soil-sealed  areas,  urban 
regeneration processes and soil ecosystem services;
•  Transfer regulatory frameworks, tools and methods to 
other municipalities and local authorities both in Italy 
and elsewhere in Europe to allow for replication; and

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Comune di Forlì

Postal address
Piazza Saffi, 8 
I - 47121 Forlì
ITALY
Phone  +39 0543712913
+39 0543712014 
Fax 
peri@comune.forli.fc.it
Email 

Name of contact person
Claudia CASTELLUCCI

Duration of project:
40 months (01/07/2016 – 31/10/2019)

Total budget in euro:
1,788,749.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,060,551.00

•  Raise  awareness  of  the  need  to  safeguard  our  soils 
among decision-makers, technicians and local citizens.

Expected results
•  Definition and adoption by the three partner munici-
palities  of  a  viable  urban  regulatory  framework  for 
achieving the no net land take target through a bind-
ing soil compensation system;
Implementation  of  three  de-sealing  demonstration 
actions  in  urban  areas  for  a  total  amount  of  de-
sealed surface of 10 750 m2;

• 

•  Guidelines for topsoil removal and placement: in each 
area, a plot of de-sealed soil will have been preserved 
and used for monitoring activities;
Implementation of an US-DSS for the evaluation and 
monitoring,  at  municipal  level,  of  land-use  change, 
soil ecosystem services and disused areas; 

• 

•  Development of a benchmarking method, at national 
and European level, for the evaluation of ecosystem 
services provided by urban soils and for the assess-
ment of economic/environmental impacts caused by 
land take and soil sealing; and

•  Definition of guidelines for the management of urban 
soils  and  best  practices  to  improve  their  ecosystem 
services.

Noise Efficiently REduced by 

 recycleD pavEments

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 2 6 8 
L I F E   N E R E i D E

Project background

Noise pollution is a growing environmental concern. The 
Environmental Noise Directive requires the adoption of 
action plans to prevent and reduce environmental noise. 
Urban  noise  is,  in  fact,  one  of  the  main  problems  re-
ported  by  citizens,  and  the  World  Health  Organisation 
has  repeatedly  pointed  out  the  health  risks  associated 
with exposure to noise. The Noise in Europe 2014 report 
highlights  road  traffic  as  the  dominant  source  of  envi-
ronmental noise, with an estimated 125 million people 
affected by noise levels greater than 55 dB(A). One of 
the  most  popular  solutions  for  mitigating  noise  pollu-
tion  in  urban  areas  is  the  use  of  soundproofed  porous 
asphalt pavements as road surfaces.

Project objectives

The  overall  LIFE  NEREiDE  objective  is  to  demonstrate 
the use of new porous asphalt pavements and low-noise 
surfaces made of recycled asphalt from pavements and 
particles of rubber from scrap tyres. These materials will 
be mixed with binders to produce road surfaces with the 
following specific benefits:
•  Reduced disposal of waste materials, by using recycled 
materials, and a reduction in the use of new materials 
in line with the Circular Economy Action Plan and the 
Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe;
Improved sound performance compared with  material 
currently available;
Improved  safety  in  urban  areas  by  good  textured 
 surfaces and improved drainage; and

• 

• 

•  Less  air  pollution  through  the  improved  laying  of 

 asphalt.

The new road surfaces will be laid in two selected urban 
areas in Tuscany and tested with innovative device for 
measuring absorption. The effectiveness of the new road 
surfaces will be evaluated by measuring surface charac-
teristics and acoustic properties and by taking user sur-
veys. A secondary objective is to develop new techniques 
for monitoring performance of the new surfaces in order 
to improve the reliability of results. The effectiveness of 
the new asphalts will be monitored with reference to the 
response to noise before and after the tests.

The tests will lead to the development of specific guide-
lines to be used by road authorities in preparing specifi-
cations for the construction of new porous asphalt, low-
noise and low-carbon footprint surfaces. Guidelines will 
be  developed  in  order  to  upgrade  and  to  improve  the 

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Università di Pisa

Postal address
Lungarno Pacinotti, 43/44
I - 56126 Pisa
ITALY
Phone  +39 050 2218298
Fax 
Email 

N/A
pietro.leandri@ing.unipi.it

Name of contact person
Pietro LEANDRI

Duration of project:
43 months (01/09/2016 – 31/03/2020)

Total budget in euro:
2,764,673.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,118,799.00

methods currently available for assessing the effective-
ness of low-noise surfaces in urban areas.

Expected results:
•  The  recycling  of  around  24  000  kg  of  rubber  from 
end-of-life tyres (around 4 800 tyres) for the produc-
tion of at least 4 000 m of new asphalt pavements;
•  Additional  recycled  rubber  derived  from  the  use  of 
porous elastic road surfaces for a 400 m stretch of 
the new pavements;

•  The use 25-50% of reclaimed asphalt pavement ma-
terial in the production of the new road surfaces;
•  Reduction  of  urban  noise  pollution  in  the  selected 
sites  by  at  least  5  dB(A)  compared  with  traditional 
road surfaces, and 2 dB(A) compared to other tradi-
tional porous asphalt surfaces;
Increased surface friction (more than 20%) with im-
provements in safety;

• 

•  New asphalt surface shown to be laid at temperatures 
of 30-40°C less than the temperatures used for rubber 
modified  asphalts,  reducing  by  30%  the  emissions  of 
polluting  polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; and

•  A  life-cycle  assessment  of  the  new  materials,  their 
efficiency and effectiveness in terms of noise and air 
pollution reduction.

BrennerLEC - Brenner Lower 

 Emissions Corridor

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 2 8 1 
L I F E   B r e n n e r L E C

Project background

Road transport is responsible for around 60% of nitro-
gen oxides (NOx) emissions. For the regional section of 
the A22 highway in Italy, it causes 41% of NOx emis-
sions.  The  EU’s  ambient  Air  Quality  Directive  provided 
for the development of plans to limit NOx emissions by 
2015. Sustainable mobility foresees the implementation 
of different components that are essential for meeting 
air quality standards, such as the creation of low emis-
sion  zones  (LEZs).  New  concepts  of  high-impact  LEZs 
represent not only a concrete answer to local air quality 
issues,  but  they  can  also  contribute  to  climate  change 
mitigation. 

Dynamic  road  capacity  and  integrated  traffic  manage-
ment measures address the optimisation of traffic flow 
on  the  highway,  and  even  on  other  neighbouring  road 
networks, with the goal of minimising associated energy 
consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The objec-
tive is to reach a new overall equilibrium within a road 
transport system that is able to ensure the same levels 
of mobility freedom, but with a significantly lower car-
bon footprint.

Project objectives

The long-term objective of the LIFE BrennerLEC project 
is to apply a holistic concept of a low emission corridor 
(LEC)  for  the  A22  highway.  The  project  aims  to  imple-
ment  and  validate  a  set  of  measures  to  provide  clear 
environmental  benefits.  It  will  also  carry  out  exten-
sive  monitoring  to  consolidate  a  knowledge  base  and 
the  development  of  environmental  policy  and  legisla-
tion in highway environments. After the creation of the 
 pilot-scale Brenner LEC, the project team will determine 
speed limits in the area based on forecasts of pollutant 
concentrations and traffic flows. Such pollutant forecasts 
will  be  carried  out  using  an  innovative  meteorological 
and pollutant dispersion model, while forecasts of traffic 
flows  will  be  done  with  transport  flux  models.  Specifi-
cally, the project aims to:
•  Manage speed limits applied to light vehicles as a func-
tion of the current and predicted air quality conditions;
•  Manage road capacity by opening a temporary third 

lane during peak traffic conditions; and

•  Manage integrated traffic based on current and pre-

dicted conditions.

Expected results
•  Recommendations  for  extending  the  LEC  approach 
to the Alpine corridor of the A22 highway and from 

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Autostrada del Brennero S.p.A./Brennerautobahn AG

Postal address
Via Berlino
I - 38121 Trento
ITALY
Phone  +39 0461212611 
+39 0461234976
Fax:  
ilaria.debiasi@autobrennero.it
Email:  

Name of contact person
Ilaria DE BIASI

Duration of project:
56 months (01/09/2016 – 30/04/2021)

Total budget in euro:
4,018,005.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,922,772.00

there to the whole alpine corridor transiting through 
the Brenner Pass from Affi to Kufstein;

•  Adoption  of  dynamic  speed  limit  management 
measures:  reduction  of  NOx  emissions  by  about 
20%; reduction of CO2 emissions by about 10%; av-
erage reduction of NO2 concentrations of about 5%; 
reduction of noise levels by about 1-2 dB; and im-
provement  in  the  state-of-art  efficiency  of  existing 
measures;

•  Adoption  of  dynamic  road  capacity  management 
measures: reduction of air pollutant emissions and 
greenhouse  gases  by  up  to  40%  for  light  vehicles 
and 60% for heavy vehicles;

•  Adoption of dynamic integrated traffic management 
measures:  if  jointly  evaluated  with  the  balance  of 
the city, emissions reductions expected to be of the 
same  order  of  magnitude  as  foreseen  for  dynamic 
road capacity management measures;

•  Development of an LEC system that can be scaled 

up to the whole Alpine BLEC;

•  Definition  of  an  executive  plan  that  indicates  how 
the verified measures can be replicated in the whole 
Alpine LEC; and

•  At  least  70%  of  highway  users  respecting  the 

 measures.

Industrial pilot plant for semisolid 

process route with eco-compatible 

feedstock materials

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 3 0 3 
L I F E   C R A L

Project background

Lightweight vehicles have a strategic role to play in EU 
environmental policy. Lightweight aluminium alloys the 
current frontier for light components, are becoming more 
widely  adopted.  Massive  and  complex-shaped  compo-
nents are produced by cast aluminium, which competes 
with  the  heavier  cast  iron  and  more  commonly  nowa-
days with magnesium alloys, which though much lighter 
require the use of gases, such as sulphur hexafluoride, 
in the casting process. This gas is an extremely potent 
greenhouse gas that is also risky and expensive for in-
dustries. While automakers are pushed by stringent EU 
policies to produce light vehicles for reducing emissions, 
there  is  no  evidence  to  suggest  that  light  components 
reduce  total  CO2  emissions  over  their  entire  life-cycle. 
The environmental costs of the aluminium and magnesi-
um casting process completely nullify the environmental 
benefits of a lightweight component.

Project objectives

The LIFE CRAL project’s main objective is to design and 
create a pilot line on a pre-industrial scale, which is able 
to  produce  high-quality,  lightweight  components  from 
recycled low-purity (<95%) aluminium and the new eco-
magnesium (ECO-Mg) alloys in a safe and clean manner. 
For the first time in the automotive sector, the pilot line 
will introduce the semisolid technology for metal casting 
based on a more sustainable process. The specific objec-
tives of the project are to:
•  Design, build, set up and monitor an innovative pilot 
line for producing braking system components using 
semisolid technology for casting;

•  Substantially  reduce  the  emissions  caused  by  the 
production of alloys by using recycled aluminium and 
ECO-Mg; 

•  Completely avoid highly polluting gases in the mag-

nesium casting process; 

•  Conduct  analyses  of  the  environmental  technology 
impacts and a life-cycle assessment, in order to eval-
uate the entire ‘cradle-to-exit’ environmental impacts 
of the project’s process; and
Influence eco-labelling legislation. 

• 

Expected results
•  Production of samples of braking system components, 
by using recycled low-purity aluminium with the same 
or  superior  mechanical  performance  as  convention-
ally cast products, in order to achieve tensile strength 

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
FRENI BREMBO SpA

Postal address
Via Brembo, 25 
I - 24035 Curno (BG)
ITALY
Phone  +39 035 6052555
Fax 
Email 

N/A
elizabeth_guidi@brembo.it

Name of contact person
Alessandro CIOTTI

Duration of project:
42 months (01/07/2016 – 31/12/2019)

Total budget in euro:
3,227,341.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,850,700.00

and  ductility  of  new  components  that  are  equal  or 
better than series components; 

•  Parts for vehicles produced with the new ECO-Mg pro-

cessed with semisolid technology;

•  Elimination  of  the  potential  for  acidification  of  any 
chemicals  currently  used  in  primary  aluminium  pro-
duction;

•  Elimination of Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential, 
which is produced by the reaction of NOx and volatile 
organic compounds under the influence of UV light;

•  Reduction of the water scarcity footprint; 
•  Reduction of at least 85% of the CO2 emissions as-
sociated with Al alloy and at least 60% of those as-
sociated with ECO-Mg alloy;

•  A contribution to the introduction of the demonstrat-
ed  technology  in  other  industries  and  the  raising  of 
awareness  of  policy-makers  of  the  environmental 
costs of the metal alloys in terms of cradle-to-grave 
life-cycle as outlined in the EU Circular Economy poli-
cy package.

Pilot technology for  aerobic 

 BIodegradation of spent 

TMAH Photoresist  solution in 

 Semiconductor industries

Project background

The European Union’s Water Framework Directive (WFD) 
states that its “ultimate aim is to achieve the elimina-
tion of priority hazardous substances and contribute to 
achieving concentrations in the environment near back-
ground values for naturally occurring substances”. Some 
of  these  substances  are  synthetic  organic  chemicals 
that come from industrial activities.

A large amount of wastewater containing tetramethyl-
ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) is generated each year in 
Europe  by  electronics  and  semiconductor  manufactur-
ers. Because of the toxic properties of TMAH, the current 
limit of 7 milligrammes per litre (mg/L) is considered too 
high for adequate protection of aquatic ecosystems. In-
dustrial streams containing TMAH require further treat-
ment before they can be discharged into drainage sys-
tems.  Current  approaches  to  treatment  of  wastewater 
containing  TMAH  entail  high  costs  for  companies  and 
negative environmental impacts.

Project objectives

The BITMAPS project will establish a pilot plant that will 
demonstrate a new and never-before attempted process 
for the treatment of effluents from electronics and semi-
conductor manufacturing. 

The project will contribute to the implementation of the 
WFD by introducing more efficient treatment technolo-
gies that will help reduce TMAH pollution at source. By 
recycling wastewater, it will also demonstrate the appli-
cation in practice of the circular economy priority of wa-
ter re-use and savings in industrial processes. Moreover, 
in  proposing  a  more  efficient,  effective  and  innovative 
solution for industrial wastewater treatment, the project 
will  also  contribute  to  one  of  the  priority  areas  of  the 
European Innovation Partnership on Water.

The project’s specific objectives are to:
•  Design, construct, and validate a pilot plant for treat-
ment of effluent from electronics and semiconductor 
manufacturing  that  contains  photoresist/TMAH  (PR/
TMAH), ammonium fluoride solution, and nitric, acetic 
and hydrofluoric mixed solutions;

•  Demonstrate the use of microorganisms to facilitate 

TMAH biodegradation;

•  Demonstrate the financial viability of the process us-

ing a life-cycle costing method;

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 3 3 2 
L I F E   B I T M A P S

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
LFoundry S.r.l.

Postal address
Via Pacinotti, 7
I - 67051 Avezzano (AQ) 
ITALY
Phone  +39 0863423130
Fax  
Email 

N/A
francesco.difiore@lfoundry.com

Name of contact person
Francesco DI Fiore

Duration of project:
30 months (01/07/2016 – 31/12/2018)

Total budget in euro:
1,676,923.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,003,753.00

•  Demonstrate more-efficient water management and 
evaluate the re-use of treated wastewater in the in-
dustrial plant;

•  Increase  awareness  of  environmental  issues  among 
electronics  and  semiconductor  manufacturers,  influ-
encing industrial investments in innovative and safer 
technologies.

Expected results
•  Demonstrate  biodegradation  of  PR/TMAH  with  an 

overall efficiency target of 99%;

•  Demonstrate reduction of the TMAH level in wastewa-
ter by a factor of almost 20 (from 7 mg/L to 0.4 mg/L);
•  Treat at least 500 m3/year of wastewater containing 
PR/TMAH,  20  m3/year  of  ammonium  fluoride  and  5 
tonnes/year of acid mixture;

•  Show  a  reduction  in  site  water  consumption  from 

6 000 m3/year to 1 500 m3/year;

•  Realise operational savings from a 100% reduction in 
TMAH waste disposal costs, and a halving of the cost 
of reagents; and

•  Propose  new  quality  standards  and  guidelines  for 
wastewater  discharged  from  electronics  and  semi-
conductor  manufacturing  plants  -  helping  policy-
makers to fill the regulatory gaps on TMAH emissions.

New model of circular economy 

that also predisposes the use of 

waste materials in other industries

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 3 6 9 
L I F E   E C L A T

Project background

Hard-wearing  countertops  and  tiles  for  kitchens  and 
bathrooms are manufactured from ceramic or polymer-
ic/composite materials. Both materials, however, present 
environmental  problems.  The  use  of  ceramic  produces 
large  amounts  of  waste,  while  countertops  made  with 
composite materials – i.e. crushed stone bound together 
by a synthetic adhesive (e.g. epoxy and polyester resins) 
– are barely recyclable because their basic components 
cannot  be  separated.  Both  manufacturing  processes 
require  large  amounts  of  natural  stones  (marbles  and 
quartz).  In  2007,  the  overall  volume  of  stones  used  in 
the  EU  was  some  1.1  billion  m2,  an  increase  of  more 
than  18%  on  the  amount  used  in  2005.  The  waste 
generated  in  the  manufacture  of  one  square  metre  of 
composite countertop is estimated to be 1.3 kg of resin-
contaminated waste, 3 l in finishing operations and 4 kg 
of cuttings from sizing operations. 

Project objectives

The LIFE ECLAT project’s main objective is to close the 
loop of the manufacturing cycle of ceramic countertops 
and  tiles  in  line  with  the  Circular  Economy  Action  Plan 
and  the  Roadmap  to  a  Resource  Efficient  Europe.  This 
starts with the incoming atomised powders, leading to 
the finished products by means of mechanical and ther-
mal processes, and finally to the recycling of end-of-life 
products through re-use by deconstruction operations.

The project will introduce an innovative forming process 
using belt-pressing of atomised powders that have un-
dergone prior decoration using a dry inkjet-system. Once 
the  initial  ceramic  slab  is  formed,  it  is  cut  to  size  and 
polished before firing. So, any possible waste generated 
during machining operations can be directly re-used in 
the  same  manufacturing  process.  A  simple  ‘green  cut-
ting’ operation (using diamond-coated pure steel tools) 
brings the slab to the desired size and the excess parts 
can  be  used  in  other  formats,  or  directly  recycled  on 
site. The reverse side of the new ceramic slabs will be 
smoother which will facilitate both installation and dis-
mantling.  Packaging  will  also  improved  to  avoid  any 
generation of waste or additional use of resources.

Expected results
•  A  reduction  of  0.9  kg/m2  of  cutting  and  polishing 
sludge (on a dry base) and around 2.5 kg/m2 of fired 
scraps (broken during cutting, or defective slabs);

•  A saving of 0.8 m3 water/m2 of slabs;

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Ceramica Fondovalle S.p.A.

Postal address
Via Rio Piodo 12 - Torre Maina
I - 41053 Maranello (MO)
ITALY
Phone  +39 053 6934211
+39 0536934250
Fax 
r.mantovani@fondovalle.it
Email 

Name of contact person
Vito Antonio REMIGIO

Duration of project:
36 months (01/10/2016 – 30/09/2019)

Total budget in euro:
3,488,453.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,815,451.00

•  Lower  energy  consumption,  estimated  at  less  than 
50% in cutting and polishing, with at least 40% long-
er diamond wheel life and 90% longer mole life;

•  Up to 40% usage of recycled raw materials, including 
reclaimed  end-of-life  products  from  dismantling  of 
existing installations (9.2 kg/m2, equivalent to 358.8 
tonnes/year);

•  Complete  recyclability  of  the  final  product  and  its 
 re-use  in  the  manufacturing  process,  requiring  only 
milling operations;

•  Full  recycling  of  powders  generated  during  cutting 
and polishing, by simple remixing and re-pressing in 
the basic material;

•  30%  increase  in  productivity  during  the  cutting  and 
polishing  operations,  due  to  the  lower  wear-resist-
ance of the pressed slabs;

•  A 40% cost saving in packaging for an average 1x1 m 

slab; and

•  Fewer CO2 emissions of an estimated 13.74 kg/m2 of 

slab (430 tonnes of CO2/year).

All figures are calculated on a pilot demonstration line of 
130 m2/day operating 300 days/year.

Reliable and innovative technology 

for the realization of a  sustainable 

MARINe And coastal seabed 

 management PLAN

Project background

Harbours and tidal inlets on coastal areas are subject to 
a gradual deposition of littoral materials. Without main-
tenance of the seabed, they become unsuitable for com-
mercial  use.  Traditional  management  involved  the  me-
chanical withdrawal of the sediments or the construction 
of marine infrastructure, such as entrance banks and sea-
wards, in order to stabilise the seabed. The use of dredging 
equipment is the most common solution adopted, since it 
ensures improved navigability. In the EU, around 200-250 
million tonnes (dry weight) of material is dredged in the 
marine  environment  every  year.  Dredging,  however,  has 
a high environmental impact on marine flora and fauna, 
and contributes to the mobilisation of contaminants and 
pollutants. It is also costly. Innovative solutions are thus 
required in order to ensure the seabeds of port inlets are 
sustainably maintained. 

The port of Cervia in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna 
undergoes cyclical inlet silting. Relevant data on port ba-
thymetries  (underwater  depth)  is  available,  in  particular 
from 2009 onwards. Earlier technological solutions, such 
as  seasonal  dredging  and  sand  handling  through  boat 
propellers  and  lengthening  of  the  docks  (completed  in 
2009), have not solved the problem. The Integrated Mari-
time  Policy  seeks  to  provide  a  more  coherent  approach 
to  maritime  issues,  promoting  increased  coordination 
among different policy areas, such as blue growth, marine 
data and knowledge, maritime spatial planning, integrat-
ed maritime surveillance and sea basin strategies. 

Project objectives

The  main  aim  of  the  LIFE  MARINAPLAN  PLUS  project  is 
to  scale  up  an  innovative  and  environmentally  sustain-
able technology for marine and coastal management. This 
technology has been designed in order to avoid the tradi-
tional collection of littoral materials near the entrance of 
harbours,  through  the  use  of  submerged  and  static  de-
vices called ejectors, which are fed by pressurised water. 
Ejectors deliver a mixture of water and sediments through 
a  pipe  to  suitable  areas  where  sediments  do  not  repre-
sent an obstacle to navigation. As a result, no turbidity or 
re-suspension is produced both near the ejectors and at 
discharge  pipeline  outlets,  in  compliance  with  the  Water 
Framework Directive (WFD), which aims to prevent the de-
terioration of aquatic ecosystems including coastal water 
areas. Plant discharge pipeline outlets are located in ma-
rine currents in order to enable the natural removal of the 
sediment.  Therefore,  the  ejectors  simply  move  the  sedi-

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 3 9 1 
L I F E   M A R I N A P L A N   P L U S

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
TREVI S.P.A.

Postal address
Via Dismano, 5819
I – 47522 Cesena
ITALY
Phone  + 39 0547319579
+ 39 0547319153
Fax 
gpreda@trevispa.com
Email 

Name of contact person
Giovanni PREDA

Duration of project:
39 months (01/10/2016 – 31/12/2019)

Total budget in euro:
2,519,245.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,452,807.00 

ments that are naturally transported by marine currents 
from  a  critical  position  to  another  one  where  sediments 
can  be  taken  by  the  same  current  to  somewhere  where 
sediments do not constitute an obstruction to navigation..

Expected results
•  An industrial scale modular plant for the maintenance 

of the seabed;

•  A  demonstration  industrial-scale  plant  for  seabed 

maintenance in the port of Cervia;

•  A management plan that has been drawn up to pay 
particular attention to the potential replicability of the 
system. This plan will promote the sustainable man-
agement  of  the  sediment,  avoiding  physical  losses 
and  physical  damage  and  reducing  disturbance,  in 
particular underwater noise;

•  Guaranteed access for boats to the port throughout 

the year;

•  A  55%  reduction  of  the  yearly  costs  of  maintaining 

the seabed; and

•  Environmental and economic benefits: the demo plant 
will be monitored to verify its impact on marine flora 
and fauna (a sea floor integrity assessment and under-
sea noise measurements will be carried out). The target 
is to obtain a reduction of about 3.5 tonnes CO2/yr.

VITiculture Innovative Soil Organic 

Matter management: variable-rate 

distribution system and monitoring 

of impacts

Project background

In Europe, there is a general lack of knowledge about 
the  diverse  functions  of  soils,  and  in  particular  about 
the best available measures for their improvement and 
conservation.  In  the  specific  case  of  vineyards,  which 
have  both  economic  and  landscape  value  in  Europe, 
there are several soil management problems that are 
often  not  adequately  addressed  at  local  or  national 
level. These include erosion, decrease of organic mat-
ter content, compaction, contamination and restoration 
of carbon soil content. Modern viticulture is responsible 
for organic matter decline in vineyard soils, with transi-
tions to intensive farming systems causing an increase 
in mechanisation and a reduction in row spacing that 
result in greater soil compaction.

Project objectives

The  objective  of  the  VITISOM  LIFE  project  is  to  intro-
duce  an  innovative  organic  fertilisation  system  as  a 
strategy  to  enhance  vineyard  soil  protection,  in  line 
with the EU Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection. The 
project  aims  to  support  sustainable  soil  management 
in  the  viticulture  sector,  through  the  development  of 
a  variable-rate  technology  for  organic  fertilisation  in 
vineyards. The project also aims to provide cost-effec-
tive  solutions  for  the  improvement  of  existing  viticul-
ture practices in order to promote the conservation of 
the environmental functions of soils.  Its  methodology 
supports the transition to more sustainable farming, as 
well as the prevention of soil erosion and organic mat-
ter  decline  in  the  viticulture  sector.  The  main  specific 
objectives are to:
•  Construct  and  implement  five  prototypes,  each 
adapted to a specific pilot context and tested using 
different organic matrices (e.g. compost, manure, di-
gestate);
Improve the quality of vineyard soils in terms of soil 
structure, organic matter content and biodiversity, to 
help prevent erosion, compaction and organic mat-
ter decline;
Increase  vine  production  and  upgrade  grape  and 
wine quality, with a possible positive economic im-
pact  owing to improved soil fertility;

• 

• 

•  Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from vine-
yard  soils,  in  particular  in  terms  of  N2O  emissions, 
due to the increase of soil carbon sequestration; and 
•  Define  a  complete  framework  for  vineyard  organic 
matter management and the exchange of best prac-
tices. 

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 3 9 2 
V I T I S O M   L I F E

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Università degli Studi di Milano

Postal address
Via Festa del Perdono
I - 20122 Milano
ITALY
Phone  +39 0250316562
Fax 
Email 

N/A
leonardo.valenti@unimi.it

Name of contact person
Leonardo VALENTI

Duration of project:
42 months (01/07/2016 – 31/12/2019)

Total budget in euro:
1,971,711.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,178,912.00

Expected results
•  Design and assembly of five innovative fertilisation pro-
totypes  for  the  distribution  of  organic  matter  in  vine-
yards and their testing in five pilot areas with different 
environmental and agricultural conditions; 

•  An average increase at the end of the project of 5% of 
the organic matter in the soils where the prototypes are 
tested;

•  An increase of soil biodiversity of about 5%;
•  Around 10% reduction in GHG emissions from vineyard 

soils compared to chemical fertilisers;

•  Around 10% reduction in odour emissions from the dis-

tribution of organic fertilisers;

•  A reduction of costs of at least 20% related to organic 

matter distribution;

•  Evaluation of the socio-economic impacts of the project;
•  Quantification of the pilot vineyards’ carbon footprint;
•  Publication of a manual on good practices in vineyard 
organic matter management, and a green paper on a 
European strategy for vineyard soil and ecosystem pro-
tection; and
Increased awareness of sustainable viticulture, with at 
least  100  European  farms,  10  public  authorities  and 
about 5 000 wine consumers reached.

• 

Bioremediation and  revegetation 

to restore the public use of 

 contaminated land

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 3 9 6 
L I F E - B I O R E S T

Project background

Contamination  by  hazardous  substances  is  one  of  the 
main causes of soil degradation and loss of terrestrial 
ecosystem services. In the European Union, there are 42 
potentially  contaminated  sites  and  5.7  contaminated 
sites per 10 000 inhabitants. Around 340 000 sites re-
quire remediation. So far, only 15% of known contami-
nated sites have been remediated.

The  most  common  soil  contaminants  in  Europe  are 
heavy  metals,  mineral  oils,  polycyclic  aromatic  hy-
drocarbons  (PAHs)  and  mixtures  of  benzene,  toluene, 
ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX). Mineral oils, PAHs and 
BTEX make up 45% of the inventory of contaminants 
in Europe. Contamination from these three categories 
is widespread in all EU countries, particularly Belgium, 
Hungary,  Italy,  Lithuania  and  the  Netherlands,  and  in 
non-EU  country  Montenegro.  Contamination  is  mainly 
linked to sites used for service stations and by the oil 
industry. Excavation of contaminated soils and disposal 
in landfills is currently the most common remediation 
technique.

Project objectives

The LIFE-BIOREST project aims to provide a viable meth-
od that uses fungal and bacterial strains for the in situ 
bioremediation of contaminated sites. The approach will 
be used to bioremediate soil from a site at Fidenza in 
northern  Italy,  reducing  the  presence  of  contaminants 
to within threshold limits for residential and public use, 
while restoring the ecological functions of the site. The 
project will also assess the cost effectiveness and rep-
licability  of  the  remediation  methods,  and  will  demon-
strate the feasibility of scaling up to industrial level the 
production of micro-organisms that are used for biore-
mediation.

The project will also produce bioremediation guidelines, 
enabling  the  transfer  to  other  locations  of  the  tech-
niques used; it will promote awareness of microbiologi-
cal remediation of contaminated sites.

LIFE-BIOREST is in line with the EU Soil Thematic Strat-
egy, which, among other things, calls for research into, 
and  development  of,  operational  procedures  and  tech-
nologies for  soil protection and restoration.  It  also has 
the potential to contribute to the EU Biodiversity Strat-
egy  for  2020,  which  includes  a  target  related  to  the 
restoration of degraded ecosystems. In addition, it will 

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Consorzio Italbiotec

Postal address
Via Albert Einstein
I - 26900 Lodi
ITALY
Phone  +39 392 4751449 
Fax 
Emai 

N/A 
ilaria.re@italbiotec.it

Name of contact person
Ilaria RE

Duration of project:
36 months (01/07/2016 – 30/06/2019)

Total budget in euro:
1,710,267.00

EU contribution in euro:
968,274.00

contribute  to  the  implementation  of  circular  economy 
principles  by  using  agricultural  waste  and  by-products 
from biogas production to promote microbial action at 
contaminated sites.

Expected results
•  Establishment of a collection of bacterial and fungal 
strains  that  are  able  to  degrade  alkanes,  PAHs  and 
BTEX, in combination with use of organic by-products;
•  Scaling up to industrial level the production of micro-

organisms for the treatment of polluted sites;

•  Demonstration of bioremediation of about 400 cubic 

metres of soil from the Fidenza site;

•  Guidelines on the use of micro-organisms for the re-
mediation of contaminated land, enabling transfer of 
the  approach  to  other  sites  polluted  by  petroleum-
related hydrocarbons; 

•  Demonstration of a reduction in the concentration of 
soil pollutants to levels compatible with residential or 
public use;

•  Re-establishment  of  vegetation  on  the  treated  soil, 
showing that it can be used for the cultivation of dif-
ferent plant species; and

•  Chemical,  microbiological  and  eco-toxicological  indi-

cators of the quality of remediated soils.

A new environment-friendly 

 manufacturing approach for 

 marine antifouling coating

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 4 1 7 
L I F E   P a i n t - i t

Project background

Fouling is the unwanted growth of biological material 
- such as barnacles and algae - on surfaces of struc-
tures immersed in water, such as the hulls of ships. If 
not  properly  treated,  ship  hulls  become  covered  with 
numerous  organisms,  and  this  undesired  colonisation 
has  severe  consequences.  The  main  effects  on  ships 
are surface deterioration, speed loss, reduced manoeu-
vrability  and  an  increase  in  fuel  consumption,  which 
results in a global environmental impact that has been 
estimated at about 384 million tonnes of CO2 eq. and 
3.6 million tonnes of SO2 emissions per year. 

A  secondary  effect  of  fouling  is  the  displacement  of 
unwanted  foreign  species  into  non-native  habitats. 
Standard maintenance and prevention techniques cur-
rently use anti-fouling paints, which are mainly based 
on a continuous release of biocides and most common-
ly  contain  copper  compounds.  These  paints  therefore 
release  chemicals  into  the  sea,  with  strong  repercus-
sions  for  the  environment.  The  leaching  copper  from 
anti-fouling  paints  has  been  estimated  at  around  5 
000 tonnes per year. In addition, a large amount of tox-
ic  anti-fouling  paint  residues  and  waste  is  generated 
during  the  repairing  and  dismantling  of  ships.  Market 
support  for  the  growth  of  biocide-free  alternatives  is 
urgently needed.

Project objectives

The  objective  of  the  LIFE  Paint-it  project  is  to  dem-
onstrate  a  new  manufacturing  process  at  the  pre-in-
dustrial scale capable of producing safe and innovative 
high-quality, anti-fouling paints for naval applications. 
The project intends to completely eliminate the use of 
biocides  in  favour  of  a  physical  anti-fouling  mode  of 
action,  instead  of  chemical  action,  with  positive  envi-
ronmental  benefits  for  the  marine  environment.  The 
project  aims  to  overcome  the  complex  synthesis  of 
amphiphilic painting materials, thus demonstrating the 
effectiveness of a new approach to their manufacture 
through the use of hybrid organic/inorganic resins. The 
amphiphilic  surface  is  a  combination  of  hydrophobic 
and hydrophilic surfaces and is capable of disorienting 
the  growth  of  marine  species  on  ship  hulls.  The  pro-
ject will also avoid a large amount of toxic anti-fouling 
paint  residues  and  wastes  that  are  generated  during 
the ship repairing and dismantling processes.

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Università degli studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”

Postal address
Via Orazio Raimondo, 18
I - 00133 Roma
ITALY
Phone  +39 3289816259
Fax 
+39 0672597145 
Email  massimiliano.barletta@uniroma2.it

Name of contact person
Massimiliano BARLETTA

Duration of project:
42 months (01/10/2016 – 31/03/2020)

Total budget in euro:
5,712,506.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,288,163.00

Expected results
•  Demonstration of a new paint on ship hulls that does 
not have the same adverse impact on the maritime 
ecosystem;

•  The  elimination  of  biocides,  with  the  avoidance  of 
toxic  biocide  waste  and  copper  entering  the  ma-
rine  environment  as  a  result  of  hull  maintenance 
 activities;

•  Reductions  in  CO2  emissions  of  up  to  19.2  million 

tonnes CO2 eq.; 

•  Savings of up to 112 500 litres of fuel per year for 

a single vessel of 30-40 metres;

•  An  analysis  of  the  European  market  to  define  all 
fields  of  application  of  the  innovative  solution  and 
the socio-economic impacts of its wider replication;
•  Development  of  a  new  generation  of  amphiphilic 
materials  with  effective  environmentally  safe  anti-
fouling features;
Implementation of a new pilot plant to manufacture 
large batches of anti-fouling formulation;

• 

•  Production of prototypes of anti-fouling paint with-

out using chemicals; and

•  Testing  of  the  innovative  anti-fouling  materials  in 

close-to-real environmental conditions.

Smart water and soil salinity 

 management in agro-wetlands

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 4 2 3 
L I F E   A G R O W E T L A N D S   I I

Project background

Wetlands are highly productive yet fragile ecosystems. 
They are used as a source of water for irrigation in ag-
riculture, leading to increased pressure on wetlands and 
salinisation (the accumulation of soluble salts) of wet-
land soils.

In  Mediterranean  regions,  wetlands  are  particularly 
vulnerable  to  salinisation.  First,  wetlands  are  generally 
located in low-lying areas, where drainage is restricted 
and  salts  concentrate  in  aquifers.  Second,  the  arid  to 
semi-arid  Mediterranean  climate  is  characterised  by 
high evapotranspiration and low precipitation, which in-
creases the evapo-concentration of salts. Increased wa-
ter and soil salinity in coastal wetlands areas has direct 
effects  on  agriculture  and  on  natural  habitats.  Effects 
include reductions in and changes to plant biodiversity, 
reductions in wetland dry biomass, and habitat loss.

Project objectives

The LIFE AGROWETLANDS II project will test an innova-
tive technological solution – the SMART-AGROWETLAND 
management system – to reduce water and soil salini-
sation  in  agricultural  wetland  ecosystems.  The  system 
will  be  applied  in  a  pilot  area  located  on  the  northern 
Italian  Adriatic  coast  that  is  affected  by  a  high  degree 
of soil salinisation. The site is located near two Natura 
2000  network  site  areas  that  are  part  of  the  regional 
Park  of  the  Po  Delta,  and  is  also  listed  in  the  Ramsar 
Convention on Wetlands.

By  applying  the  technology,  the  project  will  contribute 
to the objectives of the EU Soil Thematic Strategy and 
the EU Water Framework Directive, preventing soil deg-
radation, increasing the efficiency of water use, reducing 
the vulnerability of water resources to climate change, 
reducing  soil  salinity  and  protecting  wetlands  and  the 
aquatic ecosystem.

In the pilot area, the project will:
•  Conserve water used for irrigation and minimise sa-
linisation  of  soils  and  water  while  maintaining  agri-
cultural productivity;

•  Design  and  implement  a  wireless  sensor  network 
(WSN) to control (i) the amount and salinity of irriga-
tion and drainage waters; (ii) soil salinity and water 
content; and (iii) water-table depth;

•  Design and implement a web-based decision support 
system that automatically scans data from the WSN 

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna

Postal address
Via Zamboni, 33
I - 40126 Bologna
ITALY
Phone  +39 0512096675
Fax 
Email  maria.speranza@unibo.it

N/A

Name of contact person
Maria SPERANZA

Duration of project:
46 months (01/09/2016 – 30/06/2020)

Total budget in euro:
939,431.00

EU contribution in euro:
559,591.00   

and provides irrigation recommendations; and

•  Demonstrate  that  the  technology  is  transferable  to 
other areas used for irrigation that are threatened by 
salinisation.

Expected results
• 

Implementation of a decision support system for sus-
tainable  water  and  soil  salinity  management,  which 
will  help  farmers  and  water  managers  adopt  the 
most adequate irrigation plans;
Increased production of crops with medium-high salt 
tolerance;

• 

•  Reduced  soil  salinity  by  20%,  reaching  a  range  ad-
equate for the conservation of wetland habitats;

•  15% reduction in the amount of water used for crop 

production;

•  30% reduction in the costs of acquisition and opera-

tion of sensors; and

•  Scaled  up  water  management  to  irrigation  sectors, 
taking into account water quality and the impact on 
the surrounding environment, and resulting in a 20% 
reduction in the related water footprint.

Boosting Regulatory Advantages 

Vis à vis Emas Registration

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 5 0 9 
L I F E   B . R . A . V. E . R .

Project background

Eco-Management  and  Audit  Scheme  (EMAS)  is  an  EU-
level management tool designed to help registered or-
ganisations  enhance  their  environmental  performance 
and  credibility.  EMAS  operates  through  incentives  that 
reward  organisations  that  make  commitments  to  sus-
tainability.  The  European  Commission  has  initiated  a 
process to improve and simplify existing environmental 
legislation. One aim is to encourage more organisations 
to  join  voluntary  environmental  certification  schemes 
such as EMAS. This approach was previously applied in 
the B.R.A.V.E. project (LIFE10 ENV/IT/000423); B.R.A.V.E.R. 
is a continuation.

Project objectives

The main objective of the LIFE B.R.A.V.E.R. project is to 
support  the  full  integration  of  EMAS  into  EU  environ-
mental legislation, by reducing and simplifying the ad-
ministrative costs and burdens of EMAS-registered com-
panies. B.R.A.V.E.R. will increase measures for regulatory 
relief to support EMAS adoption in more countries and 
regions and in cases where no EMAS simplification ac-
tivities or regulatory relief measures have to date been 
implemented. In particular, the project aims to test and 
disseminate a new approach to EMAS, outlining new op-
portunities to promote the adoption of ‘soft instruments’ 
among companies. This new method is based on evalu-
ating new regulation and regulatory relief proposals, and 
assessing their feasibility and their cost effectiveness for 
organisations and institutions. Tests will be carried out 
at  both   regional  and  national  levels,  and  will  refer  to 
specific socio-economic contexts.

Specifically, the project aims to demonstrate that:
• 

‘Better regulation’ in environmental policies is possi-
ble  if  voluntary  certification  schemes  are  effectively 
and proactively used in the development and revision 
of legislation;

•  These measures are feasible for all EU Member States 

and practicable at the EU regulatory level;

•  The adoption of an environmental management system 
can foster compliance with environmental legislation;
•  Organisations  that  apply  voluntary  certification 
schemes, such as EMAS, deserve administrative regu-
latory relief and incentives;

•  The implementation of better regulation and regula-
tory relief can lead to benefits and advantages both 
for companies and for public bodies involved in poli-
cy-making and implementation; and

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Università Commerciale “Luigi Bocconi”

Postal address
Via Sarfatti, 25
I - 20136 Milano
ITALY
Phone  +39 02 58362351
Fax 
+39 02 58363890
Email  michela.melis@unibocconi.it

Name of contact person
Michela MELIS

Duration of project:
36 months (01/10/2016 – 30/09/2019) 

Total budget in euro:
1,720,075.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,027,244.00 

•  A virtuous cycle can be created, in which companies 
are strongly incentivised to adopt voluntary schemes. 

Expected results
•  The official adoption of at least 16 EMAS regulatory 
relief measures in the legislation of the five countries;

•  The testing of at least 25 proposals;
•  The drafting of at least 70 EMAS simplification pro-

posals relevant to the legislative systems;

•  The  creation  of  eight  consultation  boards  that  fore-
see the involvement of national and regional govern-
ments to discuss the simplification proposals;

•  The constitution of nine working groups (five regional, 
three national, one at EU level) to draw up better reg-
ulation and regulatory relief proposals;

•  An extensive online survey to collect regulatory relief 
expectations of EMAS-registered companies (at least 
300 EMAS organisations to survey);

•  A regulation analysis for the development of new leg-
islation and the revision of existing legislation; and
•  A report on the results of the testing, containing re-
vised  proposals  for  better  regulation  and  regulatory 
relief.

LIFE DOP - Demonstrative mOdel 

of circular economy Process in a 

high quality dairy industry

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 5 8 5 
L I F E   D O P

Project background

The dairy sector in Lombardy is responsible for more than 
37%  of  Italian  milk  production.  In  the  Po  Valley  region, 
nearly 97% of the total ammonia emissions come from 
the  agricultural  sector,  the  bovine  dairies  contributing 
some 32% of this share. As a result, around 30% of the 
PM10 emissions in Lombardy are related to ammonia from 
the agricultural sector. In addition, about 100 000 tonnes/
year  of  nitrogen-based  fertilisers  are  used,  producing  a 
total emission of CO2 eq. of about 350 000 tonnes/year.

Project objectives

The  project  aims  to  promote  the  transition  to  a  circular 
economy  along  the  whole  value  chain  of  the  dairy  sec-
tor.  The  project  will  evaluate  a  new  model,  and  apply  it 
to  the  production  of  two  protected  designation  of  origin 
(PDO)  cheeses:  Grana  Padano  PDO  and  Parmigiano  Reg-
giano PDO. The project will integrate all the phases along 
production chains (from livestock rearing to production), in 
order  to  re-use  all  of  the  waste  products/materials  gen-
erated. This not only promotes a circular economy, but it 
also  reduces  PM10,  ammonia,  NOx  and  CO2  emissions.  In 
turn, the re-use of slurry as fertiliser will decrease ammo-
nia emissions and increase soil organic content. Specifically, 
the project aims to:
•  Combine good practices to implement a circular econ-
omy model for dairy production chains, to comply with 
the Nitrates Directive through the recovery of livestock 
slurry  for  biogas  production,  application  of  manure  on 
soils for better nutrient management, rearing livestock 
according to sustainability criteria, and defining the com-
position of feed rations to reduce ammonia emissions;
•  Establish a sustainable production territorial model (VIR-
GIL: VIRtous or Green and Sustainable Dairy Production);
•  Define an LCA model to help guide the entire value chain 
towards a more sustainable approach and to define its 
product environmental footprint (PEF);

•  Develop a circular economy model, based on the Grana 
Padano value chain, that is replicable in other countries;
•  Promote resource efficiency along the entire value chain 
by  introducing  interlinked    processes  of  waste  re-use 
and greenhouse gas emissions reduction;
Implement measures to improve soil quality; and

• 
•  Develop a monitoring and evaluation model for innova-
tive techniques for the pre-treatment of slurry/manure 
and its use in biogas plants.

Expected results
•  At least 75 000 tonnes/yr of manure (liquid/solid) de-

livered to end user;

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Consorzio Latterie Virgilio

Postal address
Viale della Favorita, 19
I - 46100 Mantova
ITALY
Phone  +39 0335 7669014
Fax 
Email 

N/A
stefano.garimberti@apa.mn.it

Name of contact person
Stefano GARIMBERTI

Duration of project:
54 months (01/09/2016 – 01/03/2021)

Total budget in euro:
3,691,795.00

EU contribution in euro:
2,083,547.00

•  At least another 10 anaerobic digestion plants in the 
area and at least 50 buyers of organic fertilisers in ma-
nure market trading operations engaged in the project;
•  20-30 local companies with a volume of treated and 
transported liquid manure of 150 m3 a day involved;
•  Substitution of 70% of corn used in two biogas plants 
with  about  150  tonnes/day  of  pre-treated  animal 
slurry in biogas plants;
Increased  methane  potential  of  pre-treated  manure 
compared to standard manure,  moving from a pro-
ductivity of 45-50 Nm3/tonne to 60-65 Nm3/tonne;
•  Sharp decrease in the addition of mineral fertilisers in 

• 

agronomic trials;

•  Decrease  in  total  nitrogen  load  introduced  into  the 

system by 40% (from 450 kg to 280 kg);

•  Reduction in nitrates in underground waters by 20%;
•  Reduction of ammonia emissions by 40-60%;
•  Reduction of nitrogen load from livestock and/or 30% 

increase in the number of heads;

•  Reduction of methane emissions by 40% due to the 

new manure management approach;

•  Development of an operational plan that engages at 

• 

least six farms; and
Involvement  of  at  least  200  technical  experts  and 
150  college  students  to  increase  knowledge  and 
awareness.

Methodologies fOr Noise low 

 emission Zones introduction And 

management

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 5 8 6 
L I F E   M O N Z A

Project background

Noise pollution is a growing environmental concern. It is 
a  major  environmental  health  problem  in  Europe,  with 
an estimated 125 million people affected by high noise 
levels  that  cause  serious  health  problems  and  stress. 
The  EU  has  introduced  the  concept  of  low-emission 
zones  (LEZs),  but  this  was  mainly  devised  in  the  con-
text of improving air quality. Consequently, many ongo-
ing projects and initiatives related to LEZs are primarily 
concerned  with  reducing  particulate  matter  (PM10)  and 
nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions, without taking into ac-
count  problems  related  to  noise  pollution.  There  is  no 
complete and integrated methodology for the manage-
ment of noise in LEZs. 

Project objectives

LIFE MONZA will evaluate a new methodology for noise 
management  within  an  LEZ,  which  will  be  applied  in  a 
pilot area in the city of Monza, Italy. The methodology 
should be easily replicable and will contribute to the im-
plementation  of  the  EU  Environmental  Noise  Directive 
(END),  which  requires  noise  management  plans  to  be 
drawn up. The directive does not provide a definition of 
LEZ in relation to noise pollution; the LIFE MONZA pro-
ject aims to provide this definition, and will inform the 
criteria for noise management plans set out in Annex V 
of the directive. 

The LIFE MONZA project will:
•  Create a low-noise LEZ in the Libertà district in Monza 
(where  around  15  000  people  live);  this  will  involve 
measures  such  as  traffic  management  and  infra-
structure improvement;

•  Reduce  average  noise  levels  in  the  Libertà  district, 
with positive complementary effects on air quality;
•  Engage  the  local  community  in  an  active  manage-
ment system of lifestyle choices, that will contribute 
to  the  reduction  of  noise  and  the  improvement  of 
health and air quality in their living and working envi-
ronments; and

•  Develop  a  mobile  app  for  managing  voluntary  and 
sustainable  actions  and  for  measuring  benefits  and 
concrete changes in people’s lifestyle.

Expected results
•  Develop  a  procedure  that  will  be  easily  replicable 
across the EU, with related guidelines, for the defini-
tion  and  management  of  low-noise  LEZs,  which  will 
contribute to meeting the goals of the END;

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca 
Ambientale

Postal address
Via Vitaliano Brancati, 48 
I - 00144 Roma
ITALY
Phone  +39 0650072356
+39 0650072053
Fax 
salvatore.curcuruto@isprambiente.it
Email 

Name of contact person
Salvatore CURCURUTO

Duration of project:
46 months (01/09/2016 – 30/06/2020) 

Total budget in euro:
1,745,829.00

EU contribution in euro:
942,661.00

•  Establish a restricted-traffic zone in the Libertà district 

• 

of Monza, which will cut heavy vehicle traffic;
Impose a lower speed limit in the district (50 km/h) 
and  modify  the  layout  of  one  road  to  reduce  lane 
width and create two pedestrian crossings with safety 
islands;

•  Re-lay a road surface using low-noise asphalt;
•  Promote take up of cycling, walking and carpooling;
•  Reduced road traffic by 5% and thus improved local 

air quality;

•  Create IT tools to help residents make lifestyle chang-

es and measure the results; and

•  Achieve noise reductions in the pilot area of: -3 deci-
bels  (dBA)  from  low-noise  paving;  -1/1.5  dBA  from 
restrictions on trucks and reductions in traffic speeds; 
-1 dBA from application of good practices to reduce 
traffic;  and  -3  dBA  close  to  schools  from  use  of  IT 
tools.

CHIMERA – CHIckens Manure 

 Exploitation and RevAluation

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 6 3 1 
L I F E   C H I M E R A

Project background

Over  the  past  decades,  the  poultry  sector’s  move  to-
wards  intensification  and  geographical  concentration 
has  given  rise  to  various  environmental  concerns  at 
national and EU level. Poultry manure contains consid-
erable amounts of nutrients such as nitrogen, phospho-
rus, and other excreted substances including hormones, 
antibiotics, pathogens and heavy metals, which are in-
troduced  through  the  animal  feed.  Leaching  and  run-
off  of  these  substances  can  contaminate  air,  surface 
water and groundwater resources. In addition, poultry 
manure disposal – not considering transport - releases 
large amounts of greenhouse gases (25 million tonnes/
year  in  EU-27),  ammonia  (0.48  million  tonnes/year), 
and heavy metals (100 kilotonnes), with disposal costs 
ranging from €10-20 per tonne.

Project objectives

The  main  objective  of  the  LIFE  CHIMERA  project  is 
to  set  up  a  pilot  plant  to  demonstrate  an  innovative 
sustainable treatment for poultry manure that can be 
done on a farm’s premises (hence avoiding transport). 
The new technology will convert the manure into valu-
able  fertilisers,  producing  at  the  same  time  thermal 
and  electrical  energy  and  tackling  problems  related 
to  disposal,  transport  and  gas  emissions.  By  closing 
the  nitrogen  cycle  inside  the  farm,  and  by  using  the 
poultry  manure  to  generate  energy  and  fertiliser,  the 
project helps to implement the Circular Economy Pack-
age  which   promotes  ‘waste  to  energy’  and  ‘waste  to 
fertiliser’ initiatives. 

The  project  aims  to  significantly  reduce  nitrous  oxide 
(N2O), ammonia (NH3) and methane (CH4) emissions, in 
compliance with the provisions of Clean Air Policy Pack-
age,  the  Air  Quality  Directive  and  the   National  Emis-
sions  Ceiling  Directive.  It  will  also  help  in  the  imple-
mentation of the Industrial Emissions Directive, which 
integrates  different  approaches  to  manage  pollution 
from  industrial  facilities,  including  intensive  rearing 
 facilities for poultry or pigs. 

Another important target of the project is to enhance 
replicability, which will be pursued through the estab-
lishment of an Extended Users Advisory Board (EUAB), 
encouraging stakeholders to foster rapid uptake of the 
developed technology. 

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
TRE P ENGINEERING SRL

Postal address
Via Ruffilli, 22 
I - 60033 Chiaravalle (AN)
ITALY
Phone  +39 0717451535
Fax 
Email 

N/A
amministrazione@trepengineering.it

Name of contact person
Rosalino USCI

Duration of project:
42 months (01/07/2016 – 31/12/2019) 

Total budget in euro:
2,422,463.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,294,458.00

Expected results
•  Construction of a demonstration plant with a capac-
ity  of  2  000  tonnes/year,  validated  for  a  working 
 period of at least 6 053 hrs/year;

•  Treatment of 1 500 tonnes/year of poultry manure 
produced  by  the  associated  beneficiary’s  poultry 
livestock (200 000 head);

•  Elimination  of  60  tonnes/year  of  NH3,  280  tonnes 
CO2 eq./year of CH4, and 223 tonnes CO2 eq./year of 
N2O from the pilot farm site;

•  Maximum production of thermal and electrical pow-
er equal to 4.5 GWh/year, depending on poultry feed 
and related manure composition; and

•  Production  of  120-160  tonnes/year  of  ash,  corre-
sponding to 260-320 tonnes/year of bio-fertiliser.

Innovative approach to soil 

 management in viticulture 

 landscapes

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 6 4 1 
L I F E +   S O I L 4 W I N E

Project background

The vineyard landscapes of the North Apennines are af-
fected by various soil threats, such as erosion, decline of 
organic matter, local and diffuse contaminations, seal-
ing,  compaction,  decline  in  biodiversity  and  landslides. 
Soil management practices take into account the radical 
changes in farming practices and cultivation techniques 
that have occurred in recent decades. The abandoning of 
land and the gradual introduction of mechanisation has 
led to profound changes in land use and management. 
In  particular,  the  standard  floor  management  strategy 
adopted in the vineyards of the Emilia-Romagna region 
mostly relies upon tillage as the main weed controller. In 
addition,  increasing  adoption  of  mechanical  harvesting 
has  led  to  a  season-long  maintenance  of  grass  sward 
in the vineyard. The excessive use of tillage creates sev-
eral other problems, including topsoil erosion (leading to 
landslides  and  soil  fertility  loss)  and  the  worsening  of 
several chemical and physical soil properties.

Project objectives

The  LIFE+  SOIL4WINE  project  aims  to  prevent  various 
soil  threats  affecting  the  vineyard  landscapes  of  the 
North  Apennines.    It  will  achieve  this  aim  within  four 
protected areas of western Emilia-Romagna: Parco dei 
Boschi di Carrega, Parco del Taro, Parco dello Stirone and 
Parco della Val Trebbia. The specific objectives are to:
•  Achieve  better  soil  management  in  the  whole  vine-
yard system, while preventing erosion and increasing 
the content of soil organic matter; 

•  Develop and test an innovative decision-making tool 
that  helps  vineyard  farmers  to  assess  their  specific 
soil  and  environmental  problems,  apply  the  best 
management practices and evaluate the results;
•  Define  the  social,  economic  and  environmental  con-
straints  of  the  proposed  viticulture  practices  and  of 
the soil ecosystem services in the pilot areas, and use 
this  information  to  design  innovative  soil  conserva-
tion  policies  based  on  PES  (payment  of  ecosystem 
services); and

•  Promote a participatory approach in order to facilitate 
the replicability of the project across Europe and set 
up local agreements on soil, biodiversity and ecosys-
tem services.

Expected results
•  A database of the main soil threats and the related 
environmental problems (REPs) in at least 100 vine-
yards of the pilot areas;

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Postal address
Largo A. Gemelli, 1  
I - 20123  Milano
ITALY
Phone  +39 0523599121
+39 0523599124
Fax 
uff.ricerca-pc@unicatt.it
Email 

Name of contact person
Stefano PONI

Duration of project:
36 months (01/01/2017 – 31/12/2019)

Total budget in euro:
1,613,328.00

EU contribution in euro:
914,999.00

•  Distribution of a questionnaire on soil threats across 

the EU (at least 300 questionnaires answered);

•  Guidelines for good soil health practices to efficiently 
address soil threats and REPs in vineyards (10 guide-
lines drawn up);

• 

•  Design  of  a  decision-making  tool  to  guide  grape 
growers to evaluate their soil threats and implement 
the best solutions;
Increase  of  soil  quality  in  the  pilot  farms  (increase 
of organic matter content by 10%, increase of water 
aggregate stability and microbial activity (QBS-ar) by 
50%,  decrease  of  soil  compaction  by  10%  and  soil 
nitrate content by 25%);

•  Data on the social and economic constraints that may 
affect farmers’ decisions to introduce the new solu-
tions proposed by the project (20 farmers involved);
•  Data on the technical and economic viability of large-
scale introduction of the proposed soil management 
solutions,  and  economic  evaluation  of  the  soil  eco-
system services and indirect effects on the landscape 
value  generated  by  the  project  activities  (four  pilot 
farms involved); and

•  Feasibility study of a PES to ensure the continuation 
of  the  soil  conservation  practices  (at  least  four  PES 
options considered).

Production of Leather making 

 BioPolymers from biomasses and 

industrial by products, through 

Life Cycle Designed processes

Project background

The  leather  industry  consumes  large  volumes  of  wa-
ter and chemicals. The chemicals used are mostly pet-
rochemical-based,  due  to  the  easy  availability  of  such 
materials and to their chemical stability. In accordance 
with  the  European  Dangerous  Substances  Directive  al-
most 31% of the volume of the chemicals used by the 
European leather industry are hazardous substances. Of 
those, 62% are used in Italy. The BREF (Best Available 
Techniques  Reference)  document  and  IPPC  (integrated 
pollution  prevention  and  control)  Directive  both  highly 
recommend the reduction of water consumption in the 
leather-making  process,  and  the  identification  and  use 
of  efficient  and  sustainable  non-hazardous  substances 
and more environmentally-friendly products.

Project objectives

The LIFE BIOPOL project aims to demonstrate the techni-
cal performance and economic viability of an innovative 
process  for  producing  new  biopolymers  (‘green  chemi-
cals’) to be  used in  the tanning industry.  These  will  be 
produced by recycling waste biomass from the related 
tanning process and agro-food industries. By doing so, 
the project is helping implement the EU Directive on In-
dustrial Emissions (IED), the BREF document, and REACH, 
which recommend that industry should decrease water 
consumption  and  the  use  of  hazardous  chemicals  and 
pollutants  such  as  heavy  metals,  formaldehyde,  chro-
mium, chlorinated paraffin, VOCs (volatile organic com-
pounds) and inorganic salts.

Specific objectives of the project are to:
•  Design, construct and validate an innovative industrial 
pilot plant to treat and process animal waste biomass 
generated by the leather treatment process and vege-
table biomass waste from the agro-food industry, thus 
implementing  the  concept  of  industrial  symbiosis  as 
foreseen by the EU Circular Economy Package;

•  Produce  new  biopolymers,  making  them  usable  in 

tanning and fat-liquoring applications;

•  Finalise quantitative assessment of the environmen-
tal  impacts  of  the  process,  by  applying  the  product 
environmental footprint (PEF) method, and validating 
the cost and environmental effectiveness of the pro-
posed new solution; and

•  Assess quantitatively the environmental impact indi-
cators  in  order  to  prove  cost  and  environmental  ef-
fectiveness of the proposed new solution.

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 6 5 4 
L I F E   B I O P O L

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
CODYECO SPA

Postal address
Vicolo del Grano, 8
I - 56029 Santa Croce sull’Arno (PI)
ITALY
Phone  +39 057141671
Fax 
Email 

+39 0571416900
a.tortora@codyeco.it

Name of contact person
Alessandra TORTORA

Duration of project:
39 months (01/07/2016 – 30/09/2019) 

Total budget in euro:
3,879,018.00

EU contribution in euro:
2,147,863.00

Expected results
•  An increase of waste biomass re-used by around 80-

90%;

•  Reductions of 70-90% in the hazardous substances 
normally  found  in  conventional  chemicals  agents 
used in the tanning process; 

•  Reduction of the discharged leather-process effluents 
(namely, 20-30% of COD, 50-60% of inorganic sul-
phates and chlorides salts, and 100% of chromium III 
salts);

•  Reactivity  enhancement  of  the  new  biopolymers  in 
the range of 30-40% when compared to the conven-
tional leather application process;

•  Reduction in the range of 20% of the water used in 
the  leather  process  when  compared  to  the  conven-
tional process; and

•  Reduction in the range of 70-80% of the PEF of the 
new biopolymers when compared to the current tan-
ning agents.

 
Material Match Making Platform 

for promoting the use of industrial 

waste in local networks

L I F E 1 5   E N V / I T / 0 0 0 6 9 7 
L I F E   M 3 P

Project background

By  not  recycling,  the  European  economy  currently  still 
loses  a  significant  amount  of  potential  secondary  raw 
materials, such as metals, wood, glass, paper and plas-
tics. Only a limited share (36% in 2010) is recycled, with 
the  rest  landfilled  or  burned.  If  industry  re-manufac-
tures, re-uses and recycles, and if one industry’s waste 
becomes  another’s  raw  material,  waste  is  eliminated 
and  resources  are  used  in  an  efficient  and  sustainable 
way  (industrial  symbiosis).  Improved  waste  manage-
ment  also  helps  to  reduce  health  and  environmental 
problems,  decrease  greenhouse  gas  emissions  and 
avoid negative impacts at the local level.

Project objectives

The LIFE M3P project aims to promote and develop in-
dustrial  symbiosis  by  connecting  SMEs  or  clusters  of 
SMEs  to  foster  alternative  uses  of  their  wastes  in  line 
with the EU Circular Economy Package and the Resource 
Efficiency  Roadmap.  It  aims  to  close  the  loop  by  iden-
tifying and characterising industrial waste, and turning 
it into a resource for another industry through the use 
of a digital online platform at the European level. This 
management  tool,  called  M3P  (Material  Match  Making 
Platform),  will  address  the  lack  of  information  about 
the  industrial  waste  produced  in  a  given  local  area.  It 
will  adopt  a  systematic  approach,  focusing  on  product 
life-cycles and the material chain needed to make them. 
LIFE M3P will also demonstrate the feasibility of a more 
efficient use of raw materials by the systematic applica-
tion of eco-design techniques to facilitate the recovery 
and re-use of parts that would previously have become 
waste. Specific project objectives are to: 
•  Close the circle and turn waste into a resource based 

on its characterisation;

•  Match up companies to promote a local network that 

encourages material exchange;

•  Demonstrate  the  usefulness  of  an  operational  web-
based platform to foster the overall efficiency of indus-
trial processes through the increased use of waste; and
•  Promote  two  highly  innovative  instruments,  namely 
product  environmental  footprint  (PEF)  and  environ-
mental  technology  verification  (ETV),  which  are  cur-
rently still at the pilot development stage.

Expected results
•  One web-based platform (M3P) developed and imple-
mented  under  real  operating  conditions  in  the  four 
industrial districts by at least 10 SMEs;

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Centro Tessile Cotoniero e Abbigliamento Spa

Postal address
Piazza Sant’Anna, 2 
I - 21052 Busto Arsizio
ITALY
Phone  +39 0331696778
+39 0331680056
Fax 
roberto.vannucci@centrocot.it
Email 

Name of contact person
Roberto VANNUCCI

Duration of project:
36 months (01/10/2016– 30/09/2019) 

Total budget in euro:
1,503,883.00

EU contribution in euro:
885,709.00

•  A waste database;
•  A  report  on  the  main  aspects  and  problems  to  be 
 addressed  to  develop  a  local  waste  management 
 system;

•  At  least  230  SMEs  involved/interviewed  (Lombardy: 
100; Flanders: 100; Asturias: 10; West Macedonia: 25);
•  At  least  500  waste  streams  identified  (Lombardy: 
250,  Flanders:  200;  Asturias:  15;  West  Macedonia: 
30), 100/120 material/scraps/waste investigated, 24 
wastes  deeply  characterised,  three  sectors  involved, 
10 pilot cases, 40 companies implementing the pro-
posed solution and four business cases implemented;
•  At least 40 young designers involved during the prod-

uct concept development phase;

•  72 new product concepts (16 for each area);
•  At least four start-up studies (one in each area);
•  Reduction of waste production at the target cluster of 

• 

SMEs;
Improvement of investments by companies engaged 
in the socio-economic aspects, such as training activi-
ties; and 

•  At least two industrial areas/clusters in the EU, other 
than the partner ones, involved in the transfer of the 
web-based platform M3P.

PAYT - Tool to Reduce Waste in 

South  Europe

L I F E 1 5   E N V / P T / 0 0 0 6 0 9 
L I F E   P A Y T

Project background

Municipal  waste  management  practices  are  failing  to 
achieve EU targets for recycling rates in several south-
ern European countries. The Waste Framework Directive 
requires Member States to increase the re-use and re-
cycling of waste materials, such as paper, metal, plastic 
and  glass  from  households,  to  a  minimum  of  50%  by 
weight overall by 2020. Recycling rates of these waste 
streams  in  Greece,  Cyprus  and  Portugal  are  currently 
around 20%, well below the target and the current Eu-
ropean average (35%). One cause of this is inefficiency 
in  the  selective  collection  of  materials:  less  than  15% 
of all lightweight packaging is presently recovered and 
valorised, while the remainder is sent unsorted to me-
chanical and biological treatment (MBT) and to landfill. 
The overall low rates of segregation at source and re-
cycling  mean  higher  treatment  costs  at  MBT  facilities 
and an inefficient use of resources. Since private citizens 
and businesses engaged in source-segregation and re-
cycling  pay  the  same  fee  as  those  who  do  not  sort  or 
recycle, they do not feel rewarded and this can weaken 
their commitment. 

Project objectives

The  LIFE  PAYT  project  will  implement  an  integrated, 
cost-efficient  and  highly  replicable  PAYT  (pay-as-you-
throw) system in five southern EU municipalities: Lisbon, 
Condeixa  and  Aveiro  (Portugal),  Vrilissia  (Greece)  and 
Larnaka  (Cyprus).  LIFE  PAYT  has  four  main  objectives: 
reduce  residual  waste  from  household  and  commerce; 
increase recycling rates for packaging materials; demon-
strate changes in local decision-making that contribute 
to  the  implementation  of  EU  environmental  strategies 
and targets; and promote the replication of the concept 
in  other  southern  European  municipalities.  To  achieve 
these aims, the project will use strategies to link waste 
producers with the amount of waste they discard. For in-
stance, the project will modernise and optimise residual 
waste collection by introducing software and hardware 
tools (RFID, ID cards, monitoring collection), and design 
fair and equitable waste tariffs. 

LIFE  PAYT  will  use  a  participatory  approach  to  max-
imise  municipal  stakeholders’  involvement  and  raise 
awareness  –  e.g.  by  creating  specific  training  courses 
for decision-makers. The project’s development support 
tools will boost transferability, with the involvement of 
stakeholders  from  Bulgaria,  Croatia,  Malta,  Romania 
and Spain.

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra (IPC)

Postal address
Av. Marnoco e Sousa, 30
P - 3000-271 Coimbra
PORTUGAL
Phone  +351 939303952
Fax 
Email 

N/A
celia@esac.pt

Name of contact person
Celia FERREIRA

Duration of project:
40 months (01/09/2016 – 31/12/2019)

Total budget in euro:
2,517,571.00

EU contribution in euro with %:
1,351,945.00

Expected results
•  Establishment of a PAYT system that works as a cost-
effective  model  (under  €50  per  tonne  for  residual 
waste  collection)  to  ensure  economic  and  environ-
mental sustainability of the project municipalities;
•  Reduction of household residual waste by 30-40% at 

• 

• 

the target sites;
Increased recycling rates for packaging waste to 15-
30% at the demonstration sites (currently 6.3-21%);
Increased  home  composting:  10%  of  all  detached 
houses  take  up  home  composting,  with  200  kg  per 
year of household bio-waste diverted from landfill;
•  Modernised  and  optimised  residual  waste  collec-
tion with an expected reduction in CO2-eq emissions 
through direct reduction in fossil fuel consumption;
Increased awareness through a citizens’ portal;
Increased commitment of the research and technical 
communities: a web portal will provide scientists and 
municipalities with insights into current status at the 
demonstration sites; 

• 
• 

•  Evaluation of the project’s environmental, social and 

economic impact over its lifetime; and

•  Development of a framework of guidelines and specifi-
cations for PAYT implementation targeting local authori-
ties, and the establishment of a dedicated PAYT network.

Development of an Integrated 

Exposure – Dose Management 

Tool for Reduction of Particulate 

Matter in Air

Project background

The health effects of air pollution have been the subject 
of intense study in recent years. Exposure to pollutants 
such as airborne particulate matter (PM) has been as-
sociated with increases in mortality and hospital admis-
sions due to respiratory and cardiovascular disease. PM 
is  a  complex  mixture  of  microscopic  particles  derived 
from  anthropogenic  and  natural  sources.  It  is  still  a 
major  environmental  problem  in  several  EU  countries. 
While  strategies  for  controlling  anthropogenic  emis-
sions  in  European  urban  areas  have  greatly  improved, 
the  quantitative  result  of  changes  in  human  exposure 
to specific toxic particle compounds is largely unknown 
with respect to each of the emission sources.

Project objectives

The main objective of LIFE Index-Air – by incorporating a 
database of outdoor and indoor air quality and a pack-
age of models – is to develop an innovative and versatile 
policy tool that will establish a correlation between ex-
posure to PM compounds and emission sources. Specific 
objectives are to:
•  Develop a method for producing a versatile decision-

making tool for public authorities;

•  Create a database on chemical constituents of PM2.5 
and PM10 sampled indoors and outdoors in EU cities;
•  Develop an exposure assessment system and an op-
erational  platform  for  PM  dose  calculation  to  be  in-
corporated into the tool;
Identify the health end-points associated with expo-
sure to PM;

• 

•  Determine the contribution of emission sources to hu-
man exposure to PM and evaluate control strategies 
capable of underpinning the sustainable development 
of expected changes anticipating climate change and 
long-term changes in the atmosphere; and 

•  Consolidate the knowledge base to help authorities to 
implement the Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution and 
to formulate air quality action plans.

Expected results
•  A management tool to identify efficient emission con-

trol strategies;

•  A database on chemical constituents of PM from in-

doors and outdoors in European cities;

•  An  exposure assessment system;
•  A platform for particle dose calculation;
•  A platform for health impact assessment;
•  A geographic information system (GIS) database cov-

L I F E 1 5   E N V / P T / 0 0 0 6 7 4 
L I F E   I n d e x - A i r

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Instituto Superior Técnico (IST)

Postal address
Av. Rovisco Pais, 1
P - 1049-001 Lisboa
PORTUGAL
Phone  +351 219946124
Fax 
Email 

N/A
smarta@ctn.ist.utl.pt

Name of contact person
Susana Marta LOPES ALMEIDA

Duration of project:
42 months (01/10/2016 – 31/03/2020) 

Total budget in euro:
1,369,071.00

EU contribution in euro with %:
792,401.00

ering population data, land use, micro-environments’ 
distribution for five European cities;

•  Mapping of human exposure for five European urban 
areas at high spatial and temporal resolution, covering 
PM10, PM2.5 and elements regulated by EU legislation;

• 

•  Detailed dose calculations for individual  subjects;
•  Meta-analysis  of  selected  health  end-points  associ-
ated with the selected chemical and PM exposures;
Identification  of  the  impact  of  the  current  emission 
sources to human exposure levels;
Identification  of  efficient  abatement  strategies  to 
 decrease human exposure to PM chemicals;

• 

•  Publication of 14 technical reports, covering time  activity 
patterns, PM chemical characterisation in  different mi-
cro-environments  and  sources’  identification,  setup  of 
the air quality modelling system, setup of the exposure 
model, model evaluation exercise, air quality and expo-
sure  modelling  results,  dose  calculations  for  children, 
burden of disease associated with the target chemicals, 
five independent reports with guidelines for action plans 
(for Lisbon, Oporto, Kuopio, Athens and Venice), affecting 
an estimated 290 000 children (5-9 yrs), socio-econom-
ic impacts of the  project; and

•  Training  materials  produced  and  several  courses/

seminars organised.

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 1 5 7 
L I F E   B A Q U A

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Postal address
Juan de Quesada, 30,  
E - 35001 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
SPAIN
Phone  +34 928459641
Fax 
Email  mario.monzon@ulpgc.es

N/A

Name of contact person
Mario MONZÓN

Duration of project:
36 months (01/07/2016  – 30/06/2019) 

Total budget in euro:
1,667,663.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,006,597.00

•  Reduction  of  CO2  emissions  in  the  manufacture  of 

plastics;

•  100% reduction in N2O emissions  as a result of re-

• 

using banana crop waste;
Improvement in fish feed quality by testing seven dif-
ferent fish feed diets.

•  Support document for the Canary Islands government 
that uses project results to encourage co-financing for 
an industrial-scale plant for extracting fibre and pulp.

Solutions through the new use for 

a waste of banana crop to  develop 

products in aquaculture and 

 plastics sector

Project background

Bananas  represent  33%  of  the  total  agricultural  pro-
duction of the Canary Isles, which produces more than 
half  of  Europe’s  bananas.  Each  year  400  tonnes  of 
bananas  are  produced,  with  9  000  ha  under  cultiva-
tion, creating employment for more than 27 000 peo-
ple.  But  banana  production  generates  organic  waste 
(pseudostem) that is usually left on the plantation once 
the fruit has been harvested. Since this waste has no 
nutritional value for the soil its accumulation poses a 
problem  for  future  harvests.  It  generates  various  mi-
cro-organisms,  affecting  other  crops  because  clogged 
streams  can  accumulate  in  water  and  result  in  fungi 
growth. While various studies demonstrate the signifi-
cant  benefits  of  banana  plant  waste  due  to  the  high 
content of fibres and compounds such as antioxidants, 
its full potential has not been realised.

Project objectives

LIFE  BAQUA  aims  to  make  optimum  use  of  an  organic 
waste product that is usually landfilled: the waste from ba-
nana crops. The project will create green business oppor-
tunities by valorising this waste into products with market 
value, contributing to the goals of the EU’s 7th Environment 
Action Programme of the creation of a resource-efficient, 
green  and  competitive  low-carbon  economy.  Specifically, 
the project aims to:
•  Extract  the  waste’s  natural  fibres  and  use  them  as 
natural  additives  to  reinforce  100%  bio-based  and 
92-98% biodegradable plastics;

•  Use  the  antioxidant-rich  pulp  produced  in  the  fibre 
 extraction process in the manufacture of fish feed; and
•  Reduce waste during harvesting and final consump-

tion.

Importantly,  the  project  makes  a  special  contribution 
to  the  new  EU  Circular  Economy  Package,  as  it  actively 
 contributes  to  two  of  its  five  priority  areas:  plastics  and 
bio-waste. The reuse of this waste will also help by cut-
ting GHG emissions from agriculture, in line with the EU’s 
Energy Roadmap 2050 towards a low carbon economy.

Expected results
•  Production of 1 000 kg of natural fibres and 10 000 

kg of pulp per year;

•  Production of new bio-based and biodegradable plas-
tics for the production of covers for UV protection and 
bags for fish feed conservation and transport, among 
other uses;

High quality methylal from 

 non-recyclable plastic waste 

by an improved Catalytic Hydro- 

Gasification Plasma(CHGP) process

Project background

According to Plastics Europe 9.6 million tonnes of post-
consumer plastic waste was disposed in European land-
fills in 2012. This number accounts for 38.1% of the to-
tal  post-consumer  plastic  waste  generated.  Depositing 
plastic in landfills is a very inefficient use of resources. 
Though the trend in recent years has been for less land-
filled  plastics  further  action  is  needed  to  reach  the  EU 
target  of  eliminating  plastic  waste  sent  to  landfill  by 
2020.  Recycling  reduces  the  amount  of  plastic  waste 
sent  to  landfill,  reduces  the  need  for  non-renewable 
raw materials, namely petroleum, and saves on energy. 
However,  conventional  recycling  is  not  possible  for  all 
types of plastic waste, such as waste containing mixed 
plastics, or contaminated or severely degraded plastics. 
There  are  other  technologies  that  can  potentially  val-
orise this non-recyclable plastic waste (NRPW), such as 
gasification  or  pyrolysis  for  chemicals  and  energy  pro-
duction, but they may still pose environmental problems.

Project objectives

LIFE ECOMETHYLAL will test the valorisation of NRPW 
that is currently landfilled – especially heterogeneous 
plastic waste – using Catalytic Hydro-Gasification with 
Plasma (CHGP), a more environmentally friendly tech-
nology  than  the  ones  currently  used.  The  project  will 
recycle NRPW from the automotive, electric-electronic 
and packaging sectors to produce a valuable chemical 
agent called methylal. The market for methylal is esti-
mated to be worth about €5.2 billion/year. It is used in 
various industries due to its low toxicity, low viscosity 
and especially its power as a solvent, making it a sus-
tainable  alternative  to  petrol-based  solvents.  There-
fore,  the  project  addresses  two  major  problems:  the 
recovery of ‘difficult’ plastic waste and the dependency 
on fossil fuel-derived materials. The proposed technol-
ogy,  which  has  not  previously  been  used  for  treating 
NRPW,  will  be  demonstrated  at  a  pilot  plant  installed 
in  the  facilities  of  the  associated  beneficiary  ACTECO 
in Spain. The plant will operate continuously, increasing 
efficiency  and  reducing  energy  consumption.  Another 
one will be built in Croatia to test replicability potential, 
which  should  be  high  due  to  the  plant’s  compact  and 
modular  configuration.  The  methylal  produced  will  be 
marketed  as  an  eco-material  in  various  sectors  (e.g. 
plastics,  chemicals  and  automotive).  LIFE  ECOMETHY-
LAL will contribute to the implementation of the Road-
map  for  a  Resource-Efficient  Europe,  the  Action  Plan 
for the Circular Economy and the European directives: 

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 2 0 8 
L I F E   E C O M E T H Y L A L

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Asociación de Investigación de Materiales Plásticos y 
Conexas (AIMPLAS)

Postal address
C/Gustave  Eiffel, 4
E - 46980 Paterna
SPAIN
Phone  +34 1366040128
Fax 
Email 

N/A
proyectos@aimplas.es

Name of contact person
María José MORETÓ BADÍA

Duration of project:
36 months (01/09/2016 – 31/08/2019)

Total budget in euro:
2,039,142.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,031,678.00

Packaging  and  Packaging  Waste;  Waste  Electrical  & 
Electronic  Equipment;  End-of-Life  Vehicles;  Waste 
Framework; and Landfill of Waste. 

Expected results
•  Reduction of around 3.6 tonnes plastic waste sent to 
landfill (accounting for 0.28 tonnes CO2 eq. or more 
than  304  MJ  eq.  per  pilot  plant)  during  the  project 
period;

• 

•  Production of 2.88 tonnes methylal through waste re-
sources (thus saving virgin fossil resources), leading 
to a reduction of 2.07 tonnes CO2 eq., more than 107 
300 MJ eq. per pilot plant;
Implementation of a cleaning process for plastic re-
covery;
Improved  economic  and  environmental  efficiency  of 
the recycling companies in order to achieve EU zero 
waste targets (thereby improving competitiveness);
•  Job  creation:  an  average  of  15  jobs  per  industrial 

• 

plant; and

•  A replicable strategy for recovery of plastic waste in 

other EU countries.

Tackling international airline 

 catering waste by  demonstrating 

integral and safe recollection, 

 separation & treatment

Project background

To  date,  most  airlines  recycle  very  little  waste,  which 
is typically low quality due to multiple mixed fractions. 
Cabin  waste  is  usually  compacted  and  incinerated  or 
disposed  in  landfill.  It  can  be  divided  into  two  catego-
ries:  Cat.  1  refers  to  catering  waste  coming  from  out-
side  the  EU,  while  Cat.  3  is  catering  waste  generated 
on EU flights. Cat. 1 is subject to much stricter regula-
tions, as it is considered as animal by-product: a high-
risk waste fraction. Airlines have increased their efforts 
in  recent  years  to  tackle  the  issue  of  cabin  waste,  but 
these efforts are usually fragmented and lack a compre-
hensive approach. Currently, landfilling is the most com-
mon practice in Spain. In cases where no distinction is 
made between international or EU flights, all the waste 
is treated in the same way. As a result, much remains to 
be done, especially regarding Cat. 1 waste.

Project objectives

LIFE Zero Cabin Waste aims to create an integrated model 
to reduce, re-use and recycle (including energy recovery) 
waste collected on airplanes, and to establish the basis for 
other airlines to replicate this approach. The project will fo-
cus on recoverable (light packaging plastics, cans, cartons, 
glass and paper) and municipal solid waste (the organic 
fraction mixed with other inseparable fractions), from both 
Cat. 1 (international flights) and Cat. 3 (EU flights). 

The project will be implemented at Madrid’s Barajas air-
port, where Iberia’s caterer Gate Gourmet currently accu-
mulates around 6 000 tonnes of waste per year (4 000 
of which is Cat. 1). In particular, the project will train crew 
and staff, implement equipment adjustments, execute a 
collection  and  separation  protocol,  process  waste  frac-
tions, and implement a pilot treatment for Cat. 1 waste. 
Transferability will be boosted by replicating the project’s 
model at Heathrow airport during the final year. Specifi-
cally, the project aims to:
1.  Demonstrate that with good management practices, 
stakeholders’  engagement  and  coordination,  a  large 
amount of cabin waste can be separated on-board; 
2.  Prove  that  Cat.  1  waste  can  be  dealt  with  without 
health  risks.  (The  project  aims  to  show  that  current 
legislation is overprotective and wasteful, and it aims 
to be a driver for policy change);

3.  Contribute to the reduction of the high carbon foot-
print associated with the generation and inadequate 
management of cabin waste; and

4.  Set the basis for replication through standard protocols. 

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 2 0 9 
L I F E   Z e r o   C a b i n   W a s t e

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
IBERIA - Lineas Aereas de España - Sociedad Aerea 
Española - Sociedad Unipersonal

Postal address
C/ Martinez Villergas, 49
E - 28027 Madrid
SPAIN
Phone  +34 915874793
Fax 
Email 

N/A
life@transfer-lbc.com

Name of contact person
Juan Ignacio HERMIRA HERRANZ

Duration of project:
40 months (01/09/2016 – 31/12/2019)

Total budget in euro:
2,583,338.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,481,712.00

Expected results
•  Waste  reduction  of  5%  by  minimisation  measures, 
such as the redesign of menus and the use of lighter, 
re-usable cutlery;

•  Recovery, after this reduction, of 80% of the total cabin 
waste  diverted  from  landfill  (50%  recoverable,  30% 
MSW); 

•  Lowered  costs  of  disposal  (avoiding  landfill)  and  in-
creased waste purity due to separation and recycling 
(including energy recovery); 

•  Treatment of a fraction of Cat. 1 waste with different 

methods to prove it is safe;

•  Scale the treatment of Cat. 1 waste to industrial levels 

and measure its impact (LCA); 

•  Develop, in collaboration with relevant national and EU 
authorities, integrated best practice guidelines on ca-
tering waste management;

•  Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, estimated at 

4 340 t CO2 eq. per year.

•  Consortium members will initiate the first replication of 
the model - in the UK where currently all cabin waste is 
incinerated; and

•  10 million passengers per year and a total of 1 000 
stakeholders reached through dissemination activities.

Integrated Management of 

 Multilayer PvC/PE Packaging Waste

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 2 3 1 
L I F E   r P a c k 2 L

Project background

The  Waste  Framework  Directive  sets  a  50%  target  for 
recycling  and  re-use  by  weight  of  plastic  from  house-
holds  by  2020.  The  amount  of  multilayer  or  complex 
sheet  packages  has  increased  significantly  over  recent 
years.  These  plastics  account  for  20%  of  waste  from 
the  food  packaging  industry,  and  30%  in  weight  of 
household  waste.  There  are  three  types  of  multilayer 
waste,  according  to  their  origin:  post-industrial  waste 
from  extrusion  processes,  post-industrial  waste  from 
thermoforming  processes,  and  domestic  waste.  In  the 
case  of  single-layer  waste  from  extrusion  and  therm-
oforming  processes,  these  wastes  can  be  reintegrated 
into  the  process  as  raw  materials  by  the  producer  or 
original  manufacturer.  However,  this  re-use  process  is 
not  feasible  for  multilayer  waste,  due  to  the  different 
physicochemical characteristics of each layer. The nec-
essary treatment for one layer is not valid for another, 
and therefore multilayer waste is sent to waste manag-
ers with around 90% destined for incineration or landfill.

Project objectives

LIFE rPack2L proposes a solution for recycling multilayer 
plastic waste, thus diverting it from incineration or land-
fill. It will develop an integrated scheme to recover valu-
able PVC and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for re-use 
as raw materials for packaging or recycled plastic-based 
products. The project will test the new technology at a 
unique semi-industrial scale plant in Austria. At present 
there  is  no  recycling  process  for  multilayer  packaging 
anywhere in the world that enables these plastics to be 
recovered. The main actions of the project will be to: 
•  Separately collect multilayer plastic waste, by creat-
ing a stakeholder network and implementing collec-
tion  points  for  post-industrial  waste  in  at  least  one 
plastic film manufacturer and one packaging manu-
facturer;

•  Separate the different layers of the waste at the pilot 
plant by designing an innovative and flexible packag-
ing  delamination  process  for  different  specifications 
of PVC/PET-based multilayer film and waste streams; 
and

•  Analyse  the  final  materials  obtained  and  adapt  the 
process to meet the quality requirements of potential 
users – in particular, PVC for manufacturing recycled 
multilayer packaging, and PET for industrial applica-
tions (e.g. agriculture and automotive) or valorisation 
to produce fuel via pyrolysis. 

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
SULAYR GLOBAL SERVICES SL

Postal address
C/ Hernan Valle, km 3.5
E - 18511 Valle del Zalabi (Granada)
SPAIN
Phone  +34 958696230
+34 958105923
Fax 
a.ariza@sulayr-gs.es
Email 

Name of contact person
Alberto ARIZA HERRERIAS

Duration of project:
31 months (01/09/2016 – 15/04/2019)

Total budget in euro:
2,806,865.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,261,483.00

Expected results
•  Recycling of 1 836 tonnes of multilayer plastic waste 

during the project;

•  A  recycling  rate  of  90%  for  the  multilayer  plastic 

waste collected;

•  A 20% reduction in the CO2 emissions associated with 

the separation process;

•  A ratio of 20% recycled material to virgin material;
•  A  15%  decrease  in  the  amount  of  waste  going  to 

landfill;

•  A  life-cycle  analysis  (LCA)  for  PVC/PE  packaging,  to 
enable  a  full  assessment  of  the  implementation  of 
the technology at European level and its effects;

•  A  Good  Practices  Guide  on  recycling  and  re-use  of 

multilayer packaging; and

•  Development of a potential market for recycled PVC 
and PE, thus creating a new green economic activity 
able to produce wealth and create jobs.

Intelligent marine LittEr  removal 

and management for local 

 Authorities

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 2 5 2 
L I F E   L E M A

Project background

The  United  Nations  Environment  Programme  defines 
marine litter as any persistent, manufactured solid ma-
terial discarded, disposed of or abandoned in the marine 
and  coastal  environment.  Marine  litter  is  a  global  and 
cross-boundary issue; it is found in all seas and oceans, 
and accumulates on the surface, seafloor and seashore. 
The presence of marine litter causes numerous impacts 
on  the  environment,  biota,  local  economy  and  public 
health. It is perceived as one of the main threats to the 
marine environment by the general public. 

Nevertheless, only 15% of litter entering the sea reach-
es  the  shore;  while  another  15%  remains  floating  on 
the  surface,  and  70%  gets  entangled  and  sinks  to  the 
seabed.  Most  of  the  scientific  literature  on  marine  lit-
ter  has  focused  on  defining  the  concept,  and  its  origin 
and abundance in different seas, as well as the develop-
ment of reporting  protocols and monitoring guidelines. 
The  next  step  is  to  reduce  it  and  achieve  “good  envi-
ronmental  status”  as  defined  by  the  European  Marine 
Strategy  Framework  Directive.  Adequate  management 
by  local  authorities,  prevention  and  public  awareness 
programmes are a key part of this process.

Project objectives

The objective of the LIFE LEMA project is to define a man-
agement service for local authorities to select sustainable 
approaches for tackling the problem of floating marine lit-
ter (FML) before it arrives at shore areas that are difficult to 
access, or it sinks. The service, which will initially be imple-
mented in two transnational regions in the Bay of Biscay 
(Gipuzkoa and Pyrénées-Atlantiques), will include tools and 
management plans. The replicability of the service will be 
assessed for the areas of Marseille and Bilbao.  Most previ-
ous initiatives on FML have focused on defining amounts, 
source and composition, to assess environmental pollution. 
LIFE LEMA goes a step further by proposing an integrated 
protocol through which optimised solutions can be derived 
in order to manage marine litter. Specific objectives are to:
•  Draw  up  ocean-meteorological  models  to  predict 

movement and accumulation hotspots of FML;

•  Develop an IT tool to integrate different data, including 
available FML methods (vessels, barriers) and their ef-
ficiency, as well as FML operational detection and fore-
casting models, in order to estimate the environmental 
impact and cost of FML management actions;

•  Draw  up  management  plans  for  the  prevention  and 

reduction of FML; 

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Gipuzkoako Foru Aldundia/Diputación Foral de 
 Gipuzkoa

Postal address
Plaza de Gipuzkoa s/n.
E -  20004 Donostia
SPAIN
Phone  +34 943 11 33 53
+34 943 43 12 99
Fax 
bmarticorena@gipuzkoa.eus
Email 

Name of contact person
Beatriz MARTICORENA

Duration of project:
36 months (01/09/2016 – 01/09/2019)

Total budget in euro:
2,159,103.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,229,465.00

•  Demonstrate  sustainable  collection  actions  at  sea, 
including  energy  audits  and  retrofitting  of  two  fish-
ing vessels and three sea-cleaning vessels with eco-
designed FML collection technology; 
Install a floating barrier for FML collection; 

• 
•  Use innovative detection methods including HF  radars, 

thermal cameras and aerial drones; and

•  Establish  a  European  network  on  marine  litter  to 

 ensure transferability of results.

Expected results
•  The removal of at least 100 tonnes of FML;
•  Total collection rates of 55 tonnes/year in France and 35 
tonnes/year in Spain three years after the project end;
•  One fuel-saving measure implemented on board each 
vessel (five in total), reducing greenhouse gas emis-
sions by up to 10% compared to current practices;
Implementation of the IT tool and management plans 
by two local authorities;

• 

•  5% reduction of the current collection and manage-
ment costs of FML located at sea and on beaches;
•  Six people trained, and creation of four new jobs; and
•  A guide to FML sustainable management.

Development of membrane  devices 

to reduce ammonia emissions 

 generated by manure in poultry 

and pig farms

Project background

In Europe, the farming and livestock sectors contributed 
94% of the total ammonia (NH3) emissions in 2011 (EEA, 
2014). Although this figure showed a reduction of 26% 
from  1990  to  2011,  more  effort  is  required  to  reduce 
these emissions. In some countries, such as Spain, they 
have actually increased. Ammonia emitted to the air, soil 
and  water  causes  environmental  problems,  such  as  eu-
trophication  and  acidification.  The  Directive  on  National 
Emission Ceilings (NEC) for certain atmospheric pollutants 
established ammonia as a priority concern. According to 
various investigations, it has been estimated that a 50% 
decrease  in  ammonia  emissions,  by  means  of  range  of 
technologies, could greatly benefit human health.

Project objectives

The LIFE AMMONIA TRAPPING project will develop an in-
novative and sustainable solution for reducing ammonia 
emissions  from  animal  husbandry  excretions.  In  par-
ticular,  the  project  will  implement  an  anaerobic  diges-
tion and composting process, using devices that capture 
ammonia, to produce nitrogen fertiliser. The process will 
also decrease the energy necessary to ventilate the in-
stallations.  The  technology,  which  has  a  high  potential 
for replication, will be demonstrated on farms by treat-
ing  pig  slurry  (raw  and  digestate)  and  hen  excretions. 
The project contributes to the implementation of the Ni-
trates Directive, the Water Framework Directive, the NEC 
Directive  and  the  Directive  on  ambient  air  quality  and 
cleaner air for Europe under which ammonia is consid-
ered a particulate matter precursor.

Specific project objectives are to: 
•  Design  and  construct  two  mobile  prototypes  that  ab-
sorb ammonia using gas-permeable membranes, a pio-
neering technology developed and tested at laboratory 
scale  by  the  Universidad  de  Valladolid  (UVA)  and  the 
Instituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla y León (ITACYL);
•  Determine the environmental, technical and econom-

ic viability of the prototypes;

•  Characterise  the  concentrations  of  purified  streams 
(gas and liquid), to check that air quality and effluents 
have improved;

•  Evaluate  the  economic  and  commercial  viability  of 

the added-value fertiliser produced;

•  Develop an action plan to transfer the results to other 
European countries with intensive livestock industries;
•  Monitor  the  prototypes  from  environmental,  social, 

technical and economic points of view; and

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 2 8 4 
L I F E   A M M O N I A   T R A P P I N G

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Fundación General de la Universidad de Valladolid

Postal address
Plaza de Santa Cruz, 5
E - 47002 Valladolid
SPAIN
Phone  +34 983423014
+34 979108301
Fax 
opeuva@funge.uva.es
Email 

Name of contact person
María MONCADA SARACIBAR

Duration of project:
36 months (01/10/2016 – 30/09/2019)

Total budget in euro:
1,724,165.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,032,413.00

•  Develop  tools  for  boosting  the  transferability  of  the 

technology. 

Expected results
•  A sustainable excretion-management solution for the 
livestock sector by reducing ammonia and particulate 
emissions,  reducing  eutrophication  potential  in  rural 
areas, and by exporting nitrogen surpluses from ar-
eas with high livestock density to areas with high de-
mand for nitrogen fertilisers;

•  Defined installation protocols and operation manuals 
for the prototypes to facilitate further installations;
•  60-80%  reduction  in  the  concentration  of   ammonia 
in  liquid  manure  (with  potential  reductions  in  the 
emissions of ammonia), catching between more than 
150 mg NH4+/litres per day, for a concentration in the 
liquid manure between 1 000 and 300 mg NH4+/l; 
•  Reduction of more than 70% in ammonia content of 

anaerobically co-digested liquid manure;

•  More than 70% concentration of gases (porcine and 
poultry  installations,  and  composting  process),  with 
rates of ammonia trapping of 1.3 gm-2/day; and

•  Fertiliser  production:  214.3  l  from  swine  manure, 
571  l  from  digestate,  20.8  l  from  poultry  litter  and 
20.8  l  from  composting  (785.3  l  in  total  from  the 
 liquid manure and 62.4 l from the gas).

Prevention and Integral 

 management of high polluted 

 effluents from Food SMES to urban 

sanitation systems

Project background

Spain is one of the EU countries subject to serious wa-
ter  scarcity  and  subsequent  water  quality  problems.  It 
also has a large fish canning industry that consumes a 
lot of water during its production phases, including boil-
ing, canning and cleaning. It moreover generates large 
amounts of wastewater that contain especially high lev-
els of organic matter, fats and oils, nitrogen, phospho-
rus,  salts  and  suspended  solids  –  the  organic  and  salt 
content  is  15-50%  higher  than  for  urban  wastewater. 
This  makes  wastewater  treatment  difficult,  particular 
given  that  joint  management  is  impossible  due  to  the 
irregular geographical distribution of fish canning plants. 
Consequently, the treatment of these effluents is main-
ly  carried  out  by  urban  wastewater  treatment  plants 
(WWTPs),  which  are  often  not  prepared  for  the  correct 
management  of  these  effluents;  the  high  salt  concen-
tration inhibits efficient biological treatment. In addition, 
the production of canned seafood is seasonal, creating 
unmanageable load peaks and discharges into the sea 
or other water bodies. It is thus difficult to achieve the 
‘good  ecological  and  chemical  status’  set  for  all  water 
bodies by the Water Framework Directive. 

Project objectives

The main objective of LIFEVERTALIM is to demonstrate 
an  integrated  approach  to  the  treatment  of  food  in-
dustry  wastewater  in  urban  sanitation  systems.  It  will 
implement  a  series  of  eco-efficient  measures  (the 
‘3-barrier’ system) in the canning industry to reduce the 
wastewater volume and the different pollution sources. 
In particular, it will prevent waste generation and reduce 
water  consumption.  It  will  also  reduce  the  wastewater 
pollutant load and develop a monitoring tool to evaluate 
the  efficiency  of  the  implemented  measures  and  bet-
ter manage the wastewaters internally. The project will 
develop a decision-support tool to optimise the organic 
and  salt  loads  from  the  fish  canning  industry  entering 
WWTPs. This decision-support tool will consist of a vir-
tual simulation platform, integrating pre-treatment sys-
tems, the water collection network and centralised plant 
wastewater treatments. It will model and help optimise 
fish canning effluent loads to the benefit of the sewage 
system WWTP operation. 

The project system will be tested under real conditions 
in  Artibai  (Bizkaia,  Spain)  by  three  SMEs  located  in  an 
industrial area that share water and wastewater man-
agement infrastructure. It will also be tested in another 

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 3 7 3 
L I F E V E R T A L I M

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Consorcio de Aguas Bilbao Bizkaia (CABB)

Postal address
San Vicente, 8
E - 48001 Bilbao
SPAIN
Phone  +34 944873100
Fax 
Email 

N/A
aciriza@consorciodeaguas.com

Name of contact person
Pedro María BARREIRO ZUBIRI

Duration of project:
42 months (01/07/2016 – 31/12/2019)

Total budget in euro:
1,957,998.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,052,412.00

SME located in the urban area of the town. The proposed 
system  has  a  high  potential  for  replication  in  other 
 European  regions  and  other  food  sectors.  The   project 
will  thus  involve  stakeholders  from  two  other  similar 
 regions: Douro River (Portugal) and Sicily (Italy).

Expected results
•    Prevention  of  discharges  to  the  environment  (30%), 
a  significant  reduction  of  food  losses  (10%)  and  an 
increase in productivity (1%); 
•  Considerable water savings (30%); 
•  Reductions in high organic loads (40%) to the sewage 
system, so that SMEs can fulfil obligations under cur-
rent environmental policy.

•    Improved  performance  of  WWTPs  (around  20%),  by 
reducing the pressure on water sanitation  infrastruc-
ture (40-70%);

•    Measures  to  ensure  that  treated  effluents  are  dis-

charged properly; 

•  The integration of food SMEs’ sewage into the urban 
treatment  system  without  damage  to  the  sewage 
network or WWTPs.

•    Reduction  in  eutrophication  potential  of  wastewater 

(95%) from the food SMEs; and

•  Reduction (3%) in water stress in the river basin.

Modelling, Measurement and 

 Improvement of the water 

 management’s environmental 

 impact in the food industry

Project background

One of the largest environmental impacts of the agro-
food industry in Europe arises from excessive water con-
sumption,  in  particular,  for  meat  and  drink  production, 
and fruit and vegetable canning. In Spain, the food sec-
tor accounts for 11% of all water consumed by industrial 
activities, according to the Spanish Ministry for Agricul-
ture and Environment (2015). Excessive water consump-
tion  is  due  to  several  factors,  including  low  usage  of 
control and monitoring tools for industrial processes, the 
large  diversity  and  complexity  of  such  processes,  and 
low uptake of water reuse and recycling technology. The 
relatively high cost of these technologies is a barrier to 
their implementation. In Spain, the food sector re-uses 
and recycles only 2.4% of the water it consumes (com-
pared  to  8.9%  for  manufacturing  industries  generally). 
There is a need for innovative concepts and technologies 
to achieve a more efficient use of water resources and to 
lower  the  overall  environmental  footprint  of  agro-food 
industries.

Project objectives

The objective of the LIFE MCUBO project is to minimise 
environmental impacts related to water use in the three 
food  industry  subsectors  with  highest  water  consump-
tion  (meat,  juices  and  canned  vegetables).  This  will  be 
achieved through the demonstration at three industrial 
production plants of an integrated management system 
based on: 
•  The implementation of a new low-cost, wireless mon-
itoring technology (Plug&Lean system), using sensors 
to measure the companies´ production processes for 
at least one year;

•  The  development  of  detailed  mathematical  models 
for  each  of  the  three  company´s  processes,  to  pro-
vide  information  on  water  and  energy  consumption, 
and water quality, to help decision-makers streamline 
the processes; and 
Integration  of  water  management  into  companies´ 
continuous  improvement  processes  (ISO  14000  or 
EFQM  standards)  and  environmental  management 
systems. 

• 

The project will boost the transferability potential of the 
system via a replication guide. By reducing energy and 
water consumption in the food sector, the project direct-
ly  contributes  to  the  objective  of  the  EU’s  7th  Environ-
ment Action Programme of creating a resource-efficient, 
low-carbon economy.

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 3 7 9 
L I F E   M C U B O

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
TECNUN - Escuela Superior de Ingenieros de la 
 Universidad de Navarra en San Sebastián

Postal address
Paseo de Manuel Lardizábal, 13
E - 20018 San Sebastián
SPAIN
Phone  +34 943219877
+34 943311442
Fax 
jsantos@tecnun.es
Email 

Name of contact person
Javier SANTOS

Duration of project:
36 months (01/09/2016  – 31/08/2019)

Total budget in euro:
911,747.00

EU contribution in euro:
526,747.00

Expected results
•  Water  consumption  reductions  at  the  three  demon-

stration companies of:
-  30% for the meat industry,
-  26% for the juices industry, and
-  25% for the canned vegetables industry;

•  Electric  energy  consumption  reductions  at  the  three 

companies of:
-  5% for the meat industry,
-  7% for the juices industry, and
-  5% for the canned vegetables industry;

•  Thermal energy consumption reductions at the three 

companies of:
-  18% for the meat industry,
-  20% for the juices industry, and
-  15% for the canned vegetables industry;
Improved decision-making processes based on a new 
indicator relating to both energy and water consump-
tion;
Industrial  processes  modelling  to  enable  European-
scale replication; and

• 

• 

•  Contribution to the writing of the new edition of BREFs 
by providing data on the relevant agricultural subsec-
tors to the Joint Research Centre in Seville.

Duckweed technology for improving 

nutrient management and resource 

efficiency in pig production systems

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 3 8 2 
L I F E   L E M N A

Project background

Diffuse pollution affects 90% of river basin districts, 50% 
of surface water bodies and 33% of groundwater bodies 
across the EU. Manure nutrients, especially nitrogen (N) and 
phosphorous  (P),  are  among  the  main  pollution  sources, 
especially in high-density farming areas. Agriculture and 
livestock (especially manure) are responsible for over 50% 
of the total nitrogen discharged into surface waters. This 
contributes to eutrophication, a key threat preventing good 
ecological status for EU surface waters under the Water 
Framework  Directive.  The  Nitrates  Directive  was  created 
to protect water against nitrate pollution from agricultural 
sources. To this end, a number of technologies have been 
developed to solve the problem of excess of N and P in 
manure, but they are often high energy and/or chemically 
demanding processes. Duckweed (Lemnaceae) is a small 
floating macrophyte with a high capacity for removing dis-
solved nutrients from water. It produces biomass with high 
nutritional value. Duckweed has been used for the uptake 
of nutrients from non-agricultural waste, but it has yet to 
be applied to animal manure on an industrial scale in the 
EU. Laboratory-scale tests have shown promising results, 
and an industrial-scale demonstration is now needed.

Project objectives

The main objective of the LIFE LEMNA project is to dem-
onstrate  the  feasibility  of  an  innovative  nitrogen  and 
phosphorous  recovery  technology,  to  improve  nutrient 
management  and  reduce  the  environmental  impact  of 
animal farming. This biological, energy-efficient system 
will  involve  the  sustainable  treatment  of  anaerobically 
digested  manure  through  a  duckweed  (aquatic  plant) 
production system. Duckweed biomass will be processed 
to obtain new bio-based products for local consumption, 
mainly  bio-fertilisers  and  animal  feed;  it  will  also  feed 
an existing biogas plant in the same location, which will 
allow the system to run 100% on green energy. The new 
technology will be tested in a 250 m2 duckweed produc-
tion  prototype  with  a  treatment  capacity  of  3  m3/day, 
which  will  be  installed  and  operated  over  a  period  of 
21 months on a pig farm in Castilla-La Mancha (Spain). 
Specific objectives are to: 
•  Reduce manure nutrient pollution of water bodies in 
farming  areas  by  implementing  an  innovative  and 
resource-efficient duckweed-based technology; 

•  Demonstrate the efficiency and sustainability of the 
technology to achieve high rates of nutrient recovery; 
•  Reduce the carbon footprint and other environmental 

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Asociación de Investigación de la Industria 
 Agroalimentaria (AINIA)

Postal address
C/ Benjamin Franklin, 5-11 - Parque Tecnológico 
E - 46980 Paterna
SPAIN
Phone  +34 341366090

Fax 
Email 

N/A
info@ainia.es

Name of contact person
Andrés PASCUAL 

Duration of project:
39 months (01/10/2016 – 31/12/2019)

Total budget in euro:
1,298,994.00

EU contribution in euro:
779,396.00

• 

Improve resource efficiency and close mineral cycles in 
animal  farming  systems  by  integrating  duckweed  pro-
duction and bio-based related products within a low-in-
put value chain inspired by the circular economy concept.

Expected results
•  Duckweed-based 

technology  showing  95-100% 
 nutrient (N and P) recovery efficiency rates from an-
aerobically digested pig manure; 

•  Demonstrated  advantages  from  low  energy  con-
sumption, low water usage, and being 100% renewa-
ble and self-sufficient requiring no chemical reagents;
•  At least two duckweed strains selected for their high 

growth rate and nutrient recovery;

•  New  duckweed  products  obtained,  including  a  nitro-
gen and phosphorous rich bio-fertiliser (> 6% amino 
acids) to replace traditional products, and safe, high-
quality sustainable animal feedstock to replace soya 
or other vegetable protein products;

•  Animal protein produced at the demonstration farm, 
showing at least a 20% reduction in carbon footprint;
•  An assessment of the socio-economic benefits for the 

local economy; and

problems of animal protein production; and

•  Methodologies and an electronic tool to enable future 

replication.

RunOff Water Purification from 

Pavements: A Novel Integral 

 System of Pervious  Concrete 

 Pavement & Insitu Water  Treatment

Project background

Urban  development  over  recent  decades  has  rendered 
land increasingly impermeable, as the soils of agricultur-
al lands and woodlands have been replaced by asphalt 
and concrete. When rain hits these paved/sealed areas, 
water gathers pollutants that have accumulated on their 
surface to generate a polluted runoff stream. This type 
of contamination is known as non-point source, or dif-
fuse pollution. It has an intermittent flow and a heavily 
polluted  first  flush  runoff  stream  generated  within  30 
minutes of a rain event. This often causes flooding dur-
ing heavy rains, as a result of inadequate or failing ur-
ban drainage systems. Uncontrolled discharge of runoff 
and stormwater in urban watersheds lowers the quality 
of receiving waters, making it difficult to keep concentra-
tions of pollutants below levels set by the Environmental 
Quality Standards Directive, and to achieve good status 
of water bodies. To tackle this problem, Sustainable Ur-
ban Drainage Systems (SUDS) are being adopted. 

Project objectives

The LIFE DrainRain project aims to mitigate the environ-
mental impact of runoff in water bodies. Currently, SUDS 
only drain runoff water but the project will couple SUDS 
to treatment systems for diffuse pollution. In particular, 
the project will implement pilot systems of pervious pho-
tocatalytic concrete pavements to decrease uncontrolled 
water runoff and concentrations of priority substances.
The pilot runoff sustainable drainage and treatment sys-
tem will consist of several components including:  
•  A pervious concrete photocatalytic pavement with or-
ganic pollutants first treated on the concrete’s surface 
by the photocatalyst titanium dioxide;

•  A drainage and distribution system in which water is 
collected by pipes made from anti-microbial materials;
•  A hydrodynamic separator that utilises centrifugal en-
ergy generated by the water flowing inside to separate 
suspended solids and oils (SS);

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 3 9 4 
L I F E   D r a i n R a i n

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
PROYFE SL

Postal address
Polígono de la Gándara
Avenue Del Mar, nº123
E - 15570 Narón (A Coruña)
SPAIN
Phone  +34 620927312
+34981333304
Fax 
santiago.grandal@proyfe.com
Email 

Name of contact person
Santiago GRANDAL MONTERO

Duration of project:
36 months (16/09/2016  – 31/08/2019)

Total budget in euro:
1,431,147.00

EU contribution in euro:
854,177.00

of  Ferrol  (Galicia)  and  the  other  in  Calasparra  (Murcia) 
covers 150 m2 of road hard shoulder. 

Expected results
•  Reduction in the microbial load of runoff water due to 

the antifouling and antimicrobial treatments;

•  95% decrease in the concentration of oils in the water;
Improved groundwater quality by increasing the drain-
• 
age of inorganic pollution-free runoff water;

•  Re-use and recycling of runoff water for uses such as 
irrigation, car washing and cleaning of public walkways;
•  Reduction  of  direct  discharges  of  polluted  water  into 

marine environments;

•  A filter that comes after the complete retention of SS 

•  Minimisation of the risk of flooding and its impacts by 

by a pre-filter to avoid clogging; and

reducing runoff flow rate;

•  An anti-biofouling storage tank, which has been con-
structed  using  anti-biofouling  high-density  polyethyl-
ene (HDPE), for storing the regenerated water in a way 
that ensures microbiological quality.

The  project  will  demonstrate  the  system  in  two  pilot 
plants in Spain with different climates (Oceanic and Medi-
terranean)  to  promote  its  wider  replication.  One  area  is 
900 m2 of pervious concrete surface area in the seaport 

•  Promotion of the development of sustainable drainage 
separate  systems,  through  the  inclusion  of  a  runoff 
water  treatment  system  independent  of  centralised 
wastewater  treatment  systems,  and  thus  increased 
performance of those by reducing peak flow rates;
•  Reduction  of  the  air  pollution  by  capturing  Volatile 
Organic Compounds and nitrogen oxides and thereby 
also improving air quality by photocatalysis; and
•  Mitigation of the heat-island effect in urban areas.

Efficiency in the use of  resources 

for the improvement of 

 sustainability of vine and wine 

 sector at Priorat region

Project background

Viticulture (especially fertilisation) and packaging (espe-
cially  with  glass  bottles)  are  the  most  significant  pro-
cesses contributing to the wine sector’s carbon footprint. 
The  sector  also  impacts  significantly  on  water  quality 
and quantity. In addition, biocides and fertilisers nega-
tively impact soil and water ecosystems. The EU is the 
world‘s leading producer and exporter of wine. It repre-
sents 20% of total agricultural employment in the EU, 
though it is overwhelmingly composed of small produc-
ers. In the past 30 years, the Priorat region (Spain) has 
developed  an  internationally-renowned  model  for  pro-
ducing high-quality wines. This model is grounded in the 
economic development and sustainable management of 
a unique agriculture landscape. The Priorat wine sector 
is  formed  by  170  wineries  that  are  facing  major  chal-
lenges,  such  as  the  impact  of  climate  change  on  the 
quantity and quality of the wine produced, and increased 
market competition from third countries. Grape growers 
and winemakers in the region need more than ever to 
improve  efficiency,  while  at  the  same  time  preserving 
the quality of soil, water sources and biodiversity.

Project objectives

The LIFE PRIORAT+ project aims to demonstrate a mod-
el  of  sustainable  wine  production  that  is  replicable  in 
other EU wine-producing regions, along with the appli-
cation of a set of methodologies for efficient resource 
use. The project will determine the environmental foot-
print of wine production and focus on its key aspects, 
such as the use of fertilisers and pesticides, water scar-
city, energy consumption and packaging. The project’s 
innovative model will integrate sustainability actions in 
all of these areas. This addresses the need for a har-
monised EU methodology for the green performance of 
wineries. LIFE PRIORAT+ will promote the substitution 
of synthetic pesticides by more environmentally friend-
ly chemicals and non-chemical compounds, in line with 
the Directive on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides, as 
well as EU regulation defining maximum residue limits 
of pesticides in food. The project will also contribute to 
the implementation of the EU Single Market for Green 
Products  Initiative,  by  demonstrating  the  applicability 
of the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules 
(PEFCR) and by calculating the Product Environmental 
Footprint  (PEF)  of  wine  products.  The  LIFE  PRIORAT+ 
model will moreover help to develop the green econo-
my in the wine sector, creating new job opportunities.

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 3 9 9 
L I F E   P R I O R A T +

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Fundació Parc Tecnològic del Vi

Postal address
Carretera de Porrera Km 1
E - 43007 Falset
SPAIN
Phone  +34 977831766
+34 977830295
Fax 
sergi.delamo@vitec.cat
Email 

Name of contact person
Sergi DE LAMO CASTELLVÍ

Duration of project:
48 months (01/07/2016 – 30/06/2020)

Total budget in euro:
1,529,153.00

EU contribution in euro:
909,670.00

Expected results
•  At least 20 representative wineries providing data for 
the calculation of the environmental footprint of the 
average wine produced in the Priorat region;

•  At  least  20  wineries  involved  in  raising  consumer 
awareness, with at least 1 500 wine tourists reached;
•  10%  reduction  in  water  consumption  per  tonne  of 
grape produced for irrigating 400 ha of vineyards;
•  25% reduction of the life-cycle environmental impact 
and 15% of the economic costs associated with pest 
and disease treatments applied on 250 ha;

•  At least 20% reduction of chemical fertilisers used in 

400 ha of vineyards;

•  10%  reduction  of  the  environmental  impacts  and 
economic costs of the production of grapes in Priorat; 
•  15% reduction in the environmental impacts and  economic 
costs of winemaking processes through the optimisation 
of the use of resources (energy, water and materials);
Identification of at least 10 strategies to reduce the 
life-cycle  environmental  footprint  of  the  wine  pro-
duced in Priorat;

• 

•  At least 40% of vine growers (around 580) and wine-
makers of the region directly informed and trained on the 
recommended sustainable production techniques; and
•  At least 150 additional wineries reached by activities 

to promote transferability of the results.

COMputational tool for the 

 assessment and substitution of 

Biocidal Active substanceS of 

 Ecotoxicological concern

Project background

Biocides not only kill targeted pathogens, but can also kill 
non-pathogens. This can have undesirable side-effects for 
human health and the environment. Such risks have yet 
to be sufficiently investigated for most biocides on the EU 
market because in different environmental compartments 
(e.g. soil, groundwater and air) active substances undergo 
degradation to metabolites that may be more toxic than 
the original compound. In this context, novel tools are nec-
essary for the identification and substitution of biocides 
of ecotoxicological concern. Computational toxicology is a 
subdiscipline of toxicology that aims to use mathematics, 
statistics,  chemistry  and  computer  modelling  to  predict 
the toxic effects of chemicals on human health and the 
environment. Predictive toxicology is of increasing interest 
due to new legal requirements imposed by the Biocides 
Product  Regulation  (BPR).  Under  this  legislation,  a  large 
amount of animal (in vivo) testing is needed to demon-
strate the safety of new chemical compounds, requiring 
much time and cost while also raising ethical questions. 
The use of alternative non-animal methods (e.g. comput-
er models), as foreseen under the BPR, would reduce the 
need  for  animal  testing.  The  availability  of  such  meth-
ods  would  allow  the  screening  of  many  chemicals  in  a 
simplified way, and would particularly help SMEs identify 
metabolites  of  ecotoxicological  concern  to  facilitate  the 
registering of biocides under the BPR.

Project objectives

The LIFE-COMBASE project will demonstrate a new com-
putational tool for assessing and reducing the impact of 
biocides  of  ecotoxicological  concern,  and  it  will  promote 
their substitution with safer substances. This flexible, open-
source, online decision-support tool, for assessing the eco-
toxicity  of  both  biocidal  products  and  their  metabolites, 
will be based on a series of predictive in silico (computa-
tional) models, building on previous initiatives (namely, the 
projects  ANTARES,  CALEIDOS  and  PROSIL  LIFE).  The  tool 
will enable simulations to be performed on the ecotoxic-
ity potential of new candidate chemicals before their syn-
thesis in a safe, residue-free and environmentally friendly 
way. Its operability and effectiveness will be demonstrated 
at four trophic levels: bacteria, algae, common water fleas 
(Daphnia) and fish. Project results will be communicated 
to  the  Biocidal  Products  Committee  (BPC)  of  the  Euro-
pean Chemicals Agency (ECHA), in order to boost replica-
bility.  The project will make a special contribution to the 
EU  Biocides  Product  Regulation,  especially  regarding  the 
precautionary principle (taking into account metabolites of 

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 4 1 6 
L I F E   -   C O M B A S E

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
INKOA SISTEMAS SL

Postal address
Ribera de Axpe 11 - Edificio D1 - Dpto 208
E - 48950 Erandio
SPAIN
Phone  +34 944180267
Fax 
Email 

N/A
idoia@inkoa.com

Name of contact person
Idoia UNZUETA BALMASEDA

Duration of project:
36 months (03/10/2016 – 30/09/2019)

Total budget in euro:
1,135,015.00

EU contribution in euro:
680,705.00

ecotoxicological concern); the promotion of low-risk sub-
stances (depending on their ecotoxicological profile); and 
the reduction of animal testing (in common with Directive 
2010/63/EU,  which  revised  Directive  86/609/EEC  on  the 
protection of animals used for scientific purposes).

• 

Expected results
•  A  platform  based  on  an  open-access  modular  deci-
sion-support tool to assess the ecotoxicological prop-
erties of biocides and their potential metabolites;
Identification  of  10%  of  the  most  critical  biocides 
based on PBT (persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic) 
and CMR (toxic for reproduction) criteria;
Identification  of  molecular  features  responsible  for 
the ecotoxicity of the most critical biocides;
Identification  of  safe  moieties  (a  part  or  functional 
group  of  a  molecule),  which  can  be  used  within  the 
planning of safer biocides;

• 

• 

•  Raised awareness about the use of biocidal products, 
targeting consumers for the responsible and sustain-
able use of biocides; and

•  A structured compendium of free webinars and work-
shops to support the training of end-users and stake-
holders for the sustainable use of biocides.

Glass bottles reuse in southern 

Europe wine sector

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 4 3 7 
L I F E - r e W I N E

Project background

Although  recycling  of  packaging  waste  has  been  in-
creased  in  the  EU  in  recent  years,  the  situation  varies 
significantly  between  Member  States;  some  countries 
such as Spain still recycle less than a third of their pack-
aging waste. A large part of this waste stream is thus 
still being disposed of in landfills and waste incinerators, 
causing significant emissions of greenhouse gases and 
toxic gases. In Catalonia, glass beverage waste, notably 
of wine and cava bottles, is an area of particular con-
cern. The region produces 180 million wine bottles and 
200  million  cava  bottles  annually.  However,  only  57% 
of these bottles are recycled – with the rest, some 63.3 
million bottles/ year, sent to landfill.

Project objectives

The main objective of LIFE-reWINE is to design and imple-
ment a pilot system to boost bottle re-use in the wine sec-
tor of Catalonia. The project aims to prove that re-use is 
environmentally and economically feasible, and preferable 
to current management alternatives. The project aims to:
•  Carry out studies on:

-  Stakeholders  involved  in  wine  bottle  production 
and  consumption  markets:  wineries,  household 
waste  recycling  centres  (HWRC),  restaurants,  and 
food and wine retailers; and

-  The potential for wine bottle re-use in the Catalan 

market.

•  Develop a re-use system for wine bottles in Catalonia 

comprising:
-  A collection network for used bottles from munici-
pal HWRC, restaurants, food stores and wineries;
-  A cleaning process for used wine bottles, which will 
be less energy-intensive and consume less water 
and  chemicals  (thus  generating  less  wastewater) 
than current techniques; and

-  A labelling system for re-used bottles, using a wa-

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Fundacio Privada Parc de Recerca UAB

Postal address
Edifici Eureka
Avinguda de Can Domènech (Campus de la UAB)
E - 08193  Bellaterra
SPAIN
Phone  +34 93 5868928
Fax 
Email 

N/A
juan.sanguesa@uab.cat

Name of contact person
Juan Francisco SANGÜESA

Duration of project:
40 months (01/09/2016 – 31/12/2019)

Total budget in euro:
995,309.00

EU contribution in euro:
594,541.00

prevention and to promote the use of the LIFE-reWINE 
system. The project system is highly replicable and con-
tributes directly to the implementation of the EU legisla-
tion and policy on waste.

Expected results
•  Development  of  a  glass  packaging  re-use  system, 

making use of existing technology; 

•  Demonstration  of  the  transferability  and  up-scaling 

potential of the project; 

•  Processing of 1 500 bottles under the new system;
•  Generation  of  economic  benefits  to  stakeholders  by 

ter-soluble label.

reducing operating costs;

•  Develop an incentives system to foster the use and 

•  Deeper  understanding  of  glass  bottle  re-use  by  re-

return of (re)used bottles:
-  HWRC users: a discount on the municipal waste tax 
according  to  the  annual  visits  bringing  waste  to 
HWRCs; and

-  Grocery  store  consumers:  Free  bottle  of  wine  to 
consumers who return 20 empty bottles to stores. 

•  Carry out a life-cycle analysis of the system.

The  project  will  also  implement  a  series  of  communi-
cation  and  awareness-raising  actions  to  foster  waste 

gional and national administrations;

•  500 civil society organisations in Catalonia, Spain and 
elsewhere in Europe informed on the LIFE-reWINE sys-
tem, along with up to one million citizens in Catalonia;

•  Creation of new jobs;
•  Contribution to decreased CO2 emissions in the wine 

sector (to be assessed by LCA); and

•  Dissemination of project results and the creation of 
a  network  of  stakeholders  interested  in  promoting 
glass bottle re-use.

Demonstration of an  innovative 

 recycling scheme to increase 

the water efficiency in the 

 petrochemical industry

Project background

Protection of water resources is a cornerstone of envi-
ronmental protection in Europe. Clean water demands 
careful  management  to  protect  ecosystems,  society 
and industry. However, water scarcity affects at least 
11% of Europe’s population and 17% of EU territory. 
Poor or unsuitable water quality reduces its availabili-
ty by restricting its possible uses and increasing supply 
costs. The industrial sector is the second largest con-
sumer of water after agriculture, with the petrochemi-
cal  industry  being  a  major  water  user  (cooling  and 
processing); it generates 1 750 MT of wastewater per 
year  in  Europe.  Efficient  techniques  for  recycling  and 
reclaiming this water are necessary. The Water Frame-
work  Directive  identifies  water  re-use,  recycling  and 
the  promotion  of  water-efficient  technologies  as  an 
important measure for EU action in the field of water 
policy. The European Innovation Partnership on Water 
also identifies water recycling as its top-listed priority. 
Furthermore, the EU’s Blueprint to Safeguard Europe’s 
Water  Resources  includes  the  maximisation  of  water 
re-use and recycling as one of its core actions.

Project objectives

The main objective of LIFE REWATCH is to decrease the 
environmental impact of the petrochemical industry by 
demonstrating  an  innovative  water  recycling  system 
based on a combination of existing biological and sep-
aration processes. To achieve this aim, the project will 
analyse  and  characterise  the  wastewaters  produced 
by different European petrochemical plants. It will then 
design and build a prototype plant in the facilities of a 
petrochemical complex in Tarragona (Spain). A key in-
novation of the new process will be its high versatility, 
making it capable of treating wastewater of different 
qualities to the standards required for various re-use 
applications. The project will evaluate the environmen-
tal benefits and  the economic  feasibility of  the  tech-
nology, based on its operation in the pilot plant, using 
life-cycle analysis (LCA) and life-cycle cost (LCC) pro-
cedures,  and  water  footprint  calculations.  Finally,  the 
project  will  develop  a  decision-support  tool  to  boost 
the  transferability  of  the  technology,  which  will  en-
able  other  petrochemical  industries  to  design  water 
treatment procedures based on their own wastewater 
compositions  and  the  water  quality  needed  for  local 
re-use.  This  demonstration  will  be  an  important  step 
towards  sustainability  in  the  European  petrochemical 
industry.

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 4 8 0 
L I F E   R E W A T C H

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Fundació CTM Centre Tecnològic

Postal address
Plaza de la Ciència, 2
E – 08243 Manresa
SPAIN
Phone  +34 938777373
Fax 
Email 

N/A
international@ctm.com.es

Name of contact person
Xavier MARTÍNEZ

Duration of project:
40 months (01/09/2016 – 31/12/2019)

Total budget in euro:
2,645,765.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,586,556.00

Expected results
•  A versatile water recycling scheme for the treatment 
of petrochemical wastewater streams (at least 65% 
water recovery);

•  Treatment of at least 20 000 m3 of wastewater, pro-

viding 12 600 m3 of reclaimed water;

•  Effluents obtained that could be re-used in different 

points of the petrochemical industry;

•  A  decision-support  tool  to  predict  the  performance 
of  the  new  process  and  to  encourage  other  petro-
chemical industries to implement the new water re-
cycling scheme;

•  Decreased  environmental  impact  related  to  water 
management  in  petrochemical  plants.  The  project 
expects that a full-scale implementation will be able 
to  decrease  the  water  footprint  by  15%,  decrease 
energy  consumption  by  15%  and  decrease  CO2 
emissions by 10%, relating to water management in 
petrochemical plants; and

•  Decreased economic impact related to water man-
agement in petrochemical plants by at least 10%.

Demonstration of a new 

 agro-silvo-pastoral land use 

to improve farm profitability in 

 mountain areas

Project background

Mediterranean mountain ecosystems are characterised 
by low production capacity, mainly due to three factors: 
climatic conditions, difficulties using machinery and low 
organic matter content of the soils (low fertility). These 
factors have led to the abandonment of traditional mul-
tifunctional management, which has contributed to soil 
degradation,  disappearance  of  open  spaces  in  forests 
and therefore loss of biodiversity, and the development 
of  high-density  forest  areas  that  increase  the  risk  of 
fires.  In  Europe,  around  271  000  km2  of  Mediterrane-
an mountain ecosystems (31% of the total area) have 
degraded  soils.  In  order  to  improve  soil  productivity  in 
these mountain areas and therefore increase productiv-
ity, adequate management systems are required.

Project objectives

The objective of the LIFE + POLYFARMING project is to 
test  an  innovative  and  cost-efficient  multifunctional 
agro-silvo-pastoral  system,  in  order  to  halt  the  aban-
donment of multifunctional agriculture in the Mediterra-
nean mountains. This system will help to reverse the ad-
verse environmental and socioeconomic impacts of land 
abandonment.  The  new  system  adapts  different  tech-
niques  for  improving  the  structure,  fertility  and  water 
retention capacity of the soil, and defines a new way of 
interrelating these techniques at farm scale to facilitate 
an improved land use with the following components:
• 

Integrated  forest  management  based  on  the  use  of 
by-products  (e.g.  from  thinning  and  cleaning  of  un-
derstory) as a resource for other farm activities and, 
in particular, the improvement of soil organic matter;
•  Management  of  cattle  through  programmed  inten-
sive grazing, which is also an important tool for forest 
management (e.g. improvement of fertility);

•  Multiple management of fruit trees with the produc-
tion of grasses to meet the needs of livestock; and
•  Self-sufficient  management  of  mountain  orchards 

using forest resources.

The  project  will  demonstrate  the  proposed  agro-silvo-
pastoral system on a pilot farm. The techniques will be 
disseminated among farmers to ensure its replicability 
in  the  territory.  The  project  will  create  an  opportunity 
for putting abandoned farms back into production, with 
subsequent benefits for the local economy, in particular 
job  creation.  The  project’s  model  will  contribute  to  the 
implementation  of  the  Soil  Thematic  Strategy  and  the 
7th  Environment  Action  Plan  that  prioritises  increasing 
soil organic matter.

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 5 0 6 
L I F E   +   P O LY F A R M I N G

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Universitat Autònoma Barcelona  - Centro de Investi-
gación Ecológica y Aplicaciones Forestales

Postal address
Edifici C 
E - 08193 Cerdanyola del Valles
SPAIN
Phone  +34 93 5814838
Fax 
+34 93 5814151
Email  Marc.Gracia.Moya@gmail.com

Name of contact person
Marc GRACIA

Duration of project:
60 months (01/07/2016 – 30/06/2021)

Total budget in euro:
1,135,787.00

EU contribution in euro:
672,863.00

Expected results
•  An  increase  in  soil  organic  matter  from  the  current 
level of 2% to 4%, thus improving soil water retention 
capacity and decreasing fire risk;

•  A  pilot  farm  of  80  ha  managed  following  the  new 

agro-silvo-pastoral method;

•  15 ha of forest managed with the new methodology;
•  7.5 ha of new open woodland managed following ho-

listic management;

•  Livestock managed according to the management plan;
•  7.5 ha of fruit trees with multiple production of pas-

ture and soil management with cattle;

•  One self-sufficient no-tillage orchard of 1.6 ha;
•  Demonstration that the project creates an economi-
cally viable alternative for the recovery of abandoned 
farms of Mediterranean mountains;

•  A  guide  for  the  application  of  this  new  agro-silvo-
pastoral integrated management in other farms;

•  Practical training for 100 students;
•  Nine practical advisers on other farms;
•  Communication with the European Agroforestry Federa-
tion  and  farmers’  associations  to  raise  awareness  and 
help farmers convert to agro-silvo-pastoral systems; and
•  Job creation, with an expected increase to three per-

manent field workers.

Low energy treatment technology 

for leachate valorisation

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 5 3 0 
L I F E   L E A C H L E S S

Project background

Although recycling rates have increased in Europe much 
waste is still landfilled, especially in Mediterranean and 
Eastern European countries. Landfills present long-term 
threats to soil, air, groundwater and surface water. This 
is mainly due to leachates, the liquid fraction continu-
ously produced from solid waste that is dispersed when 
rainfall percolates through it. Around 10 m3 of leachate 
is generated per 115 tonnes of solid waste, and land-
fills can keep producing leachates up to 50 years after 
their  closure.  Although  leachate  composition  varies,  it 
is invariably hazardous to some extent – with potential 
ecotoxicological  effects  on  terrestrial  ecosystems  and 
humans. In the absence of on-site treatment, leachate 
is  circulated  back  into  the  waste,  resulting  in  a  more 
concentrated liquid that has a bad odour and attracts 
disease-spreading  flies,  creating  bigger  potential  eco-
logical  and  health  risks  and  unpleasant  working  con-
ditions.  Without  treatment,  the  leachate  is  also  trans-
ported  to  sewer  systems  or  wastewater  treatment 
plants (WWTPs). Due to its high organic and ammonium 
concentrations, leachates cause extra loading in treat-
ment  plants,  requiring  additional  chemical  and  energy 
consumption  to  comply  with  effluent  limits.  Moreover, 
due  to  the  high  metal  content  in  leachate,  the  sludge 
generated may not be suitable for agricultural applica-
tions. The problems are most acute in smaller WWTPs, 
where  leachate  is  less  diluted  with  municipal  sewage. 
Leachate  treatment  techniques  remain  expensive  and 
technically inefficient.

Project objectives

The  LIFE  LEACHLESS  project  aims  to  demonstrate  the 
technical  and  economic  feasibility  of  an  innovative  and 
cost-efficient technology for leachate treatment, based on 
solar evaporation/condensation and forward osmosis. The 
project prototype will have a treatment capacity of 15 m3/
day of leachate, and will be tested in Botarell (Spain) and 
Athens (Greece). The new technology permits the on-site 
treatment of leachate, removing 100% of the pollutants 
and avoiding costly and energy-consuming effluent trans-
port to municipal WWTPs. The final solid residue (sludge) 
will be used in the manufacture of ceramic products. The 
project promotes water resource management in line with 
the Water Framework Directive by enabling managers of 
landfills  and  waste  treatment  centres  to  achieve  good 
qualitative and quantitative status for effluents. The pro-
ject is also fully in line with the objectives of the EU 7th 
Environment Action Programme.

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Fundación CARTIF

Postal address
Parque tecnológico de Boecillo, 205
E - 47151 Boecillo (Valladolid)
SPAIN
Phone  +34 983546504
+34 983546521
Fax 
external@cartif.es
Email 

Name of contact person
María Dolores HIDALGO

Duration of project:
39 months (01/10/2016  – 31/12/2019)

Total budget in euro:
1,775,805.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,041,237.00

Expected results
•  A high-quality final effluent obtained that is 100% free 
of pathogens and xenobiotic compounds and that can 
be re-used or discharged into watercourses;

•  An 80% reduction in the cost of leachate treatment;
•  80 to 90% reduction of the environmental impact as-
sociated with leachate streams proceeding from waste 
disposal in landfills or waste treatment centres;

•  Elimination of the need to transport leachate to mu-

nicipal WWTPs;

•  A technology applicable in EU countries with high vol-

umes of municipal waste sent to landfill;

•  Valorisation of 100% of the generated by-products;
•  60% reduction of the leachate storage reservoir size in 

landfills and waste treatment plants;

•  A network of contacts for disseminating good practices 
and project results, and extending the project scope;
•  Two replication studies for transferring the project find-
ings  in  two  ‘follower  facilities’  (in  Spain  and  Greece) 
and one in Pordenone’s landfill in Italy;

•  Authorities  able  to  increase  the  competitiveness  and 
improve environmental legislation through better man-
agement of leachate; and

•  Dissemination of the project results.

Advanced nutrient solutions with 

electrochemical recovery

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 5 9 1 
L I F E - A N S W E R

Project background

Contaminants in wastewater from the brewing industry 
come  mainly  from  equipment  cleaning  operations  and 
treatment processes. The main pollutants are sulphates 
(1.2-2.0 Kg/h), bicarbonates (0.2-0.4 kg/hl) and nitrates 
(30-100  mg/l),  which  all  cause  severe  environmental 
problems  (especially  in  water  bodies).  The  best  tech-
niques currently used for reducing pollutants in brewing 
industry wastewater are based on membrane processes 
(dead-end, cross-flow and dynamic filtration), as an al-
ternative to conventional solid-liquid separations. These 
techniques reduce the presence of pollutants in effluents 
by  75-85%,  enabling  them  to  be  discharged  into  river 
basins  or  used  for  irrigation.  Other  pollutant  removal 
techniques  include  biological  treatments  (aerobic  and 
anaerobic) and chemical oxidation. All these techniques 
reduce  pollutant  levels  in  wastewater  from  the  differ-
ent production stages, but they do not represent a zero-
discharge solution and incur high energy costs.

Project objectives

LIFE-ANSWER will demonstrate an integrated and inno-
vative technology for treating wastewater from brewer-
ies, and other food and drink sectors. In particular, the 
proposed  technology  will  combine  electrocoagulation 
and bioelectrogenesis microbial treatments for the com-
plete  (100%)  removal  of  wastewater  pollutants.  This 
technology will be implemented in Alovera (Spain) in a 
pilot wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) able to treat 
10  m3/h  of  wastewater.  The  final  dry  residue  will  be 
valorised  for  both  energy  production  (making  the  pro-
cess energy efficient) and fertiliser. The project is in line 
with the Water Framework Directive and its objective of 
achieving good status for all EU water bodies. 

The specific objectives of the project are to: 
•  Characterise  the  obtained  treated  water  for  each 
technology combination and identify its possible uses;
•  Mitigate  existing  environmental  and  health  impacts 
(diseases), as well as obtaining a reduction in the car-
bon footprint of WWTPs;

•  Evaluate the wastewater situation in food and drink 
industries,  assess  and  transfer  the  project  results, 
and apply the best available technology in WWTPs;
•  Assess the socio-economic impact of the demonstra-
tion plant implementation on the local economy, and 
also for European regions with similar water pollution 
problems; and

•  Reach  stakeholders  with  the  benefits  of  using  the 

LIFE ANSWER technology.

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
MAHOU S.A.

Postal address
C/ Titán 15
E – 28014 Madrid
SPAIN
Phone  +34 607397645
Fax 
Email 

N/A
jcirizas@mahou-sanmiguel.com

Name of contact person
Juan Francisco CIRIZA

Duration of project:
33 months (01/09/2016 – 31/05/2019)

Total budget in euro:
973,408.00

EU contribution in euro:
584,044.00

Expected results
•  A new technology that supplies 30% of the total elec-
trical consumption of the wastewater treatment pro-
cess and 3% of its thermal needs; 
Improvement in the quality of the wastewater result-
ing  from  the  purification  process,  allowing  the  ter-
tiary  treatment  by  reverse  osmosis  and  the  use  of 
reclaimed water for cleaning purposes; 

• 

•  Estimated prevented water loss during the project of 
87 000 m3/year, for the 10m3/hour wastewater pilot 
plant, once the system is fully implemented;

•  Volatile Fatty Acids (mg pollutants/L water) down to: 

0.0007;

•  Biological  Oxygen  Demand  (mg  pollutants/L  water): 

5.00;

•  Chemical  Oxygen  Demand  (COD)  (mg  pollutants/L 

water): 40.00;

•  Nitrogen (mg pollutants/L water): 5.00;
•  Phosphorus (mg pollutants/L water): 0.25;
• 

Intensity principal wastewater plant Alovera (kwh/m3 
treated): 1.85;

•  An LCA of the proposed technology; and
•  An  overview  of  the  wastewater  treatments  used  in 

the European food and drink industry.

Development of an efficient and 

sustainable methodology for 

EMerging POllutants REmoval 

in WWTPs (EMPORE)

Project background

Water  is  polluted  by  a  myriad  of  chemicals  from  the 
daily activities of industries, agriculture and households. 
Many of these chemicals are not traditionally considered 
as pollutants, but are being discovered in water some-
times at higher levels than expected. These chemicals, 
whose effects on the environment and human health are 
unknown, are often without regulatory status. They are 
generally referred to as emerging pollutants (EPs), and 
are of particular risk due to their permanent discharge. 
Although  EPs  are  suspected  of  having  an  adverse  im-
pact  on  human  and  animal  health  (e.g.  endocrine  dis-
ruption), only 45 of them are regulated under Directive 
2013/39/EC.  At  present,  wastewater  treatment  plants 
(WWTPs) are not designed to treat EPs, and so they are 
not removed or altered before reaching aquatic habitats 
– where they can potentially affect wildlife or be intro-
duced into food chains with associated health effects.

Project objectives

The LIFE-EMPORE project will demonstrate an innovative, 
cost-efficient  and  highly  replicable  technology  for  the 
removal of EPs from urban wastewater. The pilot plant 
will  be  integrated  into  the  WWTP  of  Benidorm  (Spain). 
The mobile prototype will have a treatment capacity of 
up to 5 m3/h. It will consist of four principal processing 
units: filtration/adsorption by columns, filtration by mem-
brane  technology,  Electrochemical  Advanced  Oxidation 
Processes  (EAOPs)  and  Advanced  Oxidation  Processes 
(AOPs). The specific objectives of the project are to:
•  Demonstrate  that  the  selected  combination  of  four 
technologies reduces concentration of the priority EPs;
•  Demonstrate that the combined technology is able to 
reduce the levels of diclofenac, 17-alfa-estradiol and 
17-beta-estradiol,  carbamazepine,  2-(p-isobutylphe-
nyl)  propionic  acid,  fluoxetine,  estrone  and  chloram-
phenicol, to 99% of their original concentrations;
•  Characterise EPs and their yearly variability in the Be-

nidorm WWTP;

•  Analyse the feasibility of the technologies for remov-

ing these EPs from wastewater;

•  Assess the initial and final environmental situation in 
accordance  with  different  organoleptic,  physical  and 
chemical parameters; 

•  Assess the socio-economic impact of the implemen-
tation of the demonstration plant for EPs removal;
•  Disseminate among stakeholders the benefits of us-
ing  EMPORE  technologies  for  the  reduction  of  the 
presence of EPs in European WWTPs; and

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 5 9 8 
L I F E - E M P O R E

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Laboratorios Tecnológicos de Levante S.L.

Postal address
Avenida  Benjamin Franklin nº 16
E – 46980 Paterna 
SPAIN
Phone  +34 961366490
Fax 
Email 

N/A
oficinastecnicas@ltlevante.com

Name of contact person
Raquel GONZÁLEZ HERRERO

Duration of project:
36 months (01/09/2016 – 31/08/2019) 

Total budget in euro:
1,783,824.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,030,407.00

•  Transfer the project results to other similar places in 

Europe.

Expected results
The  following  final  concentrations  of  EPs  in  treated 
wastewater are expected: 
•  Chlorpyrifos-ethyl of 0.0-0.00069 μg/l;
•  Trifluralin of 0.0005-0.0006 μg/l;
•  4-tert-Octylphenol of 0.0-0.005 μg/l;
•  DEHP of 0.09-0.26 μg/l;
•  17-alfa-estradiol of 0.00045-0.006 μg/l;
•  17-beta-estradiol of 0.205-2.4 μg/l;
•  Chloramphenicol of 0.08-0.12 μg/l;
•  Carbamazepine of 0.011-0.017 μg/l;
•  2-(p-isobutylphenyl) propionic acid of 0.245-0.36 μg/l;
•  Fluoxetine < 0.000195 μg/l;
•  Estrone of 0.000029 μg/l-0,00015 μg/l;
•  Diclofenac of 0.05-0.08μg/l;
•  Chlorpyrifos, trifluralin and DEHP below the threshold 

established in Directive 2013/39/EC;

•  Greater  than  95%  reduction  for  diclofenac,  17-alfa-

estradiol and 17-beta-estradiol; and

•  Greater than 95% reduction for carbamazepine, 2-(p-
isobutylphenyl)  propionic  acid  (Ibuprofen),  fluoxetine 
(e.g. Prozac), estrone and chloramphenicol.

Spend foundry sand valorisation 

in construction sector through the 

validation of high-performance 

 applications

Project background

There  are  around  3  000  active  foundry  operations  in 
Europe  that  annually  generate  over  9  million  tonnes 
of waste sand, with ferrous industries the major gen-
erators. Only 25% of this Spent Foundry Sand (SFS) is 
recycled for a few applications, mainly by the cement 
industry:  the  remaining  75%  is  landfilled.  The  global 
warning  potential  of  sand  extraction  (quarrying  and 
dredging) and processing is between 92-120 g CO2 eq. 
per 1 kg of dry silica sand obtained. Air pollutants are 
emitted  by  the  extracting  equipment  (usually  diesel), 
and  noise  is  a  common  occurrence  due  to  extraction 
and transportation. Sand extraction involves consider-
able land take and loss of soil (estimated at 0.4 ha per 
tonne of sand extracted), with associated loss of wild-
life habitat. The re-use of foundry sand would minimise 
these impacts.

Project objectives

The LIFE ECO-SANDFILL project aims to demonstrate the 
technical  and  economic  feasibility  of  using  SFS  as  an 
eco-friendly fine aggregate in construction applications. 
The goal is to reduce the large volume of SFS annually 
sent  to  landfills.  The  mechanical  process,  will  treat  up 
to 1 500 tonnes of SFS in a pilot plant integrated into a 
foundry in the Spanish Basque Country. The new product 
will be used as fine aggregate for embankments, mor-
tars  and  as  Controlled  Low  Strength  Material  (CLSM). 
The proposed technology is more efficient at removing 
sand  impurities  than  existing  technologies  and  offers 
economic benefits. It is expected to reduce foundry sand 
management  costs  by  40%  and  construction  industry 
raw  material  costs  by  30%,  while  contributing  to  the 
green  economy  and  creating  jobs.  The  ECO-SANDFILL 
technique  is  suitable  for  all  type  of  sands  and  mould-
ing systems, and it has high replicability potential. The 
project’s  objectives  are  in  line  with  the  Roadmap  to  a 
Resource Efficient Europe and the 7th Environment Action 
Programme (EAP). The specific objectives are to:
•  Demonstrate that SFS correctly pre-processed can be 
re-used  in  construction  applications  with  a  high  de-
mand for fine aggregates;

•  Obtain non-hazardous sand as a waste by-product;
•  Contribute  to  ‘close  to  zero’  main  solid  waste  from 
foundries  being  sent  to  landfill  and  to  reverse  the 
trend of new sand excavation from virgin land; and
•  Stimulate  industrial  activity  and  increase  competi-
tiveness in several sectors (e.g. casting, construction 
and waste management).

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 6 1 2 
L I F E   E C O - S A N D F I L L

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
CASA MARISTAS AZTERLAN

Postal address
Aliendalde Auzunea, 6
E – 48200 Durango (Biscaya)
SPAIN
Phone  +34 946215470
Fax 
Email 

N/A
lunamunzaga@azterlan.es

Name of contact person
Lucía UNAMUNZAGA

Duration of project:
36 months (01/07/2016  – 30/06/2019)

Total budget in euro:
2,313,350.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,343,488.00

Expected results
•  Valorisation  of  around  1  500  tonnes  of  SFS  in  the 
Basque Country during the project, with a scenario re-
port for the potential recycling of 3 000 000 tonnes 
of reclaimed sand per year in Europe;

•  Reduction of the volume of the annual foundry sand 
disposal  in  landfills  by  up  to  1  500  tonnes;  with  an 
estimated CO2 reduction of around 14 tonnes/year;
•  Reduction  in  consumption  of  natural  aggregates  by 
up to 1 500 tonnes, with an estimated CO2 reduction 
of over 100 tonnes/year;

•  Reduction of energy use by 600 000 KWh/year;
•  Production  and  demonstration  of  high  performance 
embankments and CLSM, substituting the virgin fine 
aggregates with 100% SFS;

•  Sand  impurities  removal  (e.g.  metal  scrap,  organic 
matter) with an efficiency of more than 95% (loss on 
ignition < 1.5%, fines content <3%, and pH of 6-8);

•  Environmental safety of sand;
•  Good practice guidelines and policy recommendations 

for the standard re-use of sand; and

•  Detailed financial cost-benefit analysis of the technol-
ogy and an LCA of the new applications, including data 
on carbon footprints and resource consumption com-
parisions. 

L I F E 1 5   E N V / E S / 0 0 0 6 5 8 
L I F E - E C O T E X

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
FUNDACIÓN GAIKER

Postal address
Parque Tecnologico de Bizkaia - Edificio 202
E  - 48170 Zamudio (Viscaya)
SPAIN
Phone  +34 946002323
+34 946002324
Fax 
asueta@gaiker.es
Email 

Name of contact person
Asier ASUETA

Duration of project:
36 months (01/09/2016  – 31/08/2019)

Total budget in euro:
1,246,048.00

EU contribution in euro:
735,827.00 

•  Reduction in amount of waste incinerated or sent to 

landfill; 

•  Reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 1.47 tCO2eq/t 

PET;

•  Optimisation of the catalytic glycolysis process;
•  A  comprehensive  LCA  and  viability  analysis  of  the 

proposed process;

•  Development of industry guidelines concerning textile 

manufacturing and in situ waste recycling; and

•  Policy recommendations to the European Commission 
on  textile  manufacturing  using  chemically  recycled 
polyester.

Demonstration of polyester of 

footwear waste recycling into new 

textile products using glycolysis 

technology

Project background

Polyester  is  the  second  largest  family  of  plastics  in 
terms of quantity used. In the EU in 2009, half of the 
1.75  Mt  of  polyester  textiles  produced  were  used  in 
clothing. Due to their properties, polyester-based tex-
tiles  predominate  in  the  footwear  sector,  where  they 
have been introduced in many parts of the shoe (collar, 
tongue,  insole,  lining,  tip  and  leg).  Up  to  7%  of  high-
grade  polyester  textiles  are  lost  during  manufacture. 
This  waste  is  mainly  composed  of  trimmings  and  re-
jections that often contain polyester mixed with other 
materials,  including  glues.  For  this  reason,  their  qual-
ity  might  not  be  acceptable  for  recycling  with  tradi-
tional mechanical methods, as it is difficult to separate 
the  contaminants  from  the  plastic  efficiently,  making 
landfilling and incineration the only solution. Polyester 
waste  arising  from  footwear  manufacturing  is  there-
fore an area which requires further efforts to find eco-
nomically-viable sustainable management solutions.

Project objectives

The LIFE-ECOTEX project proposes an innovative, eco-ef-
ficient and highly replicable recycling system for polyes-
ter textile waste generated during shoe manufacturing. 
The aim is to close the cycle for polyester material, mak-
ing  it  possible  to  replace  a  part  of  the  non-renewable 
petrochemical feedstock used to make textile polyester 
with  rejected  shoemaking  material.  The  process  starts 
with the chemical de-polymerisation of polyester waste 
generated,  to  recycle  polyethylene  terephthalate  (PET), 
and  produce  bis  (2-hydroxyethyl)  terephthalate  (BHET) 
by catalytic glycolysis. Once purified, the recovered BHET 
(having  identical  properties  to  equivalent  ‘virgin’  ma-
terial)  is  a  suitable  building  block  for  the  synthesis  of 
fibre-grade polyesters. These recycled materials can be 
reintroduced to the market for footwear manufacturing 
or as non-woven insulators for construction. The project 
is in line with the EU Circular Economy Package, which 
establishes  plastic  waste  as  one  its  five  priority  areas. 
Furthermore, the project contributes to the implementa-
tion of the Waste Framework Directive and the Landfill 
Directive as it valorises a waste stream that was previ-
ously only landfilled or incinerated.

Expected results
•  Chemical recycling of 518 kg of polyester waste after 
pre-treatment, producing 370 kg of BHET and 300 kg 
of PSF (polyester-staple fibre); 

•  Consumption of 300 kg of raw polyester avoided;

L I F E 1 5   E N V / S E / 0 0 0 2 6 5 
L I F E   H A L O S E P

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Stena Metall AB

Postal address
Fiskhamnsgatan, 8
S - 400 40 Gothenburg
SWEDEN
Phone  +46 104458007
Fax 
Email 

N/A
Elin.Trossholmen@stenametall.se

Name of contact person
Elin TROSSHOLMEN

Duration of project:
42 months (01/07/2016 – 31/12/2019) 

Total budget in euro:
5,444,693.00

EU contribution in euro:
2,275,399.00

•  HALOSEP product refined to obtain 40% zinc content;
•  The salt amount is about 30% of the original fly ash 

input amount;

•  The salt product to be recycled as a brine having has 

around 10% salt content;

•  Amount  of  wastewater  from  the  incineration  plant 
 decreased by 10-12 m3 per tonne of salt recycled; 
•  Up to 2 000 tonnes of salt may be recycled and used 

as road salt in the winter period; and

•  Less  than  1%  of  the  amount  of  material  to  be  re-

turned to the incinerators ovens.

HALOSEP - Innovative method 

for recycling and reuse of waste 

streams from incineration plants 

in the EU

Project background

Though incineration is preferable to landfilling, it causes 
environmental problems, namely the generation of flue 
gas  waste  (FGW)  which  contains  chlorides  and  heavy 
metals. FGW is classified as hazardous waste in the Eu-
ropean  Waste  Catalogue.  To  remove  the  pollutant,  the 
polluted  gas  stream  is  brought  into  contact  with  the 
scrubbing liquid in a wet scrubber. However, in most cas-
es in Denmark and Sweden, the FGW waste fails to meet 
the EU limit values for leaching (i.e. lead and chloride), 
and often the FGW from these two countries is sent to 
landfill. Around 200 000 tonnes of FGW is transported 
to landfill every year and, in some cases, alkaline treat-
ments are needed to neutralise the acidic waste. There-
fore,  potential  resources  in  the  FGW  are  not  utilised. 
A rough estimate showed that about 465 tonnes of zinc 
and  4  000  tonnes  of  salt  were  wasted  in  an  incinera-
tion plant, even when using state-of-the-art technology. 
Moreover, about 45 000 m3 of wastewater is generated 
from neutralising the scrubber liquid using precipitation 
chemicals.

Project objectives

The main objective of the LIFE HALOSEP project is to dem-
onstrate how two waste streams from incineration plants, 
fly ash and liquid, can be co-treated to reduce the amount 
of waste going to landfill. The innovative HALOSEP pro-
cess converts the waste into a salt brine product and a 
zinc  product,  and  it  significantly  reduces  the  amount  of 
flue gas residues, which improves leaching properties so 
that the material meets safe limits for re-use.  

The new technology closes the material loops for chloride 
and zinc, and thereby contributes to the development of 
a circular economy. The main advantages are a shift from 
100% disposal of flue gas waste in dedicated landfills to 
material recycling with a reduction of disposed amounts 
by about 40-60%. Cost savings of 30-40% are expected 
and less material will be landfilled. The project will dem-
onstrate how the process can be integrated into existing 
incineration plants so that it can be replicated throughout 
the EU waste industry.

Expected results
•  20% reduced costs for HALOSEP fly ash treatment;
•  80% reduced chemical consumption;
•  Flue gas weight amount (dry matter) 60-62% of the 
original  fly  ash  input  amount,  a  reduction  of  about 
40%;

LIFE SURE - Sediment Uptake and 

Remediation on Ecological basis

L I F E 1 5   E N V / S E / 0 0 0 2 7 9 
L I F E   S U R E

Project background

The  natural  characteristics  of  the  Baltic  Sea,  namely, 
a long water residency time (around 30 years), a large 
catchment area, a population of about 90 million peo-
ple, and a brackish water environment poor in species, 
predisposes it to harmful contamination effects. One en-
vironmental problem comes from shallowed overgrown 
bays, which occur when dead biota and particles accu-
mulate at the bottom, adding to the sediments. This pro-
cess is sped up by climate change and human activities, 
such as river straightening, leaving exposed soil in fields 
and paving/sealing land, which all increase the outflow 
of  particles  to  shallow  water  bodies  and  contribute  to 
further sedimentation. 

Due  to  human  activities,  these  sediments  might  con-
tain hazardous substances and high levels of nutrients, 
leading  to  eutrophication.  The  removal  of  hazardous 
substances is a priority area of the Baltic Sea Strategy. 
Disturbance of contaminated sediments, whether physi-
cal (e.g. by dredging) or biophysical (e.g. bio-turbation by 
organisms), can result in the re-suspension of hazardous 
substances and an increase in their availability to chem-
ical and biological processes. To prevent overgrowth of 
shallow  waters,  dredging  is  often  necessary.  However, 
traditional  dredging  causes  great  disturbance  to  the 
water  environment.  Sustainable  dredging  methods  are 
available  but  are  too  expensive  to  employ  on  a  large 
scale. Like many areas along the Baltic coast, the coast-
line of Kalmar is heavily affected by this phenomenon.

Project objectives

The LIFE SURE project will demonstrate a cost-effective 
and  ecologically  sustainable  process  for  retrieving  and 
recycling sediments in shallow eutrophic waters. Hazard-
ous substances will be removed with a minimum of nega-
tive impact, turning such sediments into a resource. The 
project will demonstrate an innovative dredging concept 
that  is  mobile,  cost-effective,  environmentally  friendly 
and easy to use. The new system uses an automated unit. 
It consists of a surface raft pulling the underwater unit, 
which has 18 specially-designed nozzles that pump sedi-
ments up from the seabed. The system moves slowly (1 
cm/s) and therefore does not cause any re-suspension of 
sediments. The system can be continuously operated and 
supervised locally or remotely using built-in sensors. 

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Kalmar Municipality

Postal address
Östra Sjögatan, 18
S – 39126 Kalmar
SWEDEN
Phone  +46 480450305 
Fax 
Email 

N/A 
anna.carnelius@kalmar.se

Name of contact person
Anna CARNELIUS

Duration of project:
48 months (01/08/2016 – 31/07/2020)

Total budget in euro:
3,526,582.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,942,988.00

used anywhere there is a need for taking up sediments. 
Once sediments have been dredged, they pass through a 
treatment and dewatering system, which removes water 
and pollutants via decantation and centrifugation. Sedi-
ments are separated into three fractions: water, organic 
sediments and mineral sediments. 

The project will recycle dredged materials for use in con-
struction or agriculture. It will propose a solution for in-
creasing the recycling rate of dredged sediments in the 
EU, which stood at just 12% in 2012 (Eurostat), helping 
preserve the physical and chemical features of marine 
ecosystems.

Expected results
•  More than 70% of the dredged sediments recycled;
•  50% lower costs for the dredging, dewatering and pu-

rification process than existing techniques; 

•  Levels  of  hazardous  substances  and  nutrients  not 
higher  during  uptake  of  sediments  than  in  undis-
turbed water areas 50 m from the site of uptake;  
•  Around 6 tonnes of phosphorus removed along with 

400 kg of lead and 10 kg of cadmium; and 

The system moreover has great potential for replication, 
given  that  it  can  be  handled  by  non-professionals  and 

•  Continuous sampling of the water and the local eco-
systems made to ensure that no adverse effects arise.

L I F E 1 5   E N V / S E / 0 0 0 3 1 5 
B I O D O L O M E R   f o r   L I F E

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Båstad Municipality

Postal address
Vångavägen, 2
S - 269 80 Båstad
SWEDEN
Phone  +46 43177617
Fax 
Email 

N/A
patrik.johansson@bastad.se

Name of contact person
Patrik JOHANSSON

Duration of project:
40 months (01/09/2016 – 31/12/2019) 

Total budget in euro:
3,113,781.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,387,384.00

•  50% more biogas produced from waste based on the 

new material;

•  Up  to  60%  reduction  of  CO2  emissions  in  the  com-

plete life-cycle of the new material;

•  Four  products  based  on  the  new  biomaterial,  each 

validated by end users; and

•  A  life-cycle  assessment  study  performed  on  fossil-

free Biodolomer®.

A future full-scale implementation of the material would 
mean a significant reduction in energy-intensive plastic 
and packaging materials within the EU. If successful, it 
will allow for several industrial actors across Europe to 
consider  substituting  current  materials  with  the  more 
sustainable  green  material,  enabling  waste-handling 
companies to be able to generate more biogas from the 
waste.

BIODOLOMER - Demonstration of 

a unique, fully renewable green 

 material for the reduction of 

 plastics and  packaging waste

Project background

Global  plastic  production  increased  from  1.5  million 
tonnes/yr in 1950 to 250 million tonnes/yr in 2013, and 
it is estimated to triple by 2050. Plastics are used ex-
tensively  in  product  packaging,  such  as  food,  pharma-
ceuticals,  and  cosmetics.  Around  30%  of  plastics  used 
worldwide  are  used  for  packaging.  The  most  common 
plastic compounds are petroleum-based polymers such 
as polystyrene. For example, around 450 billion dispos-
able  coffee  cups  are  used  per  year  in  the  EU  and  the 
USA combined (equal to 6.7 million tonnes of waste per 
year). These cups are often made with polystyrene and, 
even if the rest of the components are organic, the use 
of  fossil-based  materials  makes  this  waste  difficult  or 
impossible to recycle. This is a common problem and in 
total around a half of all plastic waste in the EU is land-
filled. Therefore, much energy and processed raw mate-
rial is lost, instead of being recycled into new products.

Project objectives

The objective of the BIODOLOMER for LIFE project is to 
demonstrate an innovative 100% ‘fossil-free’ biomate-
rial,  Biodolomer®,  which  can  replace  plastic  in  product 
packaging. The project will test its use in four different 
commercial  reference  products  (freezer  bags,  cutlery, 
and  food  and  drink  packaging)  to  verify  the  possibility 
of introducing it to the European plastic and packaging 
industry.  This  new  material  can  be  treated  as  organic 
waste through energy recovery/incineration, organic re-
cycling/composting and material recycling, thus avoiding 
landfilling and upgrading management practice to com-
ply  with  the  waste  hierarchy  established  by  the  Waste 
Framework Directive (2008/98/EC). The new material is 
also cost efficient and highly transferrable, as it can be 
produced with plastic processing machinery already on 
the market. Another key innovation is that no waste will 
be generated during its production, making it resource ef-
ficient. Furthermore, its production process requires less 
energy than used for producting plastics, cardboard and 
aluminum, with energy consumption reductions of up to 
30%. Therefore, the project is fully in line with the aim of 
the 7th Environment Action Programme to transform the 
EU into a resource-efficient, low-carbon economy.

Expected results
•  65%  reduction  of  waste  compared  to  plastics,  i.e.  a 

reduction of 32 500 kg waste; 

•  50%  less  energy  consumption  in  the  production  of 

the material;

Mercury Decontamination of 

 Dental Care Facilities

L I F E 1 5   E N V / S E / 0 0 0 4 6 5 
H g - r i d - L I F E

Project background

The use of dental amalgam contributes to a substantial 
amount  of  mercury  (Hg)  in  the  environment.  According 
to  BIO  Intelligence  Service  (2012),  dental  amalgam  is 
one  of  the  main  remaining  uses  of  mercury  in  the  EU. 
The demand for dental amalgam was still high in 2010, 
when it amounted to 75 tonnes of Hg per year in the EU. 
Some 75% of the dental facilities in all EU Member States 
are  equipped  with  amalgam  separators,  but  estimates 
suggest  that  about  45  tonnes  Hg  per  year  from  dental 
practices  within  the  EU  ends  up  in  clinic  effluents.  This 
presents risks to microbiological activity in soils, wildlife 
and human populations, and the integrity of ecosystems. 
There is a need for new techniques that reduce the mer-
cury leaked to the environment from this source.

Project objectives

The Hg-rid-LIFE project aims to reduce emissions of mer-
cury, by demonstrating new and improved techniques for 
decontamination  of  amalgam  and  mercury  in  the  pipe 
systems of Swedish dental clinics. The project has poten-
tial to remove up to 50% of the mercury from the dental 
clinics taking part in the pilot project. In its first stage, the 
project aims to collect 100 kg Hg. It will do this by:
• 

Improving  standards  for  sampling  mercury  concen-
tration in water;

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Praktikertjänst AB

Postal address
Adolf Fredriks Kyrkogata, 9A
S - 10355 Stockholm
SWEDEN
Phone  + 46 707894019 
Fax 
Email 

N/A 
grontandvard@ptj.se

Name of contact person
Anna SVENSSON

Duration of project:
36 months (01/09/2016 – 31/08/2019)

Total budget in euro:
1,701,112.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,019,766.00

•  Drains of 600 dental care facilities screened for mer-

cury;

•  Testing innovative and more efficient technologies for 

•  145 dental care facilities fitted with the new technology 

• 

decontamination of pipe systems;
Improving existing technology for reducing emissions 
of mercury from amalgam separators, and

•  Developing  guidelines  for  mercury  remediation  in 
dental clinics that can initiate or inspire national and 
EU-wide guidelines.

Adequate handling of dental amalgam waste is neces-
sary  to  achieve  goals  within  EU  legislation.  Mercury  is 
defined as a priority substance under the Water Frame-
work  Directive  (2000/60/EC)  and  the  Environmental 
Quality  Standards  Directive  (2013/39/EU).  Together, 
these establish concentration limits  for mercury and its 
compounds  in  order  to  attain  good  chemical  status  of 
surface  waters  in  all  Member  States.  Further  emission 
limit values and quality standards are described in the 
Mercury Discharges Directive (82/176/EEC) and the Mer-
cury Directive (84/156/EEC). 

Expected results
•  Development  and  demonstration  of  a  new  and  more 
effective,  easy-to-apply  and  cost-effective  technology 
for mercury decontamination;

for mercury decontamination during the project;

•  Sewage  waste  containing  contamination  correspond-
ing to 100 kg of mercury removed from pipes in dental 
clinics, with the new technology having the potential to 
increase the volume of removed contaminated sludge 
by 25-50%;

•  Reduced mercury leakage from examined dental clinics;
In  clinics  where  mercury  levels  exceed  1  000  μg/l  in 
• 
sewage  waste  from  suction  systems,  mercury  levels 
will be reduced by at least 50%;
Increased  knowledge  level  and  know-how  of  how  to 
mitigate mercury leakage from dental facilities shared 
with environmental officers, suppliers of dental equip-
ment and dental technicians;

• 

•  At  least  15  training  seminars,  several  international 
webinars, and a web-based training tool developed re-
garding mercury management in dental facilities; and
•  Draft proposals for guidelines based on project results, 
to support the development of national and internation-
al guidelines for the management of dental mercury.

Bio Guardrail 4 yoUr Safety LIFE 

L I F E 1 5   E N V / N L / 0 0 0 1 7 3 
B G 4 U S   L I F E   2 0 1 5

2015

Project background

The  production  of  zinc-coated  metal  guardrails  has  a 
considerable  impact  on  the  environment.  On  the  one 
hand, the energy requirements for their production are 
very high, while on the other, during the lifetime of these 
guardrails, a considerable amount of zinc is emitted into 
the environment via corrosion, which leaches into soils, 
groundwater and surface water. Zinc adversely influenc-
es the biodiversity of plants and micro-organisms, and 
by accumulating in plants and animals in the food chain 
can  cause  health  problems.  To  overcome  these  prob-
lems,  wooden  guardrails  were  fabricated  in  2003  that 
met the relevant  requirements, but the concept was not 
economically competitive. Since then, biopolymer-based 
pultrusion  and  extrusion  technologies  have  developed 
as  proven  sustainable  technologies.  These  have  good 
potential for producing competitively priced solutions to 
replace zinc-coated metal guardrails.

Project objectives

The objective of the BG4US LIFE 2015 project is to pro-
duce  a  bio-based  guardrail,  which  will  be  demonstrated 
along on a road. Guardrails are made of three parts: poles, 
guided rails and tongues. For the poles and guided rails, 
traditional  metal  components  will  be  substituted  with 
bio-composites.  The  project  aims  to  optimise  industrial 
production, using existing machines. The poles will be pro-
duced by an extrusion process, using CoFib (lignocellulose 
fibres  made  from  agricultural  waste  or  roadside  grass) 
and Solanyl (a second-generation bio-plastic obtained as 
a side-product of potato processing). The guided rails will 
be made in a pultrusion process (continuous moulding in 
which fibres and resin are combined), out of a suitable bio-
based resin and PaPEC tapes (produced from the same raw 
material as CoFib). A 25-metre guardrail prototype will be 
assembled  and  pre-tested.  Afterwards,  crash  testing  will 
be performed on an optimised pilot guardrail of 100 m to 
obtain the necessary certification. Finally, field testing will 
be performed on a 375 m guardrail at a demonstration 
site, in cooperation with the Dutch Ministry of Infrastruc-
ture and Environment. The new guardrail will provide an 
alternative  to  galvanised  zinc  guardrails,  leading  to  po-
tential  zinc  emission  reductions  of  18.8  tonnes/yr  in  the 
Netherlands  alone.  By  increasing  biopolymer  production, 
the project aims to strengthen the competitiveness of the 
EU bioplastics industry, in line with the European Economic 
Recovery Plan, and to facilitate the substitution of hazard-
ous chemicals in line with the Action Plan for the Circular 
Economy. It will also help implement the Water Framework 
Directive and the Soil Thematic Strategy.

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Millvision BV

Postal address
Molenstraat 2b
NL - 4944 AC Raamsdonk
THE NETHERLANDS
Phone  +31 651586776
Fax 
+31 162519500
Email  welcome@millvision.eu

Name of contact person
Leon JOORE

Duration of project:
36 months (01/09/2016 – 01/09/2019) 

Total budget in euro:
1,915,742.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,025,161.00

Expected results
•  Production  of  individual  components  needed  to  as-
semble 500 m of guardrails: 850 poles and 3 500 m 
of guided rails;

•  Evaluation for each component, in terms of mechani-
cal properties, heat and fire resistance, form and col-
our  stability,  recyclability  and  waste  treatment,  and 
potential  bleeding  of  organic  substances  from  the 
bio-based components;

•  Optimal  process  specifications  for  the  production  of 
the  poles,  including  the  most  suitable  bio-polymer 
and fibre sources needed, along with the optimum ra-
tio of biopolymer to fibre source;

•  Optimised extrusion production process for the poles, 

including optimisation of bio-polymer and fibres;
•  Optimised pultrusion production process for the guid-
ed rails, including optimisation of resin and fibres;
•  Certification of the BG4US LIFE guardrail, after crash-
testing trials, followed by the assembly of a demon-
stration rail along a provincial road or highway;

•  A  life-cycle  analysis  of  the  BG4US  LIFE  guardrail 

compared to zinc-coated steel guardrails; and

•  A  business  plan  for  the  roll  out  of  the  BG4US  LIFE 
guardrail  concept,  via  start-up  enterprises  and  with 
the development of technology licencing.

CLean INland SHipping

L I F E 1 5   E N V / N L / 0 0 0 2 1 7 
L I F E   C L I N S H

Project background

Inland  Waterway  Transport  (IWT)  causes  considerable 
emissions  of  the  air  pollutants  NOx  and  PM10.  Many 
European  regions  are  struggling  to  tackle  air  quality 
problems,  though  the  often  expensive  measures  im-
plemented  to  meet  air  quality  limit  values  are  mainly 
directed  at  industry  and  road  transport.  However,  it  is 
increasingly  recognised  that  inland  shipping  dispropor-
tionately contributes to the concentrations of NOx and 
particulate matter (PM), and also strongly affects the air 
quality of areas along inland waterways and nearby in-
land ports. Especially in the larger ports, the emission of 
NOx by inland navigation can reach up to 25% of total 
NOx emissions in the Netherlands. Many inland ports are 
situated  in  or  close  to  cities,  thereby  directly  affecting 
the air quality and health of populated areas. Because 
emissions at low height are involved, the impact on the 
direct surroundings is relatively high.

Project objectives

The  objective  of  LIFE  CLINSH  is  to  improve  air  quality 
in  urban  areas  situated  close  to  ports  and  inland  wa-
terways, by accelerating IWT emission reductions. It will 
demonstrate the environmental impact of emission re-
duction  technologies  to  facilitate  the  implementation 
and enforcement of EU policy and legislation on air qual-
ity, in particular, the Clean Air Policy Package (2013) and 
the Air Quality Directive. Furthermore, nitrogen deposi-
tion (eutrophication) caused by ship emissions in Natura 
2000 network sites close to waterways will be reduced. 
The  project  will  help  facilitate  a  switch  to  lower  emis-
sion levels in inland vessels, thereby helping to green the 
fleet.  CLINSH  will  provide  insight  into  the  effectiveness 
and cost benefits of emission-reduction measures under 
real-life conditions, and explore the available incentives 
for such measures. The project will demonstrate meas-
ures  for  emission  reduction  in  selected  vessels  over 
two  years.  In  tandem,  the  project  team  will  undertake 
air quality modelling for different scenarios to show the 
impact on NOx and PM10 concentrations, a methodology 
that will provide input for the further development of a 
Clean Shipping Index (CSI). The methodology will be dis-
seminated to policy-makers, ship owners and suppliers, 
and other decision-makers, and will help to improve the 
competitiveness of the inland navigation sector.

Expected results
•  30 ships provided with various NOx and PM reduction 
techniques and monitored for NOx, PM and all other 

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Provincie Zuid-Holland

Postal address
Zuid – Hollandplein 1
NL - 2596 AW The Hague
THE NETHERLANDS
Phone  +31 652580231
Fax 
Email 

N/A
clinsh@pzh.nl

Name of contact person
Ingrid VAN LEEUWEN

Duration of project:
48 months (01/09/2016 – 31/08/2020)

Total budget in euro:
8,782,973.00

EU contribution in euro:
5,108,937.00

necessary parameters (plus 15 already equipped with 
Selective  Catalytic  Reduction  for  NOx  monitoring, 
which initial results suggest reduce emissions by 70-
80%);

•  Emission  reductions  of  288  tonnes/yr  NOx  and  7.2 

tonnes/yr PM;

•  An  onshore  power  supply  demonstration  that  is  ex-

pected to reduce emissions in port areas;

•  An  emissions  inventory  database,  including  all  rel-

evant ship information;

•  Scenarios  that  show  the  expected  impact  on  emis-
sions depending on policy changes and/or incentives;
•  Air pollution concentration maps for various scenarios 

based on high resolution modelling;

•  A  monitoring  protocol  leading  to  a  CSI  for  financial 

incentives;

•  A decision-making tool, enabling ship owners to make 

a first selection of feasible greening methods;

•  Policy tools and recommendations based on possible 

scenarios; and

•  Total emission reduction of 6k tonne (comparable to 
the yearly NOx emission of Malta) over the total de-
preciation time of the vessel/engine (on average 20 
years), with vessels maintaining the technology after 
the project.

Upcycling post-consumer film 

from dirty Mechanical Recycling 

 Facilities (MRFs)

L I F E 1 5   E N V / N L / 0 0 0 4 2 9 
L I F E   A G A N F O I L S

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Attero B.V.

Postal address
VAMweg 7
NL - 9418 TM Wijster
THE NETHERLANDS
Phone  +31 611326758
Fax 
Email 

N/A
abel.tjoelker@attero.nl

Name of contact person
Abel TJOELKER

Duration of project:
36 months (01/07/2016 – 30/06/2019) 

Total budget in euro:
13,029,578.00

EU contribution in euro:
3,021,554.00

•  Recycling of around 9 000 tonnes of plastic foil waste, 
leading to about 5 900 tonnes of high-quality plastic 
re-granulate (75% of plant capacity), over a one-year 
period;

•  Definition of project indicators from a technical and 
environmental point of view and their monitoring dur-
ing the project’s lifetime;

•  Reduction  of  CO2  emissions  by  up  to  555  tonnes 
 (owing to the waste not being transported from the 
Netherlands  to  Germany).  Using  waste  heat  and 
 renewable energy coming from the waste-to-energy 
facility will also lower carbon emissions;

•  Assessment of the socio-economic impact of the pro-

ject; and

•  A market analysis to evaluate the replication potential 
and transferability of the demonstrated technique.

Project background

Increasing  the  re-use  and  recycling  of  materials  is 
 considered  a  high  priority  for  realising  the  vision  of  a 
circular  economy  within  the  EU.  Post-consumer  low-
density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic foils recovered from 
municipal solid waste, however, are considered difficult 
to  recycle.  This  plastic  waste  usually  has  a  high  level 
of contamination with dirt, organic material and adhe-
sives, etc. It must therefore undergo intensive treatment 
(grinding, washing and drying) during the recycling pro-
cess. As a result, in most countries, LDPE plastic waste 
is  currently  either  incinerated  for  energy  recovery  or 
landfilled. Only a small amount of LDPE is recycled and 
the current state-of-the-art recycling processes do not 
sufficiently  reduce  the  contamination  level,  adversely 
 affecting the quality of the recycled granulates. The re-
granulate does not reach the quality of virgin material 
and can only be used for low-quality applications.

Project objectives

The LIFE AGANFOILS project aims to demonstrate a new 
upcycling  process  for  LDPE  plastic  waste.  The  project 
furthermore  foresees  a  smart  collection  scheme  that 
diverts LDPE away from landfills and incineration to re-
cycling. The project also aims to demonstrate a recycling 
installation  at  which  post-consumer  LDPE  foils  from 
dirty Materials Recycling Facilities (MRF) are upcycled to 
‘as-good-as-new plastic’. 

The  innovative  process  will  result  in  a  higher  quality 
odourless  re-granulate.  This  re-granulate  reduces  the 
need  for  virgin  plastic  and  improves  resource  efficien-
cy  by  turning  a  waste  product  into  a  resource.  For  the 
first  time  an  integrated,  full-industrial  scale,  waste-to-
resource  recycling  facility  will  be  demonstrated  at  one 
location for plastic waste foil. It is largely a closed loop 
process in which used process water is treated and re-
used, maximising resource efficiency. Furthermore, by in-
troducing an innovative hot washing stage to the plastic 
foil recycling process a higher quality end-product and 
higher yield can be achieved compared to current plastic 
foil recycling facilities. 

Expected results
•  The AGANFOILS demonstration process tested, com-

• 

missioned and fully functioning;
Implementation  of  an  integrated,  full-scale,  innova-
tive recycling process for LDPE plastic waste foils at 
the Attero plant in Wijster;

Laser systems for the  prevention 

of food chain poisoning and 

 minimization of chemical exposure 

to the environment

Project background

In a world with increasing demand for food and energy, 
effective and long-lasting animal control is crucial. Ani-
mals are drawn to agricultural areas for food, but this 
leads  to  consequences  for  both  animals  and  farmers. 
Chemical poisons are often used to control rodent popu-
lations in areas where they destroy crops, eat livestock 
feed  and  can  transmit  disease.  However,  studies  have 
shown that anticoagulant rodenticides contribute to the 
deaths  of  a  variety  of  mammal  and  bird  species.  The 
poison  accumulates  in  the  food  chain,  so  for  animals 
that prey on or scavenge rodents this repeated exposure 
may be fatal. Meanwhile, farmers continue to lose bil-
lions of euros each year as a result of damage to crops 
caused by animals. A virtual fence is a promising solu-
tion for containing animals in an area or keeping them 
out of a defined range.

Project objectives

The LIFE Laser Fence project aims to develop an innova-
tive  technology,  Agrilaser,  to  keep  animals  away  from 
agricultural  fields.  It  will  be  demonstrated  in  Scotland 
and Spain. The technology involves using a laser fence 
as  an  alternative  to  chemicals  or  harmful  barriers.  It 
addresses  animal  welfare  concerns  and  will  help  stop 
the loss of biodiversity due to poisoning, in compliance 
with the EU Biodiversity Strategy. It also forms part of a 
broader strategy for creating a non-toxic environment, in 
support of EU Regulation REACH (No 1907/2006) and EU 
Regulation No 528/2012. The project’s main objectives 
are to demonstrate: 
•  Reduced exposure to toxic chemicals through the ap-
plication of innovative laser systems, preventing poi-
son entering food chains;

•  The use and improvement of laser systems to reduce 
impacts on non-target species of birds and animals in 
ecologically sensitive areas, where nature conserva-
tion increasingly conflicts with agriculture; and

•  Cost-efficient agricultural management  practices for 
preventing  animals  intruding  into  fields,  thanks  to 
the  incorporation  of  non-harmful  technologies  such 
as  laser  fences  and  drones.  These  are  becoming  an 
accurate and cheap (e.g. low-operating costs) means 
of monitoring farmlands (and decreasing yield loss-
es), especially in areas that are protected or difficult 
to  reach  over  long  distances.  The  demonstration  to 
farmers  and  landowners  of  the  positive  economics 
of this sustainable practice will promote its upscaling  
and replication in other areas.

L I F E 1 5   E N V / U K / 0 0 0 3 8 6 
L I F E   L a s e r   F e n c e

Beneficiary:

Name of beneficiary
Liverpool John Moores University

Postal address
2 Rodney Street - Egerton Court
UK – L3 5UX Liverpool
UNITED KINGDOM
Phone  +44 1512314335
Fax 
Email 

N/A
A.Mason1@ljmu.ac.uk

Name of contact person
Alex MASON

Duration of project:
40 months (01/09/2016 – 31/12/2019)

Total budget in euro:
3,135,928.00

EU contribution in euro:
1,777,985.00

Expected results
•  Demonstrate that the technology allows for the use 
of rodenticide to be eliminated in the two participat-
ing areas compared to the situation before the pro-
ject: Scotland (0.006 kg/month) and Spain: (0.005kg/
month); 

•  Savings of around 1 620 kg of rodenticide over three 
years (9 000 ha), with an anticipated 4 860 kg saved 
from entering the trophic chain three years after the 
project; 

•  Demonstrate that the Agrilaser technology allows for 
a  significantly  lower  exposure  of  birds  to  herbicides 
and pesticides by 80% in the project areas;

•  Enhanced ecosystem services, notably an increase in 
biodiversity, by preventing poison entering the trophic 
chain;

•  CO2 emissions reduction as a consequence of roden-

ticide reductions; 

•  Decrease in crop losses caused by animal intrusion in 

• 

the protected agricultural fields by 50%; and
Increased  awareness  and  dissemination  of  alterna-
tive  methods  for  reducing  the  use  of  chemicals  to 
control  animals  damaging  agricultural  production, 
and the impact of chemicals on the environment (e.g. 
health, biodiversity).

LIFE “L’Instrument Financier pour l’Environnement” / The financial instrument for the environment

The LIFE programme is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action

Period covered 2014-2020

EU funding available approximately €3.46 billion

Allocation  of  funds  Of  the  €3.46  billion  allocated  to  LIFE,  €2.59  billion  are  for  the  Environment  sub-
programme, and €0.86 billion are for the Climate Action sub-programme. At least €2.8 billion (81% of the total 
budget) are earmarked for LIFE projects financed through action grants or innovative financial instruments. 
About  €0.7  billion  will  go  to  integrated  projects.  At  least  55%  of  the  budgetary  resources  allocated  to 
projects supported through action grants under the sub-programme for Environment will be used for projects 
supporting the conservation of nature and biodiversity. A maximum of €0.62 billion will be used directly by DG 
Environment and DG Climate Action for policy development and operating grants.

Types of projects Action Grants for the Environment and Climate Action sub-programmes are available for 

the following:
> 

“Traditional” projects – these may be best-practice, demonstration, pilot or information, awareness and 
dissemination projects in any of the following priority areas: LIFE Nature & Biodiversity; LIFE Environment 
&  Resource  Efficiency;  LIFE  Environmental  Governance  &  Information;  LIFE  Climate  Change  Mitigation; 
LIFE Climate Change Adaptation; LIFE Climate Governance and Information.

>  Preparatory  projects  –  these  address  specific  needs  for  the  development  and  implementation  of  Union 

environmental or climate policy and legislation.

> 

Integrated  projects  –  these  implement  on  a  large  territorial  scale  environmental  or  climate  plans  or 
strategies required by specific Union environmental or climate legislation.

>  Technical assistance projects – these provide financial support to help applicants prepare integrated projects. 

>  Capacity building projects – these provide financial support to activities required to build the capacity of 
Member States, including LIFE national or regional contact points, with a view to enabling Member States 
to participate more effectively in the LIFE programme.

Further information More information on LIFE is available at http://ec.europa.eu/life.

How  to  apply  for  LIFE  funding  The  European  Commission  organises  annual  calls  for  proposals.  Full 

details are available at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/life.htm

Contact

European Commission – Directorate-General for the Environment – B-1049 Brussels (env-life@ec.europa.eu). 
European Commission – Directorate-General for Climate Action – B-1049 Brussels (clima-life@ec.europa.eu). 
European Commission – EASME – B-1049 Brussels (easme-life@ec.europa.eu).

Internet http://ec.europa.eu/life, www.facebook.com/LIFE.programme, twitter.com/life_programme,  

www.flickr.com/life_programme/.

LIFE Publication / Environment & Resource Efficiency LIFE Projects 2015

© European Union, 2016
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.
Cover photo: LIFE10 ENV/NL/000027

K
H
-
A
T
-
1
6
-
0
0
1
-
E
N
N

-

doi:10.2779/056098