Category: Events

Support SUSTRACK research by completing the survey on barriers hindering the sustainable transition!

Support SUSTRACK research by completing the survey on barriers hindering the sustainable transition!

Are you an expert of circular bio-based economy, working in construction, plastics, chemicals or textile sectors? Then, you are the one we are looking for!

Circular bio-based economy is currently a hot topic for research, industries and policy makers. SUSTRACK is reaching out to experts in this field to understand the different perspectives on it and to request invaluable insights and expertise.

If you would like to support SUSTRACK work, you can give your contribution in the short and anonymous survey  we’re conducting, developed by BAM partner, to complement our research in identifying barriers hindering this transition. Your voice is essential and it would be key to SUSTRACK future activities and to shape the future of circular bio-based economy!

Here are some key points about the survey:

  • Flexibility: You can save and edit your responses any time before submission.
  • Short Time Commitment: The survey will take approximately 25 minutes of your time.
  • Impact: Your participation will directly nurture a set of guidelines and recommendations which will be shared at the European level with relevant stakeholders and policymakers, influencing future policy development to support the circular bio-based economy transition.
  • Deadline: December 17, 2023.

What are you waiting for? Let’s pave the way to a more sustainable and resilient economy, together!

From date
2023-11-20
To date
2023-12-17
STAR4BBS- First EU Press Release October 2023

STAR4BBS- First EU Press Release October 2023

ONE YEAR OF STAR4BBS

Funded under “HORIZONCL6- 2021-ZEROPOLLUTION-01-07”, Star4BBS aims to maximize the potential of Sustainability Certification Schemes (SCS) and labels to support a successful transition to a bio-based economy.

By tracing sustainability impacts along the supply chain, certification schemes and labels are crucial to unlocking the potential of bio-based systems in achieving several sustainable development goals (SDGs). However, the rapid proliferation of schemes and labels has led to questioning their effectiveness and robustness, as well as to what extent they deliver important outcomes in line with sustainability policy priorities.

STAR4BBS implementation activities have started one year ago, with project partners’ efforts focused on the setup of the initial framework: the collection and systematic review of information related to international and EU SCS, B2B labels, and their relevance for biological feedstocks, bio-based materials and products, in order to establish a monitoring system assessing SCS and labels.

At the core of this work is the gathering of precise global trade data and information regarding the volumes of biogenic feedstocks and bio-based materials imported into the EU. This work will identify the most relevant biomass flows and provide a comprehensive overview of certified and non-certified biomass flows, thus contributing significantly to the impact assessment and contribution of sustainability certification and labelling. Relevant stakeholders are regularly involved to discuss strategies and to ensure that relevant information, feedback and inputs are collected and evaluated.

Why is this work important?

The bio-based industry plays a crucial role in transition to a more sustainable and circular economy, as it spans several sectors, including agriculture, forestry, chemicals, plastics and textiles. This industry uses biological feedstocks, such as crops, wood and waste streams, to produce a wide range of materials and products. As a result, it has the potential to make a significant contribution to sustainability goals, like reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving resource efficiency and promoting circular economy. It can also have a positive impact on socio-economic objectives of local and regional development, promoting the use of regional resources and the creation of green jobs. However, the use of bio-based feedstocks needs to be carefully regulated and controlled to mitigate negative environmental and social impacts, such as deforestation, soil erosion, biodiversity loss and the exploitation of child labor in developing countries.

To facilitate this transition and ensure the credibility of sustainability claims, Sustainability Certification Schemes (SCS) and labels serve as critical tools, as they provide independent verification and validation of sustainability efforts and promote transparency and accountability throughout supply chains. These SCS,however, may face challenges like limited scope, high costs and lack of harmonisation, the last one being one of the main drawbacks.

Currently, there is a rising number of SCS and labels in the EU, each with their own set of criteria and standards: this can lead to confusion among businesses and consumers, as well as increased operational costs for companies operating in several countries and seeking regional or national certifications. Businesses are often burdened with providing documentation to demonstrate compliance with different criteria. For consumers, the plethora of labels with different criteria and standards makes it difficult to make informed choices.

A lot of work has been already done by the project team, like the establishment of a synergy with two sister projects (HARMONITOR and SUSTCERT4BIOBASED).

The three projects joined forces to maximize the outcomes and outreaches of their activities. One of those is the collaborative process of developing the Joint Monitoring System (JMS), and its subsequent application that will add transparency to bio-based value chains and build the foundations to support schemes and labels in aligning and harmonizing their systems to support shared sustainability goals. The 3 projects also established a strong collaboration that will boost the implementation of joint dissemination activities, thanks to the European Commission’s Horizon Results Booster programme (HRB).

The STAR4BBS project coordinator Dr. Luana Ladu (TUB), during the recent IFIB conference in Florence, participated in the round table on “How to measure the bioeconomy“, highlighting the complexity of the issue and the importance of considering systemic impact assessments.

It is clear that a harmonization of metrics is needed to establish effective and robust certification systems for the bio-based industry, that substantiate sustainability claims. This will contribute to efficiently achieve objectives and sustainability targets prioritized in EU-relevant policies and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

From date
2023-10-24
To date
2023-10-24
Call for solutions open in Aloja Starkelsen Hackathon – CMMS improvements

Call for solutions open in Aloja Starkelsen Hackathon – CMMS improvements

Aloja Starkelsen Hackathon challenge – CMMS system improvements

“Aloja Starkelsen” Ltd invites you to find solutions for a more efficient and sustainable production process through a planned CMMS (Computerised Maintenance Management System) system and a logical strategy for equipment servicing and spare parts warehouse maintenance, while creating a streamlined and easy-to-operate programme.

Join the event to solve the challenge and develop an efficient system for servicing equipment and maintaining a spare parts warehouse!

What is it about?

The aim of the CMMS system improvement development, more efficient equipment servicing and spare parts warehouse maintenance is to obtain a technical specification or terms of reference for a software developer who will work together to create a working, easy-to-use system and save natural, material and human resources, making the product more competitive and greener.

#AlojaStarkelsen #BioBoosters #AlojaHackathon #MadewithInterreg #boostyourbusiness

Welcome to solve the challenge!

Read more about the challenge

From date
2023-10-12
To date
2023-11-09
SUSTRACK INSPIRE Conference: let’s inspire and be inspired!

SUSTRACK INSPIRE Conference: let’s inspire and be inspired!

Are you a stakeholder involved or interested in plastics, construction, textile, and chemical sectors? Join SUSTRACK INSPIRE Conference to have your say on what is really important for promoting a sustainable transition!

SUSTRACK is organising the INSPIRE Conference, designed to explore the insights of the circular bioeconomy, combining the research findings with current project developments and forward-looking pathways. The event will be held online on November, 16th, 2023, from 09:00 to 16:00 CET.

The INSPIRE Conference will be organised in different sessions:

  • Two plenary sessions, in order dive deep into latest findings of SUSTRACK project on:
    • Limits, barriers, drivers, benefits, gaps towards sustainable transition;
    • Existing EU monitoring framework and gaps on indicators and methods used to monitor and evaluate circular bioeconomy;
    • Selected case studies;
    • Methodologies, models and results for policy scenarios developed by SUSTRACK;
  • Sectorial and interactive Co-creation workshops to discuss the case studies;
  • Sectorial and interactive Scenario workshops to discuss and verify the policy scenarios developed.

Don’t miss the opportunity to collaborate and network with other frontrunners in the field! As participants of the INSPIRE Conference, you are not just observers but active contributors to the realm of circular bioeconomy. Your input, perspectives, and collaborative spirit can be the catalyst for impactful change and can shape sustainable policies for a brighter and greener future!

Interested? Take a deeper look at the agenda and register here before 13 November to join us!

From date
2023-11-16
To date
2023-11-16
CMMS SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS – Launch webinar for AlojasHackathon powered by BioBoosters

CMMS SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS – Launch webinar for AlojasHackathon powered by BioBoosters

CMMS SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS – Launch webinar for AlojasHackathon powered by BioBoosters

As part of the Baltic Sea region project “BioBoosters”, Vidzeme Planning region in cooperation with “Aloja Starkelsen”Ltd. invites technology companies, IT product managers and planners, logistics, warehouse and production facilities service and planning specialists, student teams and researchers to participate in the informative webinar of hackathon challenge call, which will take place on October 12.

Join the introduction webinar and learn about the challenge to solve it and develop an efficient system for servicing equipment and maintaining a spare parts warehouse!

During the webinar, “Aloja Starkelsen” will introduce to the company and the challenge “Development of CMMS system improvements, more efficient equipment servicing and maintenance of spare parts warehouse”. The goal of the challenge is to streamline and ensure a sustainable production process, providing it with a planned and logical equipment service strategy or plan, at the same time creating a rational and easy-to-operate spare part, warehouse of production materials, thus saving natural, material and human resources, making the product competitive and greener.

As a result of the hackathon, the company wants to get a technical specification, or terms of reference, for a software developer to work together to create a working, easy-to-use system. The winning team of the hackathon will be entitled to sign a system supply contract with Aloja Starkelsen.

Webinar date: October 12, from: 13:00 – 15:00 (EEST / UTC+3)

Venue: Online, Zoom

Webinar registration link

From date
2023-10-12
To date
2023-10-12
Call for solutions open in MoelvenHackathon powered by BioBoosters

Call for solutions open in MoelvenHackathon powered by BioBoosters

Help bioboost Moelven with a new packaging solution

Do you want to contribute to a sustainable future through new innovative packaging solutions? Then this is an innovation challenge for you. Help Moelven find a packaging solution that can protect and store their wooden interior panels.

Moelven is one of the Nordics’ leading wood industry companies. Among their products are wooden panels for indoor use, which can be found in several large hardware store chains. The packages are made of fossil-based plastic and are up to 5.4 meters long and 24.5 centimeters wide. Each year, one million packages are sold enclosed in the packaging.

Today, Moelven Wood packages these panels in fossil-based plastic. It fulfills the functional need but does not live up to Moelven’s own standards and the future’s demands for sustainability. Therefore, they seek alternative solutions to replace the packaging and are now turning to startups, companies, innovators, and researchers to find a solution.

“We want to find a sustainable solution that can meet the requirements for protection, moisture regulation, and visual presentation that is also cost-effective and scalable. It doesn’t have to be a “ready to use” solution that is offered, it can be an idea, a material, or a product that we can take a closer look at together”, says Tjalling Chaudron, product developer at Moelven Wood.

Read more and apply at Paper Province website Help BioBoost Moelven with a new packaging solution (paperprovince.com)

From date
2023-09-25
To date
2023-10-22
Call for solutions open in HolmenHackathon – Ash to assets powered by BioBoosters

Call for solutions open in HolmenHackathon – Ash to assets powered by BioBoosters

Have you ever wondered about the untapped potential hidden in everyday by-products? At Holmen, we’re diving deep into one specific query: How can we transform wood ash – a by-product from our biofuel boilers created during the heating and drying process of wood – from waste to wonder?

We invite you to become part of this unique opportunity to tackle our challenge. Together with Holmen’s experts and the companies in our BioBoosters network, you will have the opportunity to develop innovative methods and solutions. Are you the team we are looking for? Send in your application to solve the challenge and participate in the hackathon no later than October 20,2023.

Read more and apply here 

Invitation to HolmenHackathon

From date
2023-09-26
To date
2023-10-20
BIOTRANSFORM | 1st working group: Governance and financing challenges for circular bioeconomy

BIOTRANSFORM | 1st working group: Governance and financing challenges for circular bioeconomy

Join us at the inaugural working group session of BIOTRANSFORM project, focusing on the theme of “Governance and financing challenges for circular bioeconomy.” This online session will be held on 10 October 2023, from 14:00 to 16:00 CEST. The objective of this meeting is to explore and gain deeper insights into the governance and financial obstacles confronting governmental bodies as they navigate the transition towards circular bio-based systems.

As a representative of a public authority, your active participation in this focus group will enable you to make your voice heard and identify, discuss, consolidate, and prioritise the identified barriers with other public actors. You will also hear more about the specific regions and bioeconomy value chains that will be investigated over the course of the project. This interactive session will be the first step into the creation of technical transition guidelines for public authorities, listing effective governance and financing instruments to transition to a circular bio-based system.

If you are eager to contribute your valuable insights to the work of BIOTRANSFORM and would like to learn more about the experiences of other regions in the field of bioeconomy, we kindly request that you complete the registration form by 3 October.

 

From date
2023-10-10
To date
2023-10-10
Call for solutions open in ValioHackathon powered by BioBoosters

Call for solutions open in ValioHackathon powered by BioBoosters

Largest dairy company in Finland, Valio, invites You to ideate ways to tackle the seasonal variation in milk production. The goal is part of Valio’s responsible and climate smart primary production development, which aims for carbon-neutral milk by 2035. About 3,700 dairy entrepreneurs own Valio Ltd. through regional cooperatives.

Although the consumers buy milk evenly throughout the year, the amount of milk produced varies from season to season. The highest peak is usually experienced in early spring. Dairy operators along the value chain need to plan production, storage, and transportation capacity to handle the peaks in production. With a more balanced production, a dairy could offer more sustainable, and climate-smart milk, more cost-effectively.

Managing the seasonal variation in milk production starts from functional and profitable farm-level solutions that enable a transformation throughout the production chain. Valio is looking for concrete and effective ways to balance seasonality on farm level. Depending on the maturity of the idea, Valio offers Hackathon participants either the opportunity for business cooperation or the opportunity to start a joint project or pilot for testing the presented idea.

Join us to solve the challenge and develop new methods and solutions in co-operation with Valio’s experts and representatives of cooperatives! Send in your application by 22/10/2023. Read more and apply at ValioHackathon | Jamk.

From date
2023-09-22
To date
2023-10-22
Launch webinar of the MoelvenHackathon powered by BioBoosters

Launch webinar of the MoelvenHackathon powered by BioBoosters

Help bioboost Moelven with a new packaging solution

How can packaging used to protect and store interior panels in wood be made more environmentally friendly than the ones made of fossil-based plastic used today? Moelven Wood is looking for the solution. Maybe you have the answer?

On September 25, we invite you to a webinar to present this challenge and start the search for innovative ideas from start-ups, companies, innovators, and/or researchers.

The challenge

Currently, Moelven Wood uses fossil-based plastics to package and protect the interior panels they produce for indoor use. By replacing this packaging with a fossil-free alternative, major environmental savings can be made. To make this a reality they are looking for others to collaborate with and contribute to the solution.

To make this happen, Moelven Wood, is the first in Sweden to boost its challenge through BioBoosters. And now they are ready for takeoff.

Together with Paper Province, they invite you to a webinar to let you know more about the challenge, their needs, and the possibilities for collaboration or possibly a business deal.
The webinar will also provide information on plastics as a material choice and on packaging solutions from experts in the field.

The program

  • This is BioBoosters – Anna Aalto, Jamk University of Applied Sciences
  • Replacement of fossil plastics – Mattias Andersson, researcher at RISE.
  • Packaging solutions
  • Looking for a new packaging solution – Moelven

When: September 25, 13.00-14.30 pm (CEST)
Where: Digitally via Teams
Register her!

From date
2023-09-25
To date
2023-09-25