A research challenge vision regarding management of agricultural waste in a circular bio-based economy

Abstract

Agricultural waste is a huge pool of untapped biomass resources that may even represent economic and environmental burdens. They can be converted into bioenergy and bio-based products by cascading conversion processes, within circular economy, and should be considered residual resources. Major challenges are discussed from a transdisciplinary perspective, focused on Europe situation. Environmental and economic consequences of agricultural residue management chains are difficult to assess due to their complexity, seasonality and regionality. Designing multi-criteria decision support tools, applicable at an early-stage of research, is discussed. Improvement of Anaerobic Digestion (AD), one of the most mature conversion technologies, is discussed from a technological point of view and waste feedstock geographical and seasonal variations. Using agricultural residual resources for producing high-value chemicals is a considerable challenge analysed here, taking into account innovative eco-efficient and cost-effective cascading conversion processes (bio-refinery concept). Moreover, the promotion of agricultural residuesbased business is discussed through industrial ecology, to promote synergy, on a local basis, between different agricultural and industrial value chains. Finally, to facilitate a holistic approach and optimise materials and knowledge flows KEY WORDS Agriculture; waste; eco-design; biogas; bio-based materials; circular economy CONTACT Nathalie Gontard nathalie.gontard@inra.fr UMR 1208 IATE Agro-Polymer Engineering and Emerging Technologies,

Exploitation of Solar Energy for Ammonium Sulfate Recovery from Anaerobic Digestate of Different Origin

“…The presence of stabilized and labile organic matter, of low ammonia concentrations, good organic nitrogen and phosphorous concentrations make these dewatered digestates interesting as potential soil improvers and to active soil biology [36,37].…”

Energy and Nutrients’ Recovery in Anaerobic Digestion of Agricultural Biomass: An Italian Perspective for Future Applications

“…Another interesting perspective for the biogas sector is the transformation of AD farm-based plants into biorefineries. In fact, there is a growing interest in the production of biobased chemicals like volatile fatty acids, lactic acid, succinic acid, poly-hydroxy-alkanoates, and single cell proteins [22,47].…”

“…In this approach mixed cultures fermentative processes are applied to produce high added products like carboxylic acids [48] or bioplastics [22] while anaerobic digestion for biogas production is the last process of the biorefinery train and is dedicated to eventual energy recovery (thermal or power).…”

“…Therefore, it is obvious to imagine anaerobic digestion at the center of a future biorefinery approach where agro-waste are converted into high added-value biobased products other than biofuels. This new bioeconomy approach is crucial for the rural renaissance of Europe [22].…”

Biofuel Production and Phosphorus Recovery through an Integrated Treatment of Agro-Industrial Waste

“…The identification of novel and suitable approaches for the exploitation of agro-industrial residues is an important environmental and economic issue [1][2][3]. In fact, these wastes are generally not properly disposed of, which causes severe damage to soils and aquatic systems [4][5][6][7].…”