PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The European food industry generates some 89 million tonnes/yr of food waste across the EU-27, equivalent to 179 kg per capita. Unless preventive measures are taken, the European Commission forecasts that this figure will increase to 126 million tonnes/yr by 2020.
In Spain, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE), the food industry generates some 2 million tonnes/yr of vegetable and animal waste, of which, the Basque Autonomous Community generates some 25 000 tonnes/yr of vegetables, 30 million litres/yr of whey (from cheese production) and 80 000 tonnes/yr of meat products. In addition, some 1.71 million tonnes of manure slurry and 1.47 million tonnes of manure are also produced each year.
OBJECTIVES
The GISWASTE project planned to analyse the factors that affect the feasibility of food waste treatment facilities. It aimed to develop a model capable of simulating the main impacts, establishing their order of importance and providing useful information about their expected profitability and viability from a technical, economic, social and environmental perspective. The objective was to develop a GIS-based tool for simulating the technical, economic and environmental feasibility of biogas and animal feed valorisation alternatives for vegetable, meat and dairy by-products in the Basque Country, that could be used by waste-management decision-makers. The project would gather relevant data that could be used to expand the tool’s usefulness to encompass other EU regions and other valorisation options. Specifically, the project aimed to:
RESULTS
The LIFE GISWASTE project produced the GISWASTE tool to help waste management companies, public authorities and other entities define waste management strategies while reducing the risks associated with constructing food waste valorisation plant. It enables decision-makers to select an appropriate location and optimise the logistics routes for food wastes, in order to reduce costs and the environmental impact.
The tool combines an analytical hierarchy process and a GIS to simulate different scenarios and develop multiple-criteria decision-making. GISWASTE offers the opportunity to assess food waste valorisation from a holistic approach, including technical, economic, geographical and environmental assessments. It also allows different scenarios to be compared in order to select the most favourable one.
The GISWASTE tool was developed carrying out location and feasibility studies at a biogas plant and an animal feed plant using agri-food by-products in the Basque Country. These results were used to validate the project tool and identify areas for improvement. Stakeholders highlighted the flexibility of the tool, which can be used not only in the definition of an overall management scenario, but also in the daily work for making decisions related to logistic procedures.
The GISWASTE project contributed to the development and demonstration of innovative approaches to implementing the EU’s Environmental Technologies Action Plan. Take up of the project’s tool will help compliance with the Water Framework Directive and the so-called SANDACH regulation. The beneficiaries have agreed to commercialise the project tool via the sale of licences. A user guide is available along with technical assistance if required. The project beneficiaries expect around five waste management companies, public administrators and consultancy companies to take up the GISWASTE tool in the coming years.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Communication Plan (see "Read more" section).
