The management of the 11 M tons of urban organic waste generated annually in the Sudoe space currently presents environmental challenges to be addressed, such as minimizing landfill disposal or increasing recycling. ECOVAL proposes a new approach to organic waste management based on the recovery of these wastes to obtain volatile fatty acids, secondary raw materials useful for the plastics, lubricants or agrochemical industries. ECOVAL will develop the complete value chain from the collection of the waste to the commercialization of the final product, through the development of an innovative train of advanced biotechnological processes, which will cover up to 10% of the annual demand for these products in the region with a bio-based alternative. The project will offer a new environmental management model to be applied in the cities of the SUDOE region, integrating multidisciplinary aspects of a legislative, economic, market, environmental or social perception type. ECOVAL thus contributes to the integration of the circular bioeconomy in urban environments, promoting the minimization of waste and the protection of the environment, through the conversion of a waste into a resource.
