Negative Emissions CIC is a partner in the United Circles project, an international research initiative funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme under Grant Agreement No. 101178798. The project is implemented within the framework of the Processes4Planet co-programmed public-private partnership, an initiative established between A. SPIRE and the European Commission to transform European process industries toward climate neutrality, near-zero landfilling, and complete resource circularity. According to the strategic roadmap managed by A. SPIRE, these initiatives are designed to “collectively achieve and demonstrate at scale a leap towards circularity and carbon neutrality in the use of resources (feedstock, energy and water) in a profitable way.”
The institutional framework for project implementation governs the systemic deployment of collaborative urban and industrial systems to recycle waste and residues into value-added products. To ensure systematic scaling, the project’s framework for knowledge and impact transfer is organised into three distinct tiers: Demonstrator Hubs, Mirroring Hubs, and Seed Hubs. This operational methodology, delivered by 46 partners across 14 countries and one international body, advances innovative technologies from Technology Readiness Level 5 (TRL 5) to Technology Readiness Level 7 (TRL 7) in combined integrated value chains, to enable zero-waste cities and a decarbonised process industry.
Critical Technology Innovations at Scale
The United Circles project establishes three primary technical value chains to demonstrate the practical application of industrial-urban symbiosis, matching urban waste streams with industrial manufacturing demands. These processes close urban and industrial water loops to reduce freshwater use in drought-prone regions, whilst integrating energy co-generation technologies directly into resource upcycling pathways.
1. Ankara Hub, Turkey. Construction and Demolition Waste (C&DW) Value Chain
The Ankara Hub focuses on the mechanical and chemical conversion of urban concrete and masonry residues into secondary raw materials for the construction sector. Complete tracking metrics for these industrial standards are monitored within the UNI Institutional United Circles Project Portal.
- Consortium Structure: The value chain is coordinated by hub leader Ekodenge, with industrial process execution led by Bastas Cement (a VICAT Group company) operating alongside Tepe Betopan, Covestro, Minova, and the Fraunhofer research institution. Project specifics are outlined in the Çementürk Technical Review.
- Technical Scaling: The hub is demonstrating how a demolished building’s C&DW can be transformed into a new two-storey 3D-printed building utilising upcycled low-carbon cement, cement-bonded particle boards (CBPB), and polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation foam.
2. Veneto Hub, Italy. Food Waste Bioeconomy Value Chain
The Veneto Hub demonstrates a localised bioeconomy model that transitions urban organic side-streams into high-value biomaterials. Operational case studies are detailed within the Veneto Hub Technical Overview.
- Consortium Structure: The technical core of this hub relies on the biochemical plant operations of Novamont, a developer of bio-based products and biochemicals. Novamont operates alongside the public waste management utility Contarina S.p.A., Legacoop, and Sherpa Srl (a spin-off of the University of Padua).
- Technical Scaling: The hub processes collected food waste in the form of used cooking oils (UCO) through a first application of a second-generation biorefinery loop. This configuration converts fatty acids and lipid matrices into novel, fully biodegradable biplastic products of food-waste origin, designed for the complete replacement of fossil fuels.
3. Salamanca Hub, Spain. Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Circularity
The Salamanca demonstrator transforms municipal wastewater infrastructure into an integrated resource, material, and energy recovery facility. Engineering parameters are managed by the CARTIF Technology Centre and the FCC Medio Ambiente Innovation Portal.
- Consortium Structure: The deployment is driven by hub leader Aqualia and the City of Salamanca, with environmental support from the Fundación Patrimonio Natural de Castilla y León. This hub integrates industrial symbiosis links with the paper manufacturing sector via Kimberly-Clark, focusing on the valorisation of industrial sub-products and territorial resource sharing. Strategic dissemination frameworks are managed via the Comet Global Innovation Platform.
- Technical Scaling: The facility demonstrates how a wastewater treatment plant can become a resource recovery centre for all materials, water, and energy in an integrated manner. This is achieved by supplying high-quality gas to the local gas grid, providing upcycled cellulose as industrial feedstock to pulp and paper industries, and delivering clean water and fertiliser for agriculture.
Industrial Symbiosis Governance and Facilitation Frameworks
To establish successful business-to-territory plans within regional stakeholder networks, United Circles integrates advanced governance frameworks, digital tools, and feasibility models. Technical coordination and resource mapping methodologies are structured in alignment with established global delivery frameworks, utilising operational parameters defined in the Guide for Industrial Symbiosis Facilitators. This systemic approach ensures underutilised secondary raw materials match strict quality and quantity requirements for continuous feedstock integration.
Negative Emissions CIC UK Regional Context
Operating within the knowledge and impact transfer framework of the project, Negative Emissions CIC aims to share regional alignment for the UK footprint, connecting with the South East England Hub4Circularity framework. Core activities focus on:
- Regional Ecosystem Networking: Developing lines of communication with the South-East England Mirroring Hub and its associated partners.
- Fundraising Facilitation: Supporting fundraising pathways and feasibility towards financing methodologies for circular economy infrastructure.
- Feasibility Modelling: Evaluating operational models and governance structures to assess the viability of a future circularity hub in East London.
- Waste Mapping and Screening: Carrying out systematic waste mapping and zero-waste screening for designated focus waste streams.
- Upcycling Process Design: Formulating upcycling designs tailored to prioritised waste fractions, including the coordination of necessary material processing tests.
Funding Acknowledgment & Disclaimer: This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101178798.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union can be held responsible for them.