Presentation

Waste2Bio's field of action: the economic and environmental redevelopment of brownfield sites through nature-based solutions (phytomanagement) that ensure ecological functions and the valorization of plant biomass.

Key players in the initiative:

The Waste2Bio initiative is coordinated by the University of Liège , in close collaboration with the Greenwin and Wagralim competitiveness clusters and a steering committee comprising some twenty players from the quadruple helix. The initiative relies on a consortium of over 130 partners, Walloon players in brownfield redevelopment and the biobased economy, involved at all levels of the value chain: brownfield owners, landowners, public authorities, engineering firms, architects, construction companies, biomass cultivation, processing and utilization companies, non-profit organizations in the environmental education sector, citizens' associations, training and research organizations.

Main areas of work

The presence of numerous brownfield sites in Wallonia (22,000 hectares, including 1,500 polluted sites) is the starting point for our Initiative. In a context of reduced land artificialisation and growing competition for land for different uses, these derelict sites represent an undeniable reservoir of land for plant cover, providing multiple ecosystem services. Waste2Bio offers an alternative to costly decontamination, with an integrated approach to rehabilitating these sites in a way that is economically viable and has a positive impact on the environment. In concrete terms, Waste2Bio aims to create an operational platform by 2027, deploying innovative phytomanagement solutions to temporarily or permanently restore value to brownfield sites. The main areas of work are

• Mapping and characterizing sites suitable for phytomanagement applications;
• The development of original crops based on species assemblages designed to promote biodiversity, improve the quality of water and soil resources, and enable the economic use of biomass;
• Developing biomass value chains for the production of energy, biomaterials or high value-added molecules;
• Strengthening training courses for these new biomass production and use methods;
• Assessing societal impacts in terms of acceptability and well-being.