The European Union’s Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) sets an ambitious goal: to make sustainable products the norm in the EU, ensure less waste, and keep resources circulating in the economy for as long as possible.
Adopted in 2020 as part of the European Green Deal, the CEAP aims to transform Europe’s production and consumption patterns. The strategy addresses how products are designed, produced, consumed, and recycled, while also tackling waste prevention and resource efficiency. Its guiding principle is simple but powerful: in a circular economy, nothing is wasted, every output can become the input for something new.
This vision goes far beyond recycling. It challenges industries to rethink how they use resources, how value chains are organised, and how by-products can be reimagined as raw materials. It also places strong emphasis on innovation, encouraging new technologies and business models that can reduce environmental impacts while supporting sustainable growth.
The ONE EARTH project directly contributes to this vision by transforming residues of animal origin into valuable products through innovative biotechnologies. Instead of being discarded, by-products from fisheries, poultry, and dairy industries are given a new life:
- Fishbones rich in phosphorus become sustainable fertilizers, reducing Europe’s reliance on imported mineral resources.
- Scales and feathers provide proteins that can be used in cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and aquaculture feed.
- Other residues are explored for applications in adhesives, pet food, and functional ingredients for food systems.
These processes illustrate how materials once considered waste can become the foundation of new circular value chains. They also highlight the potential to build bridges between terrestrial and aquatic industries, linking agriculture, aquaculture, and food production in new and innovative ways.
The impact of this approach extends well beyond individual industries. By aligning with the CEAP, ONE EARTH contributes to several critical European priorities:
- Resource independence: reducing dependency on finite resources, particularly phosphorus and proteins, which are often imported from outside Europe.
- Climate action: cutting greenhouse gas emissions linked to waste disposal and inefficient resource use.
- Innovation and competitiveness: supporting the development of new technologies, products, and services that create added value for European businesses.
- Opportunities for SMEs and communities: enabling farmers, fishers, and small companies to tap into new markets built on circular value chains.
In short, what was once a disposal problem becomes a driver of growth, innovation, and sustainability.
The CEAP provides the policy roadmap, but projects like ONE EARTH turn that roadmap into reality. By piloting and testing practical solutions for residue valorisation, ONE EARTH demonstrates how Europe can transition from concept to practice, from strategy to results.
The lessons learned will not only help reduce waste and create bio-based products, but also inform future EU policy and industrial practices, ensuring that the circular economy becomes embedded in everyday business and research.
As Europe continues its journey towards a climate-neutral future, initiatives like ONE EARTH show how innovation, collaboration, and sustainability can come together to unlock new opportunities from the resources we already have.
More info: https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/circular-economy-action-plan_en