Novamont Paper at the Annual Conference of the International Consortium on Applied Bioeconomy Research

Novamont's keynote speaker Giulia Gregori will present Novamont's bioeconomy model and analyse the case study of the separate organic waste collection in Stuy Town, NYC

WASHINGTON, June 14, 2018 /CNW/ - The 22nd conference of the ICABR - International Consortium on Applied Bioeconomy Research, an international consortium of people and organisations interested in the bioeconomy, agricultural biotechnology, rural development and bio-based economic research, set up in 1998 - is being held in Washington DC from 12 to 15 June in partnership with the World Bank.

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The 2018 edition of the Conference is entitled "Disruptive innovations, value chains and rural development" and will focus on the impact of new value chains and new technologies on the agri-food system. Novamont will be taking part in the debate with a paper by Giulia Gregori, Novamont's strategic planning and corporate communication manager.

The paper, "A circular approach to bioeconomy", will be given on 15 June and will illustrate how a circular bioeconomy model can meet the global challenges of climate change, resource scarcity, greenhouse gas emissions and soil desertification.

Gregori will focus on the Novamont bioeconomy model and in particular on the development of biodegradable and compostable bioplastics, designed to provide a solution to the organic waste problem, which will be the context for the case study of the organic separate waste collection in Stuy Town, NYC. The project, conceived by Eunomia (an independent environmental services consulting company) with the contribution of Novamont and Biobag and conducted in the residential complex of Stuy Town in Manhattan, has shown how the interception of organic waste produced by multi-family buildings can be increased by over 400%.

Turning a problem into an opportunity. 

96 million tonnes of organic waste are produced every year in Europe alone, and 66 million of these are not collected but are sent to landfills. This is an immense loss for the whole system. If food waste is collected separately and treated in composting plants, it can be transformed into compost, rich in humic substances, an invaluable soil improver and the best ally in the fight against the phenomenon of soil erosion and desertification. By combating desertification, we are contributing to the fight against climate change - due to the earth's ability to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide in the soil - and preserving crop food security. The proper collection of organic waste and the use of biodegradable and compostable products such as Novamont's bioplastics help to reduce plastic contamination in organic waste and consequently to obtain good quality compost.

The Novamont Group is world leader in the development and production of bioplastics and biochemicals through the integration of chemistry, the environment and agriculture. With 600 employees, the Group posted sales of €170 million in 2016 and made continuous investments in research and development activities (20% of staff) and has a portfolio of around 1,000 patents. The group has its headquarters in Novara, a production facility in Terni and research laboratories in Novara, Terni and Piana di Monte Verna (CE). Novamont has subsidiaries based in Porto Torres (SS), Bottrighe (RO), and Patrica (FR). Active in Germany, France and the United States through commercial offices and a representative office in Brussels (Belgium), Novamont operates through own distributors in Benelux, Scandinavia, Denmark, the United Kingdom, China, Japan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. 

SOURCE Novamont

For further information: Novamont Press Office: Francesca De Sanctis, [email protected], tel.: [phone], cell.: [phone]