Every year on March 30th, the world unites for Zero Waste Day, a moment to reflect on our consumption habits and act toward a more sustainable future. Waste reduction is crucial in the fight against climate change, and innovative projects across Europe are leading the way. In this post, five EU-funded projects share their unique approaches to tackling waste, showing how collaboration drives impact.

CHEERS: Circular Solutions for a Zero-Waste Future

On Zero Waste Day, we reflect on how industries can minimize waste and environmental impact. The CHEERS project, an EU-funded initiative, is redefining sustainability by transforming waste from the brewing industry into valuable bioproducts through an innovative biorefinery approach.

Every year, the Food & Beverage industry in Europe generates 30 million tons of waste and 94 million tons of CO₂ emissions, contributing to biodiversity loss and environmental degradation. CHEERS tackles this issue by converting under-utilized brewery by-streams into five high-value industrial bioproducts: insect protein, disinfectant, microbial protein, ectoine, and caproic acid. These products open new market opportunities while cutting the beer production chain’s resource use and carbon footprint by at least 45%. Zero Waste Day highlights the power of collaboration in achieving sustainability. By partnering with bio-based industries, CHEERS provides a modular, scalable solution that promotes circular economy principles.

Initiatives like this prove that innovative biotechnology and sustainable biorefineries can drive real change. With joint efforts across industries and projects, we can turn waste into opportunity and build a cleaner, greener future.

SISTERS: Systemic Innovations for a SusTainable reduction of EuRopean food waStage

The SISTERS project takes a comprehensive approach to tackling food waste, addressing inefficiencies across the entire supply chain. With food waste accounting for nearly 59 million tonnes per year in the EU—equivalent to 131 kg per person—SISTERS introduces targeted innovations to reduce losses at every stage. Our efforts include the development of sustainable active packaging, which extends shelf life; bulk distribution models, such as the BulkBox and StoreBox, to optimize transportation and retail; and a digital short-chain solution, connecting surplus food with potential buyers to prevent waste. Through real-life trials in Spain, France, and Italy, these solutions have been tested in real supply chain conditions, ensuring their effectiveness and scalability.

Zero Waste Day is a key moment to reflect on the urgent need for systemic change in food production and consumption. Within SISTERS, collaboration has been a driving force in scaling solutions across Europe. The project has brought together farmers, distributors, retailers, and policymakers in various workshops and industry events—including sessions and communication campaigns at Fruit Attraction, International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, and the Food Waste Action Week—to raise awareness and push for policy improvements. These joint efforts have not only facilitated knowledge exchange but also fostered synergies between stakeholders, proving that coordinated action is essential to achieving a more sustainable and waste-free food system.

If you wish to learn more about SISTERS advancements, download our Practice Abstracts here.

ELLIPSE: Transforming Waste into Sustainable Bioplastics & Biofertilizers

The ELLIPSE Project focuses on transforming organic waste — such as slaughterhouse byproducts, paper and pulp sludge, dairy industry sludge, and glycerol from the biodiesel industry — into high-value bioproducts. Running from May 2023 to April 2027, the project aims to develop innovative biorefinery processes to upcycle these waste streams efficiently, reducing environmental impact and supporting a circular bioeconomy. A key objective is the production of cost-efficient polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) for agricultural and personal care applications. Additionally, ELLIPSE works on recovering nutrients to create bio-based fertilizers (BBFs). Zero Waste Day is more than just an awareness campaign — it’s both a call to action and a challenge to think bigger. Beyond recycling, beyond reduction, it pushes us toward a system where waste is no longer a concept. At ELLIPSE, we take on this challenge head-on, moving beyond discussions to take tangible steps toward a waste-free future. Our work proves that waste valorisation isn’t just theoretical; it’s happening now. Industrial byproducts are being reimagined as raw materials for the future, reducing landfill dependency and closing material loops. By shifting perspectives and innovating with purpose, we demonstrate that what was once considered “waste” is merely a misplaced resource waiting for the right opportunity.

Collaboration is at the heart of every EU-funded project because big challenges need teamwork. ELLIPSE is a great example: by bringing together researchers, companies, and sustainability experts, ELLIPSE finds smart ways to reduce waste and create a circular economy. Sharing knowledge and working across different fields make it possible. to turn ideas into real solutions that benefit both the environment and the economy.

BRILIAN: Circular Bioeconomy for a Zero-Waste Future

BRILIAN is committed to advancing a circular bioeconomy in rural areas, ensuring that agricultural and industrial residues are transformed into valuable bioproducts rather than becoming waste. By fostering cooperative business models, the project enables primary producers to diversify their income while reducing environmental impact, aligning with the objectives of the European Green Deal and the EU Bioeconomy Strategy. Through the development of short supply chains and the integration of circular principles, BRILIAN ensures that bio-based value chains operate efficiently, minimising losses and closing material loops.

Zero Waste Day serves as a reminder of the urgent need to rethink resource management. Achieving a zero-waste future requires not just technological advancements, but also systemic change in how industries, farmers, and policymakers collaborate to optimise material use. In BRILIAN, we believe that waste is not an endpoint but an opportunity to create new sustainable products, enhance local economies, and contribute to climate neutrality.

Collaboration has been at the core of BRILIAN’s success. By implementing pilot initiatives in Italy, Spain, and Denmark, the project is validating sustainable business models that integrate existing rural infrastructures with innovative circular economy practices. The cooperation among farmers, researchers, and industries has demonstrated that waste reduction is not just an environmental necessity, but also a driver for economic resilience. With a strong commitment to circularity, BRILIAN is proving that bio-based value chains can be both environmentally and economically sustainable, driving Europe towards a waste-free future.

MixMatters: Pioneering a Zero-Waste Future

Every year, vast amounts of organic waste go unused, yet they hold immense potential. At MixMatters, we see waste not as an end, but as an opportunity. By developing smart separation and valorisation technologies, we transform mixed biowaste from the agri-food sector into valuable bio-based products. Instead of sending organic residues to landfill, we repurpose them into powder ingredients, sugar concentrates, recombinant proteins, green fibres, bioactive compounds, and plastic monomers. Our approach drives a circular bioeconomy, ensuring that resources are recovered and put to use rather than wasted.

Zero Waste Day serves as a powerful reminder that we must rethink our relationship with waste. It’s not just about reducing what we throw away—it’s about creating sustainable solutions that maximise resource use. MixMatters is committed to this mission, offering scalable solutions that help industries recover and repurpose organic materials. By applying life-cycle assessments (LCA) and ensuring compliance with EU regulations, we ensure our innovations seamlessly integrate into supply chains, making sustainability both practical and profitable.

Collaboration is at the heart of progress. By working closely with research institutions, industries, and SMEs, MixMatters bridges the gap between innovation and real-world impact. Together with other EU initiatives, we are building a future where waste is no longer a problem, but a valuable asset in a truly sustainable economy.