ALL YOU CAN’T EAT: Research and Experiences from Agri-Food Waste to New Building Products in a Circular Economy Perspective

Abstract

In a Circular Economy context, agri-food can play an important role, since the majority of waste consists of residues potentially usable as secondary raw materials in several industrial processes, including the building sector. This chapter deals with some outcomes achieved in research projects carried out by TeAM (Tecnologia \& Ambiente) of Politecnico di Torino in partnership with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). In particular, it describes a cluster of research projects entitled ALL YOU CAN'T EAT, focusing on the recycling of agricultural residues and food waste: both are used for developing new products for the construction industry and for promoting the transition from ``waste{''} to ``resource{''}. The paper highlights some open issues that must be considered when moving from experimentation to industrial production and symbiosis, such as: is the amount of waste sufficient to be put into a new production cycle and to ensure the continuity of the supply chain (and its economic sustainability)? Does a circular product really have a lower environmental impact than linear alternatives?