Circular Ecoinnovation in the Basque Country

We present the results of the projects completed as part of the Basque Government's Circular Ecoinnovation Programme between 2016 and 2021. The programme – managed by Ihobe, the environmental management agency of the Basque Government's Ministry for Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment – drives ecodesign, circular economy demonstration and strategic ecoinnovation among the companies of the Basque Country. The goal is to generate accessible industrial solutions anticipating the new circular policies of the European Union, by stimulating companies to embark on this path as it places them in a competitive position on the global market.

Nearly 200 projects executed in different industrial sectors – including food, construction, energy, mobility, health, industry and tourism – have been compiled. Those projects, implemented by Basque companies, aim to improve material efficiency, reduce embedded GHG emissions and foster the circular economy.

Each project consists of a datasheet with a technical description of the project; the market, commercial, economic, technical or environmental feasibility of each project is graphically included to show where barriers and needs exist in order to focus future R&D&i.

The main motivating factors for starting each of the projects at the time are shown; they include equipment ecodesign, circular business models, reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs), environmental positioning and its transparency, green public procurement, extended producer responsibility, plastics, best production techniques, cost and supply of raw materials, cutting waste ending up in landfill, and zero pollution.

Each one of the datasheets contains the project title and acronym, the context, goal, the business, environmental and technical results obtained, along with the conclusions and lessons learnt that may be useful for third parties