The 3rd and final Peer Review Session of the Biocircularcities project took place on 23-24 May 2023 in Barcelona. It follows the 3rd round of Local Living Labs that were held by each Pilot territory to pursue the discussion with local stakeholders on the project development. This third Peer Review session was held in presential mode for the first time, bringing together 6 external experts with specific knowledge in link with the different biocircular value-chains addressed by the project.
The following topics were discussed: the method and results of the life-cycle assessment and life-cycle cost analyses conducted by ENEA on the three value chains, and the policy recommendations to be formulated to address the identified barriers and challenges preventing the transition to biocircular models, and the Biocircularcities Webtool. The experts were also invited to a visit of the Ecoparc 2, where part of the biowaste collected in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona is treated.
When it comes to LCA/LCC, experts highlighted the need for transparency regarding the data and assessments used. Besides, the approach used should be clearly justified and results must be put in perspective, as it can mislead the end-users into the wrong conclusions. Additionally, experts noted that it is important to consider the obligations set by the regulation before conducting such an assessment to avoid repeating or contradicting the legal obligations with the results of the assessment (for instance, calling for the application of the waste hierarchy). They also acknowledged the need for the scientific community to be more connected with the decision makers to better support policy decision.
Regarding the Biocircularcities webtool, presented during the session, experts formulated several recommendations. The webtool aims to provide support on the identification of suitable biocircular valorisation routes. Recommendations mostly focused on clarity and user-friendliness. Comments were also made on how to present the results so that users understand the reasons behind the proposed technologies.
More detailed discussions and recommendations were proposed for each of the three value-chains. The conclusions can be found here: