In our last post, we talked about how biomanufacturing thrives when circular economy principles are applied to emphasize sustainability throughout the entire lifecycle of bioproducts. This shift in mindset goes beyond adopting new practices—it’s a rethinking of production and consumption.

We’re all well-versed in this concept, whether we recognize it or not. Natural ‘economies’ are nearly always circular in nature – think about the carbon cycle, where carbon is released from dead plants and animals, reabsorbed by the soil and microbes within it, and then reincorporated into new organisms; or the water cycle, where constant cycles of evaporation and precipitation renew the planet’s water resources naturally. In fact, our current economy is the exception to the rule. By creating circular manufacturing processes and eliminating waste, we can restore our environment while maintaining strong economic growth.

Adopting a circular economy mindset in biomanufacturing goes beyond merely adopting new practices. It signifies a profound shift in the way we think about production and consumption. While it can be daring to challenge the status quo, several industries have recognized the importance of a circular economy as the viable path forward. This is made possible through three key values:

1. Collaboration over competition: Industries, manufacturers, and consumers must collaborate throughout the lifecycle. It’s about sharing resources, knowledge, and best practices to create a sustainable ecosystem. The wasteCANcreate upcycling consortium is a great example of this in action!
2. Long-Term Perspective: Prioritizing long-term environmental and social impacts over short-term profits ensures sustainability.
3. Consumer Engagement: Empowering consumers to make informed choices supports businesses committed to circularity and responsible consumption habits.

Real-World Examples

Several companies are already putting these principles into action. Ontario Genomics’ industry partners, including IGPC Ethanol, EcoPoly Solutions, and lululemon athletica, all share these values and are working together to create more impact than any of them could individually.

IGPC Ethanol has transformed distillers’ grains—once considered waste—into a highly nutritious animal feed ingredient and are now looking for even better ways of upcycling these by-products, including in the production of packaging materials. This is just one way the circular economy can create value while reducing waste. As Sheena Alexander, Director of Strategy & Innovation at IGPC, explains:

“At IGPC, we believe that circularization and upcycling are not just buzzwords but critical strategies for a sustainable future. Embracing the circular economy mindset in biomanufacturing isn’t just about changing processes; it’s a shift in perspective that drives innovation and sustainability across the entire product lifecycle“.

EcoPoly Solutions and lululemon athletica, are also collaborating to make an impact by testing materials produced through circular processes. By sharing resources and insights within the consortium, these companies demonstrate that the circular economy is not just a trend but a transformative force reshaping the way we produce and consume.

These companies are an example of what is possible. By adopting circular principles and embracing a sustainable mindset, we can reduce waste, conserve resources, and protect our biosphere for future generations. Our planet’s future depends on it.

Take. Make. Waste. Much of the prosperity of the Industrial Revolution is attributed to inventions that enhanced the ability to extract natural resources from the environment and turn them into products at the largest possible scale. However, the pursuit of efficiency and profitability instilled a mindset that still dominates our modern society: the use of finite resources to make disposable products to maximize profit. This idea, known as the “linear economy”, was a stark contrast to the slower and laborious way of living back in th day, which repurposed everything from building materials, to textiles, and food, back into the life cycle. We have come to see first-hand the devastation caused by a linear economy. Luckily, we have some good news on this – the new circular bioeconomy!

Surrounded by tonnes and tonnes of waste in landfills, oceans and land, the uncomfortable reality is we cannot go on the same way. The good news is that there are solutions. Instead of considering waste as an inherent byproduct of industrial operations, the circular economy framework treats waste as a design flaw and favours options to make waste more valuable and/or curb its production.

The circular economy is based on three key principles:

1. eliminate waste and pollution
2. circulate products and materials (at their highest value)
3. regenerate nature

By “decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources” (Ellen McArthur Foundation) the circular economy enables waste from one product or process to serve as a feedstock for another. Natural systems, such as the carbon and water cycles, demonstrate the kind circularity achievable in other industries. These processes show that circular economies aren’t just ideal—they’re the rule of nature, with our current linear economy being the unnatural exception.

Biomanufacturing (the topic of our blog post #2) thrives when circular economic principles are applied and then translate into sustainability throughout the entire lifecycle of bioproducts. Circularity encompasses several key principles:

1. Design for Sustainability: Biomanufacturers should design products with the end in mind. This includes considering the environmental impact of materials, production processes, and disposal methods from the start. Waste streams can serve as raw materials for producing valuable substances.
2. Resource Efficiency: Optimizing the use of feedstocks, energy, and water throughout production minimizes waste.
3. Reuse and Recycling: Reusing and recycling bioproducts and their components extends their lifespan and reduces the need for new resources.
4. Regenerative Practices: Practices like sustainable agriculture and responsible harvesting of biomaterials restore ecosystems.

Applying these principles allows us to restore our environment without sacrificing strong economic growth. By focusing on circular manufacturing processes and eliminating waste, industries can regenerate ecosystems while still thriving. Stay tuned for the next post, where we’ll explore how biomanufacturing embraces these principles and provides real-world solutions.

In the pursuit of a greener and more sustainable future, biomanufacturing has emerged as a revolutionary approach with the potential to transform industries while minimizing their environmental impact.

Biomanufacturing, also known as bio-based manufacturing or bio-fabrication, is the process of using living things, mostly in the form of micro-organisms (bacteria, yeasts, algae etc.), cells, or enzymes, to produce a wide range of products, including chemicals, fuels, materials, food and ingredients, and even medicines. The applications of biomanufacturing are vast – it has been estimated that up to 60% of the physical inputs of the world’s economy could be produced by biological means! (Ref 1) Using the power of living organisms, biomanufacturing offers an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to traditional manufacturing methods that rely heavily on non-renewable resources and produce harmful byproducts.

When it comes to natural resources and the climate crisis, cutting back on waste and boosting sustainability are more important than ever before. Food waste alone is responsible for half of agriculture-related greenhouse gas emissions and is a major cause of environmental damage. Fortunately, innovative solutions are coming to the rescue, and one of them is waste upcycling through bioconversion, which uses naturally occurring and/or engineered microbes to convert food waste into valuable products like bioplastics.

What is Upcycling?

It’s the process of transforming waste into new products of higher value, like when someone finds an old piece of furniture on the roadside, gives it a new coat of paint, and makes it better than new. A new program called wasteCANcreate is doing exactly this, with a high-tech spin!

Ontario Genomics, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada and industry partners have come together to convert food waste (what you put into your green bin) into various products that would normally be made from oil. Microbial upcycling of food waste into bioplastics puts microorganisms like bacteria and yeasts to work to convert the food waste into bioplastics, textiles like nylon, and other useful materials.

The three main goals for this project:

1. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from sources like decomposing food waste
2. Eliminate our need for fossil fuels to create necessary materials
3. Create lasting economic opportunities for Canadian industries

Novel ideas like this are being brought to life to revolutionize manufacturing processes and are a key part of the circular economy, which aims to cut waste and pollution, repair damaged ecosystems, and have a positive impact on the world economy.