The wasteCANcreate Upcycling Consortium brings together Canadian researchers and industry partners to support developing bioconversion-based upcycling technologies – ones that convert organic waste or byproducts of agricultural production into valuable products like food ingredients, bioplastics, textiles, and platform chemicals that are normally derived from fossil fuels or other sources. Our whole value chain approach connects feedstock providers, technology developers and end users to create lasting solutions with environmental and economic benefits. These technologies are key to realizing the potential of engineering biology to create and support a vibrant global circular economy.
Upcycling is the practice of reusing objects and materials to create a product of higher value. Bioconversion-based upcycling uses biological methods to convert low-value and/or typically discarded feedstocks (e.g., agricultural, food, or forestry byproducts) to transform them into valuable inputs, food ingredients and consumer goods. In this context, feedstock refers to any organic material including food waste and sidestreams from agriculture, aquaculture, and forestry. Bioconversion concentrates the power of nature to reuse organic material to release the value of carbon-based waste.
Thanks to ongoing advances in genomics, engineering biology and bioprocessing, fermentation methods that have been used for thousands of years to make bread and alcohol are now upcycling traditional waste to make both familiar and novel products. Bioconversion-based upcycling repurposes environmentally harmful waste streams into new and valuable manufacturing inputs and consumer products. This minimizes waste, creates economic opportunities, and integrates more sustainably with the natural cycles that constantly recycle organic material.
A circular economy is a model of production, consumption and disposal where byproducts and consumer goods are reused and recycled to make new value-added products. The goal of a circular economy is to reduce or eliminate waste. It’s built on using all byproducts/ materials that would otherwise be sent to landfill, left to decompose, or sold for lower value. The recycling of paper, metal, and plastic goods is a prime example of ‘circularization’ in practice. Upcycling spent grains to make bread is a great way to reduce food waste and create a nutritious product, but these could also be upcycled into more valuable products. However, new technologies are needed to achieve a truly circular economy.
Circular economies exist in contrast to linear economies where resources are extracted and goods are made, sold and ultimately disposed of. Production of goods in a circular economy reduces and repurposes material at all stages of manufacturing and factors in the entire life cycle of a product, embracing the ideals of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, along with Repair and Repurpose.
With vast natural resources and access to biomass, world-leading clean technology research, and strong trade relations, Canada is fully capable of being a leader in the world’s circular economy. The wasteCANcreate program is investing in bio-based technologies that turn common waste byproducts into high-value products like biodegradable plastics, upcycled textiles, food ingredients, and more. Not only does this reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but it’s also creating lasting economic opportunities for Canadian industries.
Discussion Paper: Inaugural wasteCANcreate Upcycling Summit
COMING SOON – Full Report
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Current and past projects within the wasteCANcreate consortium have included:
If you require or are working on bio-based solutions to organic waste, we want to hear from you! Please reach out to Dr. Mike Dorrington, Manager, Strategic Partnerships: mdorrington@ontariogenomics.ca
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