EBA Circular Economy Workshop: another successful event held in Brussels

Over 35 participants gathered on the 6th of April to learn about the value of organic waste as a secondary raw material, both for the economy and the environment, within Europe’s Circular Economy. 

EBA President Jan Stambasky opened the workshop by introducing the multiple benefits of anaerobic digestion for the bioeconomy, before highlighting the relevance of European policies for the further development of the sector. Other key speakers like Professor Erik Meers from Ghent University, Jonathan de Mey of Biogas-E, and EBA Vice-President Franz Kirchmeyr, focused on the advantages that anaerobic digestion can bring to Europe’s agriculture and environment, especially the huge potential in Europe to make digestate fertiliser from residues and by-products.

The workshop also counted with the presence of Johanna Bernsel and Eric Liegeios from the European Commission’s DG GROW, who introduced the new EU proposal to include organic fertilising material within the Fertilisers Regulation (more information can be found here) and encouraged those present to give written feedback on the proposed text, which their service will compile and then forwarded to the European Parliament and the Council. Then, Member of the European Parliament Davor Skrlec closed up the event praising the great potential in digesting and composting organic waste to reduce both nutrients and GHG emissions.

The attendees to the workshop included a wide array of experts and stakeholders such as biogas companies, grid operators, EU-policy makers, national biogas associations as well as European umbrella associations. Pictures from the event will be soon added here, and the Workshop Report has been made available here. EBA Members can as well find all presentations here.