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27 Bioconversion of Waste to Wealth as Circular Bioeconomy Approach

27.4

Concerns About Managing Food Waste in Achieving

Circular Bioeconomy Policies

Feedstocks, obtained from house-hold organic wastes, are regarded as secondary

waste and these are used to increase the load of biomass for subsequent conver-

sion to biofuel or production of bioactives [23–25]. However, it should be noted that

the extent of contribution of these secondary feedstocks to circular bioeconomy is

debatable. Hence, greater fillip is needed to create interest in developing technolo-

gies for such products and to encourage investments [24]. Information pertaining

to the availability and nature of wastes should be reliable and transparent. This will

indicate a positive step toward environmental protection. Consumption of bio-based

assets and substitutes should have substantial equivalence with the fossil fuels that

they are used to replace. Life cycle analysis evaluation (LCA), life cycle cost (LCC),

and social life cycle assessment (s-LCA) should be performed to determine the level

of sustenance that a particular project can achieve. This is very important consider-

ing its economic and social characteristics [26]. Such life cycle studies highlight the

benefits of bio-based products to policy-makers and to the society. This is of prime

importance to ensure the success of sustainable circular models with support from

the people at large.

A strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats (SWOT) review conducted

on the key barriers and benefits associated with the case identified the following

strengths. The strengths of the event include improved agriculture and sustainable

food production with an improved method for value addition to wastes, increasing

jobs that are eco-friendly as also profitable, improving technologies for producing

eco-compatible chemicals and bioenergy, and identifying strong bio-based plastic.

The opportunities identified were job creation and economic process in the green

sector. The EU commission in 2018 implemented bioeconomic communication

and bioeconomy strategy implementation to encourage industrial decision-making.

While the event benefits both the community and the industry, the general public

is concerned about certain weaknesses and threats.

As this concept is still in its infant stage, the current technologies are not econom-

ically viable. This is turn has reduced the demand for this novel approach making

this approach financially unviable. Supply of biomass feedstock needs technical, eco-

nomic, and seasonal factors. Laws and policies need to be properly implemented at

various stages to deduce the wastage perceived at various stages in the food supply

chain. Lower refund policies on food supply chains will apply. Lack of guidelines on

sustainable bio-based products and biofuels could reduce confidence in the sector.

Detailed reports on the information regarding such products along with the tech-

nology involved safety of the processes and products should be made available in the

public domain. This will improve the awareness among the people and thus increase

the sustainability of such technologies and products. Finally, the profitability of bio-

fuel products is greatly influenced by the cost of oil from fossil sources. Hence, there

is an increased need to develop technologies and products whose costs can compete

with those of fossil-based fuels.