Zaragoza opens a pioneering biorefinery in Europe that will transform waste into valuable products

Zaragoza launched a pioneering biorefinery in Europe on Wednesday, which aims to turn the city into an international benchmark in the circular economy. With an investment of 23 million euros over three years, these facilities seek to convert organic waste and sewage sludge into high value-added products such as biopolymers, biofertilizers or green graphene.

Managed by Urbaser, the new biorefinery will transform waste into valuable products on an industrial scale and will contribute to one of the challenges set by the mayor of Zaragoza, Natalia Chueca, which is to make the city climate-neutral by 2030. Chueca also highlighted in her speech that the plant’s mission is to reduce the waste that goes to landfill in the city to zero.

“Soon we will be able to take a major step forward and continue our work and achieve the recovery of all waste, not just the 52% that we already recycle, but reaching 100% of it. In this way, we will be able to continue being a benchmark for sustainable cities, both in Europe and in the world,” he explained.

Located in the López Soriano Recycling Technology Park, the new facilities will have the capacity to treat between 10,000 and 15,000 tons per year.

Fernando Abril-Martorell, CEO of Urbaser, said that the plant is a unique model that puts Zaragoza at the forefront by providing environmental benefits. “Today we are here to launch a facility that will make Zaragoza a clear protagonist in the advancement of waste treatment. It is an initiative that reflects the growth of Urbaser as a company and our commitment to the environment,” he said.

The new facility is part of the Circular Biocarbon project, funded by the Biobased Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme. Urbaser coordinates this consortium, made up of 11 entities, which has a budget of 23 million euros to invest in the development of the project.

The biorefinery has been built at the facilities of the Alfonso Maíllo Innovation Centre and the Urban Waste Treatment Complex of Zaragoza, in collaboration with the Zaragoza City Council.

The biorefinery is a unique model in which the process lines are implemented in two different locations (Zaragoza – Spain and Sesto San Giovanni – Italy) for logistical, customer and market reasons. This multi-site approach will help test the work of the biorefinery against different types of waste management systems, ecosystems and existing industrial practices, boosting its replicability potential across Europe.