Networking activities

Networking with other EU projects allows for the establishment of synergies that can profitably be exploited to secure the achievement of targeted objectives. The coordination of the networking with other EU projects is based at Eco Recycling offices. This sub-action aims at establishing a connection between the implemented project and activities concerning the water treatment carried on, at the national and European levels, in the framework of LIFE and non-LIFE projects. The main objective is to create synergies that can profitably be exploited to secure the achievement of targeted objectives and to share the basins of contacted stakeholders. Partners of different projects will also be invited to join the main dissemination events or to come for an individual visit. Additional LIFE projects and HORIZON projects that can develop synergies with the present proposal will be identified during the project.

Networking activities have already begun:

• The LIFE CHIMERA (LIFE15 ENV/IT/000631, https://www.life-chimera.eu/) project reported a description of the LIFE BIOAs project in a section of its project site (https://www.life-chimera.eu/it/archivio-news/). Furthermore, it was identified that the point of contact of the two projects lay in the fact that both used a gasification process for the valorization of waste. Subsequently Eco Recycling proceeded to fill in the questionnaire relating to the impacts of the CHIMERA project and a video meeting was held in which the staff of Eco recycling and Technosind participated. This meeting was also reported in their newsletter. In addition Eco Recycling has agreed to join the External Users Advisory Board of the LIFE CHIMERA project.
• Two meetings were held with the LIFE WATER FACTORY project (LIFE18 ENV/NL/000217, https://www.vallei-veluwe.nl/toptaken/bij-mij-in-de-buurt/in-voorbereiding/waterfabriek-wilp/life-water-factory). The first meeting started with a short presentation of all the participants. This was followed by the presentation carried out by the Eco Recycling staff in which a specific description of the LIFE BIOAs project was reported, of how this project will contribute to the implementation of the EU directives and the ONU Objectives (for a Sustainable Development for the Agenda 2030) and the links between the two projects have been highlighted. Following, a presentation concerned the activities of a Water Authority and the principles of the new concept of water treatment as is foreseen in the Life project and a detailed description of the LIFE WATER FACTORY project has been carried out. Furthermore, a presentation about the activities of AquaMinerals and the valorization of the products the Water Factory has been carried out. Furthermore, following the comparison between the AcquaMinerals and Eco Recycling companies, on the basis of their experiences also in previous research and development projects that had recycling as their topic, it was clear that current European regulations entail considerable difficulties to re-introduce recyclable materials in the market in fact although the community promotes the development of recycling processes, the reintroduction of the products thus obtained is not yet complete and risks hindering the recycling process. By mutual agreement, it was therefore considered to highlight this issue in the evaluation of policy implications for both projects. The Eco Recycling staff was present at this meeting. The second meeting was technical meeting was held regarding the granulation and activation processes of activated carbon. This meeting was held as a common point between the two projects is the production of activated carbon aimed at removing contaminants from water. In addition, during this meeting, it was agreed to carry out a further meeting as soon as the demonstration campaign of the BIOAs begins. This meeting was attended by staff from Eco Recycling, Technosind HTR and UEVORA.
• An oral presentation was made (01/06/2022) during the networking event organized by the LIFE CLEAN UP project (LIFE 16 ENV/ES 000169, https://www.lifecleanup.eu/). In this presentation the LIFE BIOAs project was described, the prototypes were shown, the main objectives of the project were described and as such LIFE contributes to the policy implications.

• An oral presentation was made (20/12/2022) during the networking meetin organizedwith the LIFE FREEDOM project (LIFE19 ENV/IT/000165). This meeting was attended by staff from Eco Recycling, Technosind HTR and UEVORA.

• With the LIFE REGROW project (LIFE 16 ENV/ES/331, http://www.liferegrow.eu/?lang=2), several emails were exchanged and a questionnaire was filled in for networking.
• With the LIFE-3E project (LIFE18 ENV/NL/000217, https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/life/publicWebsite/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.dspPage&n_proj_id=7213) a video meeting was realized.
• Exchange of emails have been realized with the following project:
  •  LIFE DrainRain project (LIFE15 ENV/ES/000394, http://www.lifedrainrain.com/es/inicio/).
• The representatives of the following European projects were contacted by email:
  • LIFE SAFE_T_WATER project (LIFE19 ENV/ES/000049, https://safetwater.eu/);
  • LIFE SPOT project (LIFE18 ENV/ES/000199, https://lifespotproject.eu/).