Last week, LIFEBIOBEST gathered its stakeholders in Lyon for a cities workshop aimed at exchanging knowledge, gaining insights from industry leaders, and forging new connections in European bio-waste management.

The workshop featured presentations by a panel of national specialists and advocates from leading cities in bio-waste innovation. A highlight of the event was the opportunity to tour a small-scale composting facility operated by the association Les Alchimistes, which produces compost from voluntarily donated bio-waste and compostable baby nappies. Since the establishment of the EU obligation to collect bio-waste, the facility has already seen a large increase in their collection, having already reached 850 tonnes in January 2024 alone, in comparison to 4000 tonnes for the whole of 2023. 

The event also showcased the latest project outcomes, such as the LIFE BIOBEST policy brief addresses the regulatory challenges hindering efficient bio-waste management. Through interviews with over 15 expert stakeholders from various EU regions, the brief highlights the obstacles in meeting landfill and recycling targets and complying with the mandate for separate collection of bio-waste.