site.btaNew Horizon Europe Scheme for End-of-life waste Materials to be Launched in June, Says EU Commissioner Zaharieva
A new Horizon Europe scheme to develop solutions for the secondary use of end-of-life waste materials will be launched in June, said EU Commissioner for Start-ups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva, who participated in the official opening of a pilot mobile installation for the production of recycled construction materials near Kremikovtsi. The project is funded with EUR 9.5 million from the EU under Horizon Europe and is being implemented in cooperation with Bulgarian and foreign universities and research institutes.
Zaharieva pointed out that EUR 151 million has already been invested in innovative solutions under Horizon Europe, and a new scheme worth EUR 48 million will be launched in June to develop solutions for the secondary use of end-of-life waste materials.
"Recently, when you talk about the environment, the Green Deal and innovation, you tend to encounter skepticism, distrust, and sometimes outright disapproval. This project is valuable for two main reasons, because it is a clear example of how environmental protection, the Green Deal and competitiveness, i.e. the private sector, can go hand in hand. It also shows that the private sector and science - universities, academies of sciences - can work together to achieve a common goal in the service of citizens. The second thing that makes this project valuable is that it creates a network and connections, because many countries are involved in it," the European Commissioner noted.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth Tomislav Donchev stressed that in current times all green topics are important.
He argued that Bulgaria has come a long way in the last 15 years. As of 2010, there were only three waste management systems in Bulgaria according to European standards. “Bulgaria has also come a long way in terms of the circular economy and we have already made progress in recycling glass, metal, and paper, but we still have a long way to go in terms of wood, textiles, and construction waste. Smart societies do not waste resources and do not pollute the environment, and I would rather be able to load this facility 100% than fill the ravines with construction waste,” said Donchev.
He pointed out that the circular economy allows waste to turn into a resource, into raw material, which, in addition to being a green topic, also means economic benefits.
Minister of Environment and Water Manol Genov said that there are ideas for legislative changes that would allow municipalities to control the flow of construction waste, because this is an example of how to protect nature. He noted that the green component is rarely present in Bulgarian road and building projects.
MEP Tsvetelina Penkova, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy in the European Parliament, noted that the main priority of the European institutions is the fair and sustainable transformation of the industry.
Recycling construction waste and its reuse is a direct response to one of the major challenges facing Europe, namely resource dependence, she stressed, adding that the MOBICCON-PRO project shows that the construction sector can be a platform for innovation, for technologies and for solutions for a sustainable, secure and fair future.
/DT/
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