The BCN Port Innovation Foundation aims to transform plastic waste generated in the port environment into new resources for other companies. This is the objective of DELTA, a CIRCULARS program initiative that seeks to identify existing plastic flows in the Port, detect which companies generate them and which could reuse them, and, from there, promote industrial symbiosis projects.
The project, subsidized by the Catalan Waste Agency, starts from a simple idea: what is waste for one company can be a useful raw material for another. To make this possible, the Foundation, together with inèdit and Símbiosy, has promoted a study that characterizes the plastic flows of the port ecosystem according to their volume, condition, and destination, and identifies both the generators and potential recipients of these materials, within or near the port area.
To share the results and begin to generate these connections, more than forty representatives from companies in the Port de Barcelona and its surroundings met last week at the World Trade Center Barcelona for the "CIRCULARS. We connect plastic" conference, organized by the BCN Port Innovation Foundation. The session brought together companies that generate and manage plastic waste with others that can potentially incorporate them into their production processes.
The meeting served to contrast the study results with the companies, identify the main obstacles to managing and reusing these materials, and gather proposals to overcome these difficulties. It also allowed for the establishment of the first direct contacts between generators and potential recipients.
Among the identified materials with potential are plastic waste, such as the film used in logistics activities or naval protection tarpaulins, which may have demand in other industries.
"There is no long-term competitiveness without sustainability. And for a port like ours, that means transforming ourselves: being more efficient, consuming resources better, reducing impacts, and innovating to find new solutions. But we cannot undertake this transformation alone," stated Catalina Grimalt, General Director of the BCN Port Innovation Foundation and Deputy General Director of Organization and Internal Resources of the Port de Barcelona. "The circular economy starts from an enormously simple idea: what is waste for one company can become a resource for another. But for that to happen, we need to know each other. We need information, trust, shared projects, and, above all, a sense of community," she added.
According to Bianca Tilliger, Senior Consultant at inèdit, "in the Port de Barcelona there is an abundant and valuable resource: relatively clean and homogeneous plastic waste, such as logistics film or naval protection tarpaulins, which have potential demand in other industries. Industrial symbiosis is a real opportunity here; in fact, it is the collaboration between companies that will allow it to be converted into concrete projects."
The CIRCULARS program is not limited, however, to identifying opportunities. To respond to the needs and barriers identified by companies during the conference, the Foundation offers concrete solutions.
The first is a local plastic recovery plant located in the Port de Barcelona, designed to transform plastic waste from the port environment into new resources and facilitate its reincorporation into local value chains. The plant will initially focus on polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), with sorting, shredding, and washing processes to obtain high-quality recycled material. The objective is to go beyond conventional waste management and create a proximity circularity model, connecting companies that generate waste with those that can use it. The plant will offer a Recycling as a Service (RaaS) service, which will allow companies to access shared recycling infrastructures without having to invest in their own facilities, promoting material traceability and industrial symbiosis.
The second is technical training for better plastic separation at the source, one of the most common difficulties in its management. The objective is to provide companies with the knowledge and tools necessary to correctly separate materials and, at the same time, ensure that the plant receives homogeneous and high-quality plastic flows, essential for obtaining recycled materials with market value. This training is scheduled for 2027.
Companies or individuals interested in participating can contact the Foundation at circulars@bcnportinnovation.org.
