INSPIRATION
The world generates tonnes of waste annually, most of which end up in landfills. The circular economy retains the value of products or resources by putting them back into the product cycle after use. Besides mechanical recycling, one of the biggest circular economy trends is to upcycle this waste to energy by incineration, gasification, anaerobic digestion, and pyrolysis. This allows waste management companies to get rid of the waste effectively, as well as provides an additional stream of clean energy for power utility companies. While every industry produces waste, some industries like energy,food, agriculture, and fashion are larger contributors than others. Startups are working on waste upcycling solutions that focus on waste from such polluting industries. For instance,the fashion industry is now upcycling textile waste to produce new apparel, shoes, and accessories. This reduces the cost of raw materials and makes companies more sustainable.
Danish startup WAIR collects textile waste, namely jeans and workwear, and upcycles them into vegan and sustainable sneakers. It manufactures soles from eco-rubber that comprises 70% recycled rubber and 30% virgin rubber. The startup uses plant-based materials and recycled cotton to make insoles and laces, respectively. When the shoes reach the end of their lifecycle, the startup shreds and reuse them as input
for new products.
SEaB Energy is a British startup that offers solutions to generate on-site energy from waste. The startup’s containerized anaerobic digester, Muckbuster, turns slurry and farm waste into electricity and heat, generating fertilizer as a by-product.
The digester converts slurry into biogas which then fuels a combined heat & power (CHP) engine. Similarly, another digester, Flexibuster, turns organic waste like food waste into energy by utilizing the same mechanism.
