In this 5-minute extract from Resource recovery technologies and circular economy opportunities in the winery sector, Sergi Astals from University of Barcelona, a researcher explores the challenges of waste management in the winery sector and the shift toward circular bioeconomy solutions.
He begins by contrasting the traditional linear model—where waste is simply outsourced or landfilled—with emerging sustainable practices.
While mature technologies like incineration, composting, and wastewater treatment are robust and efficient, biorefineries introduce complexity and uncertainty. The sector is full of promising innovations, but many are still stuck in the lab stage, awaiting real-world validation.
The speaker emphasizes that companies are under increasing pressure due to stricter regulations and rising waste disposal costs—sometimes 3 to 10 times higher than before. This has driven many firms to explore resource recovery and circular economy pathways.
However, businesses resist complexity, especially when waste isn’t core to their operations, often allocating minimal resources to it.
Key points covered:
- Traditional waste management is no longer viable under rising costs and regulation
- Companies seek simple, robust, and cost-effective solutions—not technical complexity
- The wine sector is fragmented, highly seasonal, and dominated by small-to-medium enterprises
- Waste treatment solutions must be centralized, affordable, and low-maintenance
- Chemical engineers play a key role in adapting technology across sectors
This talk highlights both the obstacles and opportunities in developing practical, scalable circular economy models for wine production waste.
