With the intention of not throwing anything away and looking for forms of production, the Department of Innovation and Industry supports an innovative project to transform chicken eggs that are broken in packaging centers into valuable raw materials for the agri-food, ceramic and of footwear.
As explained by the department headed by Nuria Montes, this initiative that promotes the circular economy and industrial symbiosis between companies from different sectors of activity, proposes a comprehensive solution to a problem - that of accidental breakage of eggs - that only in The Valencian Community generates around 2,300 tons of waste per year. The intention is that these waste are not lost and can have a second life.
Currently, the same sources explain, it is the egg production companies that pay for the proper treatment of this biological waste by delivering it to an authorized manager, as established by current legislation. However, this process entails an economic impact for this industry, which has to pay between 60 and 150 euros for each ton of waste, depending on the location of the farm and the volume generated.
To avoid these costs, this strategic project is promoted, called OVOVAL, which is coordinated by the Footwear Technology Center, Inescop, and is executed in collaboration with the Institute of Ceramic Technology (ITC-AICE); the Valencian Poultry Association (ASAV) and La Unió Llauradora i Ramadera. The proposal also has the financial support of IVACE i and financing from the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Comunitat Valenciana 2021-2027 program.
The initiative aims to take advantage of this animal waste for the development of renewable products and materials with high added value with potential applications in different strategic industries of the Valencian Community, such as ceramics, footwear or even the agri-food sector.
With the inorganic part of the egg, that is, with the shell, the consortium plans to obtain calcium bio-carbonate, a material that could be used as a raw material in the formulation of frits for ceramic tiles or for the manufacture of shoe soles, they point out. from ITC and Inescop.
On the other hand, the white, the yolk and the membrane will be used in the production of new bioproducts with protein content aimed at the development of biopolymers for the leather industry, while, in the agricultural field, other alternative applications focused on the development of organic agriculture and the production of biostimulants based on free amino acids, which reduce the environmental impact compared to synthetic fertilizers.
In addition to promoting the circular economy, OVOVAL will contribute to improving the competitiveness of egg-producing poultry companies through an industrial symbiosis initiative, which will minimize the economic impact that the management of this waste has had until now.
Likewise, the renewable raw materials that will be obtained from these animal remains will contribute to developing new sustainable products in the footwear and ceramics sectors, which in turn will help both industries move towards the decarbonization objectives required by the European Union for the year 2050.
