The circular potential of a Bio-District: indicators for waste management

Abstract

Purpose

This work aims to assess the potential of a Bio-District as a model for applying the circular economy concerning the waste scope. It aims to understand the capability of organic farms to manage waste with a circular perspective, starting with the use of indicators that directly or indirectly impact the waste scope.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on previous work that identified and systematised the circular indicators of the agri-food sector within a dashboard. With this research as a basis, the indicators within the waste scope in the dashboard were extracted. Cross-linked indicators with an indirect connection to the waste scope were also systematised and tested in a case study. Primary and secondary data were used for the study. The primary data came from a semi-structured interview, and the secondary data were from official databases.

Findings

The work highlights two important results. The first allows the definition of a subclassification of indicators by product and organisation, extracting those with a cross-linked characteristic concerning the waste scope. Secondly, the indicators' application shows the farm's circular and waste valorisation potential within the Bio-District. The study also made it possible to test a new indicator, the “Potential Energy Biomass Recovery”, to measure the farm's potential to produce energy from waste.

Originality/value

This research proposes a new circular economy approach to evaluate waste management in the agri-food sector.

Citation

Poponi, S., Ruggieri, A., Pacchera, F. and Arcese, G. (2024), "The circular potential of a Bio-District: indicators for waste management", British Food Journal, Vol. 126 No. 1, pp. 290-308. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-12-2022-1137