Waste streams as a source of essential oils
Sustainability, circularity and the bioeconomy are key themes in the transition to a society that is less dependent on fossil raw materials. Renewable sources play a significant role in this, but they also have an environmental impact and generate organic waste streams that must be put to use to avoid ending up as waste. Many companies are looking for potential uses for the waste streams they generate during their operations. Essential oils offer a promising option for the valorisation of plant-based waste streams. They are complex mixtures of volatile substances with a strong scent and flavour, characteristic of the plant from which they are extracted. Essential oils have a wide range of applications as flavourings or fragrances in food products, shampoos, perfumes, creams, fragrance sticks, soaps, and so on.
These natural flavourings and fragrances are largely extracted from plants grown specifically for this purpose. The production of essential oils from waste streams offers an interesting option for value creation, but companies often lack the knowledge and resources to explore this option. The potential of organic waste streams as a raw material for essential oils therefore remains largely untapped, with the exception of citrus peel.
This project, RETRO (Waste Streams as a Source for Essential Oils), focuses on providing methods to extract essential oils from organic waste streams in an efficient and economically viable manner. In doing so, it not only examines technical feasibility but also conducts an economic analysis. Dissemination to waste stream suppliers, producers/buyers/distributors of essential oils and consumers plays a central role in the project.
The roll-out to education and training is also important for shaping the professionals of the future and equipping them with knowledge on the sustainable, practical utilisation of waste streams. Through this project, we are contributing to a circular bioeconomy and supporting businesses in their search for sustainable applications.
