Reducing pollution from the food and drink industries

Expected Outcome:

In line with the European Green Deal priorities, the zero pollution action plan, chemical strategy for sustainability, farm to fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environment‑friendly food system, the biodiversity strategy for 2030, notably its objective of reducing pollution, and the EU’s climate ambition for 2030 and 2050, the successful proposal will support R&I to reduce pollution coming from food systems (and eventually stop it). This will contribute to the transformation of food systems to deliver co‑benefits for climate (mitigation and adaptation), biodiversity, environmental sustainability and circularity, sustainable healthy nutrition and safe food, food poverty reduction, empowerment of communities, and thriving businesses.

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• better understanding of the pollution coming from the food and drink industry;
• all food and drink industries have methods at their disposal to measure their pollutants emissions and to reduce them from the source;
• contribution to the food 2030 priorities: nutrition for sustainable healthy diets, climate, biodiversity and environment, circularity and resource efficiency, innovation and empowering communities.

Scope:

Food systems, on the one hand, are a source of pollution and, on the other hand, suffer from the consequences of pollution. Moving towards zero pollution food systems can therefore contribute to building the resilience of food systems and the natural ecosystems on which they depend. Contaminants have been accumulating in food products, whether due to food being in contact with specific materials at various stages of the food supply chain, such as food processing plants, packaging, or in agriculture with contaminated soils, air and water.

In the context of the Industrial and Livestock Rearing Emissions Directive and the relevant Best Available Techniques (BAT) conclusions for the food, drink and milk industries, some data are already available. However, there are currently several knowledge gaps when it comes to emerging and/or less known pollutants, and their cocktail effects on the environment and human health.

Some activities of the food and drink industries can lead to soil, water and air pollution, which can, in turn, adversely affect food safety, biodiversity and human health. This pollution can take many forms: plastics (including micro- and nano-plastics), food packaging, persistent chemicals, light, noise, odour, etc. There are significant regional differences in the impact of environmental pollution, depending on the type of pollutant. While European and national strategies remain important to reducing pollution, international cooperation is key to ensure that efficient and impactful measures are put in place to protect our oceans and inland waters, ecosystems, biodiversity and health.

The proposals are expected to:

• focus on food and drink industries’ processes and on pollutants (including emerging pollutants) typically coming from these industries;
• develop analytical methods, e.g. using the Environmental Footprint method, to measure pollutants and studying/mapping the pollutants coming from food and drink industries that are not covered in the Best Available Techniques (BAT) conclusions for the food, drink and milk industries and how they interact with each other (mixture of pollutants);
• propose monitoring/tracking methods for pollutants coming from food and drink industries, focusing on less-known and emerging pollutants specific for food and drink industries and taking into account the diversity of these industries;
• identify the most effective methods/best available technologies to reduce food-system-related pollution (in soil, water and air) from food and drink industries, focusing on the most relevant/prominent pollutants (the ultimate objective being to eventually stop pollution);
• develop activities for empowering consumers (e.g. communication, awareness raising);
• develop activities for ensuring adequate involvement of researchers, national agencies/authorities and laboratories, as well as food and drink industry (incl. strategic innovation platforms and federations).

This topic contributes to the European Green Deal priorities, the zero pollution action plan, chemical strategy for sustainability, farm to fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environment‑friendly food system, the biodiversity strategy for 2030, notably its objective of reducing pollution, and the EU’s climate ambition for 2030 and 2050. The successful proposal will contribute to the transformation of food systems to deliver co‑benefits for climate (mitigation and adaptation), biodiversity, environmental sustainability and circularity, sustainable healthy nutrition and safe food, food poverty reduction, empowerment of communities, and thriving businesses.

For any activities on depollution to achieve zero pollution in large industrial installations and contribute to the climate ambition, please refer to the Innovation Centre for Industrial Transformation and Emissions (INCITE) (https://innovation-centre-for-industrial-transformation.ec.europa.eu/).

Proposals must implement the multi-actor approach by involving a wide range of food system actors and conducting multi-disciplinary research (including on environmental science and biodiversity). International cooperation is strongly encouraged.

Where relevant, activities should build and expand on the results of past and ongoing research projects. Projects should have a clear plan as to how they will collaborate with other projects selected under this topic and any other relevant topic or relevant EU partnerships. They should participate in joint activities, workshops, focus groups or social labs, and common communication and dissemination activities, and show potential for upscaling. Applicants should plan the necessary budget to cover these activities.