Funded Projects 2014-2020
Project BCE
| Project Acronym | BCE |
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| Project Title | BLUE CIRCULAR ECONOMY |
| Project subsite |
Summary
Globally, oceans continue to accumulate debris in all forms making them possibly the biggest landfills on the planet. Marine littering, defined as the introduction of solid refuse into the marine environment through human activity, poses a major threat to the ocean environment and is a growing concern for authorities.
Plastic is seen as an important material in our economy and our daily lives, but too often the way plastics are produced, used and discarded fails to capture the economic benefits of a more 'circular' approach and harms the environment. Due to immature value chains most of the discarded nets end up in landfills or incineration plants instead of being recycled or upcycled. Most of the companies exploring waste fishing nets, ropes and components (FNRCs) to develop new resources, are micro-SMEs which operate within a regional or local market, where the demand is limited and product costs remain too high.
Blue Circular Economy (BCE) aims to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) offering products and services within fishing gear recycling solutions in the NPA region to attain a greater market reach. Building on the network developed under Circular Ocean (2015-2018), the project will set up a multi-level cluster to connect and catalyze SMEs in the region. The cluster formation will be used as a hub, multiplier and network enabler where knowledge and experience is developed and shared, all the while adopting an inclusive gender-equal approach. The cluster establishment and operation will be done in collaboration with academia, industry and government agencies following a triple helix approach. BCE will therefore contribute to sustainable development in the NPA region at the economic, environmental and social levels.
Objectives
To create three clusters of recycled fishing gear in the NPA region
BCE will contribute to the creation of one cluster of recycled fishing gear in Norway, one in Ireland and one overarching cluster in the NPA area.
Create environmental and economically viable circular business models for SMEs in the fishing gear industry
Due to the immaturity of current value chains in the industry of recycled fishing gear, there is a need to help creating viable circular business models for the SMEs in this industry.
Stimulate the market demand for products made of recycled fishing gear
The BCE project aims to help SMEs offering products and services within the fishing gear recycling solutions in the NPA-region to attain greater market reach. This will be done by aiding in commercialising & creating an eco-label for the recycled products
Impacts
Tangible
| Business development: | One of the main objectives of the project was to help SMEs to reach a greater market potential with products made from recycled fishing gear. The mentorship, stakeholder meetings and webinars enhanced the business development capability of the SMEs within the cluster and helped them to turn the challenges into new opportunities. The project also provided a forum for SMEs to network and cluster, increasing the accessibility of their products and services.
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Intangible
| Raising awareness: | The project raised awareness about plastics pollution, the organisations working to tackle discarded fishing nets and to develop economic opportunities. Bringing the topic of plastic pollution to the European level, BCE was one of five project finalists in the Regiostars award 2020 in the category “Circular Economy for a Green Europe”. Since plastic pollution in the oceans affects also seabirds, the project continued raising awareness about the impacts of marine plastic on seabirds. As part of the project, the Environmental Research Institute launched an online website where people from around the world can upload pictures of entangled birds or a nest with debris incorporated.
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Lead Partner
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Norway
Siv Marina Grimstad
phone 004770161263
e-mail: sika@ntnu.no
Partners
- Arctic Technology Centre – Technical University of Denmark
Greenland - North Highland College UHI
Scotland - University for the Creative Arts
England - Western Development Commission
Ireland
Project Info
| Theme Business development, trade, marketing |
| Priority 2 Entrepreneurship |
| Objective 2.2 Greater market reach |
| Project duration 30-09-18 to 29-09-21 |
| Total budget 1 690 661 EUR |
| NPA co-financing 1 012 529 EUR |
| Target groups regional public authority sectoral agency education/training centre and school enterprise, including SME business support organisation interest groups including NGOs General public |
| Joint Secretariat Desk Officer Rachel Burn |