Fortifying Social Acceptance When Designing Circular Economy Business Models on Biowaste Related Products

Tuomo Eskelinen (), Oswald Sydd, Miika Kajanus, David Fernández Gutiérrez, Miguel Mitsou, José M. Soriano Disla, Manuel Vals Sevilla and Johan Ib Hansen
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Tuomo Eskelinen: Department for Multi-Disciplinary RDI, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Microkatu 1, 70201 Kuopio, Finland
Oswald Sydd: Department for Multi-Disciplinary RDI, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Microkatu 1, 70201 Kuopio, Finland
Miika Kajanus: Department for Multi-Disciplinary RDI, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Microkatu 1, 70201 Kuopio, Finland
David Fernández Gutiérrez: Centro Tecnológico de la Energía y el Medio Ambiente (CETENMA), P.I. Cabezo Beaza, C/Sofía 6-13, 30353 Cartagena, Spain
Miguel Mitsou: Centro Tecnológico de la Energía y el Medio Ambiente (CETENMA), P.I. Cabezo Beaza, C/Sofía 6-13, 30353 Cartagena, Spain
José M. Soriano Disla: Centro Tecnológico de la Energía y el Medio Ambiente (CETENMA), P.I. Cabezo Beaza, C/Sofía 6-13, 30353 Cartagena, Spain
Manuel Vals Sevilla: Murcia City Council, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Johan Ib Hansen: Department for Sustainable Development, Kalundborg Municipality, Holbaekvej 141B, 4400 Kalundborg, Denmark

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 22, 1-24

Abstract: (1) Background: VALUEWASTE, a European Commission Horizon 2020 project, is attempting to find new and sustainable sources of protein and fertiliser products using biowaste as a resource. Introducing these products to the market is essential to understand the social acceptance, behavioural changes and socioeconomic impacts related to products and value chains. (2) Methods: The applied framework provides insights from market, socioeconomic, and community acceptance points of view. Initially, we designed the context and targets of the study. The acceptance levels were tested in two study regions: the cities of Murcia (Spain) and Kalundborg (Denmark). Secondly, we established a survey questionnaire (N = 523) combining social acceptance and life-cycle assessment methodology questions. Lastly, we performed a scenario-based workshop discussing behavioural changes related to the introduction of new bio-products to customers. (3) Results: Our study of developing new bio-products (food, feed, fertiliser) from biowaste produced forceful comparative results from the two regions regarding three aspects of social acceptance: market, socioeconomic, and community. (4) Conclusions: The present study, engaging citizens, consumers, producers, and policy makers, provides insights into what is important for the social acceptance of new protein sources for food, feed, and recycled fertilisers from bio-waste in the Murcia and Kalundborg city regions. Our observations, based on analyses applying three dimensions of social acceptance, can be directly applied elsewhere, guiding decision makers on how to fortify social acceptance regarding new circular economy business models and the bioeconomy in Europe.

Keywords: social acceptance; biowaste; business models; insect/bacteria proteins; circular economy; bioeconomy; valorisation; fortification; behavioural change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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