1 May 2018

The European Commission has drawn up an action plan in 2015 to stimulate the development of the future circular economy, partly by recovering foodstuffs that are no longer intended for human consumption for various reasons, as raw materials for animal feed.

25 April 2018

Wild salmon eat fish and shrimps, but soon the first salmon grown with larvae of black soldier flies will lay on your plate. The flies are the workhorses of the Turnhout company Millibeter, who grows larvae with residual streams such as potato peels and beet pulp. The black soldier fly plays an important role in the shift to a more sustainable fishing industry. The insects serve as an alternative to fish meal and soybean meal with which fish such as salmon, trout and Pike-perch in aquaculture are grown. "Ecologically it is already, now economically it has to be more attractive", says Johan Jacobs, founder of Millibeter.

24 April 2018

According to the Belgian Federal Agency Economy about 4.5 million tonnes of vegetable waste is produced annually. This is a great potential source for the cultivation of the black soldier fly. This can easily convert residual waste of arable land, catering, supermarket and convert to useful manure, animal proteins.

1 February 2018

On 30 January new breeding cells were officially opened at Inagro and about 170 stakeholders gathered in Beitum to discover the novelties within the insects sector. The research team focuses primarily on the breeding of insects. In addition, opportunities are looked at to use insects for animal nutrition and processing of restaurant waste at four insect species: black soldier fly, house crickets, meal worms and Argentine cockroaches. At the opening both domestic and foreign experts were present from the industry to share their insights in different themes.

24 December 2017

In the December newsletter you will find a.o. an article about the use of vegetable and fruit waste as raw material for developing new products.

You can also read an interview with Nathalie Donkers, KAM-manager Renewi and we inform you about the name change of Van Vliet Contrans to Renewi. We also look back on a number of interesting meetings over the last few months.

12 December 2017

Van Vliet Contrans has been well-known in Westland for over 70 years. Most people will know them, with their characteristic red trucks and containers. Early 2017, the mother company Shanks merged with Van Gansewinkel. This was the start of a new waste-to-product company: Renewi. Both companies enhance each other, which means they can be even more ready for the future.

11 December 2017

‘We’ll always innovate’

Five questions for Nathalie Donkers, KAM-manager Renewi

The process still has to be optimised, but tests show promising results: adding tomato fibres to the production of cardboard, makes the cardboard stronger. BioBoost helps by establishing new contacts between entrepreneurs and science. Five questions for Nathalie Donkers, KAM-manager Renewi.

10 December 2017

Vegetable and fruit waste are raw materials for developing new products. That was the most important statement at the BioBoost seminar organised by BioBoost partner NIAB in Cambridge, on the 10^th November. The main goal of this seminar was sharing knowledge and experience in the economic utilisation of green horticultural waste flows.

30 November 2017

During these dark days of the year, it’s best to shine as much light as possible. With that idea in the back of their heads, VIVES organised the first Light-Up café of the academic year. It took place on November 17 in the VIVES Innovation Centre in Kortrijk, Belgium.

16 November 2017

Bioboost partner, Bart van Droogenbroeck (ILVO) gives a presentation on the Valorisation of chicory roots and other plant residual flows.

30 October 2017

Mid-September, 12 entrepreneurs came together to share knowledge and experiences about plant products. Peter Olsthoorn from Pothosplant updated the attendees on the crop Dioscorea. This crop develops small bulbs on its root and stem, which contain substances with an anti-obesity function. Other subjects were experiences with cultivation, the cultivation system, the harvest and the necessary trajectory to get Diascorea acknowledged as a natural medicine, in order to release it to the market.

26 September 2017

On Wednesday 6 September 2017, Willem Kemmers (BioBase Greenport Westland Oostland, Netherlands), Veronique de Mey (Inagro) and Jeroen Straver (Westland municipality) visited Vlaanderen Circulair in Brussels. The Flemish government has created Vlaanderen Circulair to push forward with the circular economy as a transition priority. Vlaanderen Circulair is a cooperation between government, knowledge institutions and businesses.

25 September 2017

Program manager Jeroen Straver about BioBoost

The Westland municipality in the province of South Holland is lead partner in BioBoost. Jeroen Straver has been appointed program manager. He is optimistic about BioBoost's progress to date and the implementation of the project activities. “The transformation within the horticulture industry is getting a real boost."

31 August 2017

10:00am - 4:00pm
Sophi Taylor Building, NIAB Park Farm, Villa Road, Histon, Cambridge, CB24

Free and open to all, access independent advice and research on reducing crop and food waste and improving resource use efficiency in the horticultural and fresh produce supply chains with a mix of seminars and exhibits at one of Cambridge’s premier event locations.

14 August 2017

During the year event 2017 of the Greenport Westland-Oostland (NL) , the booklet 'Op weg naar een biobased tuinbouw’ (Towards a biobased horticulture) was presented. Theo Duijvestijn (Alderman of the municipality of Westland and Ambassador Biobased within the Greenport) received the first copy from the project leader Biobased of the Greenport, Willem Kemmers.

1 August 2017

BioBoost and its aims were discussed by NIAB at length with farmers and industry at two events in the UK. BioBoost was showcased and introduced to farming industry and the public at the Royal Norfolk show on the 28^th -29^th June, a prestigious annual farming event with approximately 80,000 visitors. On 27^th June NIAB organised an open day where over 180 visitors were informed about the BioBoost project.