As the INNOAQUA project drives forward the development of innovative algae-based solutions for sustainable aquaculture, Sustainn plays a central role by leading Work Package 5 (WP5): Sustainability, Safety, and Regulation. This work package is essential to ensuring that the project’s technologies are not only innovative but also environmentally sustainable, socio-economically beneficial, and aligned with regulatory standards.
1. Integrating Sustainability and Circularity from Early Technology Development
Sustainn’s key responsibility in WP5 is to assess the sustainability, circularity, socio-economic impact, and safety of the technologies and products developed within the project. These evaluations are applied across the demonstration cases to ensure a comprehensive view of their long-term viability.
Two key aspects are central to this process::
- Identification of Critical Parameters: From the earliest stages of technology development, Sustainn works to pinpoint the critical parameters that influence sustainability and circularity. Recognizing these factors early on helps guide innovation toward solutions that are both feasible and beneficial for the environment and society
- Impact on Industrialization and Scalability: Sustainn also evaluates how these parameters might affect the industrialization and mass production of new products. This assessment allows the INNOAQUA project to anticipate potential challenges and develop strategies to mitigate negative impacts, ensuring that final products are as sustainable and circular as possible from the start.
Together, these assessments provide valuable insights for optimizing innovation pathways and ensuring that final products can be developed at scale without compromising sustainability goals.
2. Collaborative Efforts: 3BIO’s Role in Regulatory and Safety Assessments
WP5 is structured around four interconnected tasks, with each partner contributing specialized expertise. One of these tasks is led by 3BIO (formerly PERSEUS), which focuses on regulatory, health, and safety assessments.
3BIO identifies the applicable legislative frameworks and potential regulatory hurdles for the technologies and products developed by other INNOAQUA partners. Their role includes:
- Assessing safety issues related to the organisms and production infrastructure used in the project.
- Ensuring that all outputs comply with current regulations for food, feed, and environmental safety.
- Providing guidance on regulatory risks that may impact the marketability of the products.
By addressing these issues early, 3BIO helps ensure smoother market entry for INNOAQUA’s innovations and contributes to the development of strong, risk-aware business cases.
3. Contributing to Dissemination and Communication Efforts
Beyond technical assessments, Sustainn also supports dissemination and communication activities, particularly around the project’s sustainability and circular economy contributions. By translating complex findings into accessible knowledge, Sustainn helps promote best practices and encourages broader adoption of sustainable aquaculture approaches.
Through its leadership in WP5, Sustainn ensures that sustainability, safety, and regulatory considerations are integral to INNOAQUA’s innovations, paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient aquaculture industry.
