Regional Implications of the Circular Economy and Food Greentech Companies

authored by
Federica Scaffidi
Abstract

Important advances have been made in food waste recycling and the circular economy. Many organizations are developing new technologies and innovative products that use food waste and food byproducts. This paper explores some of these greentech companies and social enterprises in Europe and discusses the regional implications of greentech with a specific focus on Southern Europe. Two examples from the region of Sicily (Italy) were studied. This research involved comparative and qualitative research methods, with semi-structured interviews. It includes an analysis of the regional implications for Sicily and a community impact analysis (CIA). The results show the current and potential regional implications, specifically focusing on the social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts that they have. Furthermore, the results show the pecuniary and non-pecuniary impacts on the local community for the short, medium and long term. This research represents a starting point for future research and highlights the value of investment in greentech.

Organisation(s)
Institute of Urban Design and Planning
Type
Article
Journal
Sustainability
Volume
14
No. of pages
19
ISSN
2071-1050
Publication date
08.2022
Publication status
Published
Peer reviewed
Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Computer Science (miscellaneous), Geography, Planning and Development, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Building and Construction, Environmental Science (miscellaneous), Energy Engineering and Power Technology, Hardware and Architecture, Computer Networks and Communications, Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
Electronic version(s)
https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159004 (Access: Open)