Presentation of LIFE SUBSED to Coldiretti representatives – 27 May 2021

The LIFE SUBSED project has been presented to the representatives of the Coldiretti association during a visit at Flora Toscana. Flora Toscana and CREA researchers and technicians illustrated the objectives, expected results and progress of the project. Particular attention has been paid to the issues of circularity and environmental sustainability.

In the photo above (from left): Marco Innocenti (Vice President of Flora Toscana), Paolo Batoni (Vice President of Flora Toscana), Maurizio Procissi (Head of the Pescia Coldiretti Office), Gianfranco Drigo (Director of Coldiretti Pistoia), Teodoro Cardi (Director of CREA -OF), Stefania Nin (CREA-OF researcher and scientific responsible of LIFE SUBSED) and Daniele Massa (CREA-OF Head of Pescia).

LIFE SUBSED and the “FIELD – Futuro in campo” project – 28 April 2021

The Field-Futuro in Campo project (funded within the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020) aims to implement innovation transfer interventions in order to enhance the knowledge system and the transfer of innovation through dissemination actions.

The project aims to support the interventions aimed at carrying out activities for the dissemination of information relevant for the agricultural, food and forestry activities.

Dr. Cristina Macci, researcher of the research group of CNR-IRET of Pisa, was invited to present her experience with projects on sediment remediation and reuse and on the validation of circular economy models.

Therefore, on April 28th, Dr. Macci held an online lecture entitled “Sediment recycling in LIFE projects” (the presentation is downloadable at this link).

The creation of networks is one of the fundamental activities to fully exploit the synergy between different types of projects and financial support at national and European level.

Meeting with the Italian Composting Consortium – 8 March 2021

On Monday 8 March 2021 the researchers of Flora Toscana and of the CREA-OF met Massimo Centemero, of the Consorzio Italiano Compostatori (Italian Composting Consortium), and Sofia Mannelli, of the Associazione Chimica Verde (Association for Green Chemistry).

During the meeting, Maria Castellani (technical manager of the LIFE SUBSED project) illustrated the objectives and expected results. Particular attention was paid to the environmental issue and to the Italian legislation on the reuse of materials classified as waste. The latter represents today a significant regulatory barrier, which can slow down the transition towards a circular economy.

The meeting represented an opportunity for a fruitful comparison and exchange of ideas on the current regulatory framework and on possible development paths for sustainable solutions such as the one proposed by LIFE SUBSED.

The Port Authority of Alicante meets LIFE SUBSED – February 15, 2021

Researchers from Miguel Hernández University illustrated the progress of the LIFE SUBSED project to the authorities of the port of Alicante.
Doctor Pilar Legua and Doctor Pablo Melgarejo met on February 15 with the port authorities of Alicante, at the facilities of the port of Alicante. The meeting was attended by the director of the port of Alicante, Carlos Eleno Carretero, the manager of the environment of the port of Alicante, Javier Jeréz Escolano, and the president of the Official College of Agricultural and Graduate Technical Engineers of Alicante (COITAGRA), Miguel Agulló Velasco.

During the meeting the objectives and expected results of the project were illustrated, as well as the progress of the actions currently underway.
The meeting represented a valuable opportunity to discuss sustainable alternatives for the reuse of marine sediments, which represent a significant problem for the Port Authority.

The new seminars for UMH students on the LIFE SUBSED project – November and December 2020

The Miguel Hernandez University organized a series of seminars in November and December 2020, aimed at students of the Degree courses in Agri-food and Agri-environmental Engineering and students of the Master’s Degree in Advanced Techniques for Research and Production in Fruit Growing.

During the meetings the objectives and expected results of the LIFE SUBSED project were illustrated. The students were also able to investigate the more technical aspects of the trials in progress in the Italian and Spanish experimental sites, evaluating the potential of marine sediment as an ingredient for sustainable nursery substrates.

LIFE SUBSED does not stop! The experimental tests on the new sediment-based substrate continue

The activities of the LIFE SUBSED project continue at the sites of the Italian and Spanish beneficiaries! Despite the difficulties related to the management of the COVID-19 pandemic and the delays in the progress of the planned actions, cultivation trials are progressing in parallel with the collection and analysis of data.

Here are some photos relating to the cultivation trials currently underway in Italy.

Monitoring on Calla lilies

 

Monitoring on Protea

 

Analysis on leaves of Protea with colorimeter

 

Here are some photos of the cultivation tests currently underway in Spain.

Gala Garcia Imbernon, director of Symborg, at the Caliplant experimental site

 

Lecture by UMH students at the experimental site of the LIFE SUBSED project

 

Even the dissemination activity does not stop!

The beneficiaries prepared and submitted two abstracts::

  • Landfarming to valorize phytoremediated marine sediments for their reuse In nursery “LIFE Subsed LIFE17 ENV/IT/000347” – Macci, S. Doni, E. Peruzzi, F. Vannucchi, M. Castellani, G. Masciandaro. Per XI International Symposium on Environmental Engineering. Torino 29 giugno-2 luglio 2020.
  • Recovery and environmental recycling of sediments: CNR-IRET Pisa experience – Macci, S. Doni, E. Peruzzi, F. Vannucchi, S. Lucchetti, M. Castellani, G. Masciandaro. Sednet 2021, 29 giugno-3 luglio, Lille University and Scientific Centre, Villeneuve d’Ascq, France.

A promotional video of the Life Subsed project was produced as part of #CREABREAK for # Innovazione2020, published on the CREA Youtube channel.

More info on the events and dissemination activities of the LIFE SUBSED project are available on the News and Events page!

Follow our social profiles and stay up to date on the LIFE SUBSED project!

LIFE SUBSED at the seminar “Riuso di sedimenti marini come substrato di crescita per l’orticoltura e il florovivaismo: i progetti Life Hortised e Subsed” – 3 December 2020

Dr. Francesca Tozzi of Pescia’s CREA-OF conducted the online seminar “Riuso di sedimenti marini come substrato di crescita per l’orticoltura e il florovivaismo: i progetti Life Hortised e Subsed” (Reuse of marine sediments as a growth substrate for horticulture and horticulture: the Life Hortized and Subsed projects).

During the seminar the objectives and results obtained and expected from the two LIFE projects were presented. Both the project are committed to the reuse of marine sediments as a basis for the creation of sustainable substrates for horticulture and horticulture.

The seminar represented an opportunity for comparison and discussion on the issue of the circular economy in the agricultural and nursery sector and on future prospects in terms of environmental sustainability in these sectors.

Below are the slides presented by Dr. Tozzi.

Miguel Agulló Velasco, President of COITAGRA, visiting the LIFE SUBSED demonstration site – 18 December 2020

On Friday 18 December 2020 Miguel Agulló Velasco, President of COITAGRA (Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros Técnicos Agrícolas y Graduados de Alicante) visited the demonstration site of the LIFE SUBSED project at the Miguel Hernandez University.

The UMH team illustrated the objectives and expected results of the project and accompanied the President on a visit to the experimental site of the SUBSED project. During the visit, the qualities of the plants in cultivation and the potential of the substrate based on marine sediment were assessed.

During the visit, the opportunities of the LIFE program for the development of new eco-sustainable technologies were also discussed, solutions that represent an incentive to the transition of companies towards more conscious circular economy models.

LIFE SUBSED at the “III incontro annuale del Centro di Ricerca Orticoltura e Florovivaismo” – 17 December 2020

During the “III incontro annuale del Centro di Ricerca Orticoltura e Florovivaismo” (III annual meeting of the Horticulture and Nursery Research Center), which was held online on 17 December 2020, Dr. Stefania Nin of CREA-OF presented the LIFE SUBSED project to fellow researchers (the slides presented are available here).

About 50 researchers from CREA participated in the event.

During the meeting the objectives and expected results of the SUBSED project were presented, together with the actions currently underway and the next steps towards the validation of the proposed technological solutions.

Spanish Minister Antonio Luengo visits the Caliplant trial site – 16 December 2020

On Wednesday 16 December 2020 Caliplant welcomed the Minister of Water, Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and the Environment of the Region of Murcia, Antonio Luengo, the mayor of San Javier, José Miguel Luengo, the Councilor for Agriculture Sergio Martinez and the General Director of Waters Sebastian Delgado.

The technician Juan Luis Jimenez Martinez presented the objectives and the expected results of the LIFE SUBSED project to the politicians, underlining the importance that these initiatives have for the development of a more sustainable future in the agricultural sector.

During the visit, various political and legislative aspects were discussed, aspects which sometimes constitute real barriers to the development of a real and effective circular economy.