Forvandle akvakultur til en sirkulær økonomi innen 2030

Transforming aquaculture into a circular economy by 2030

By Jorunn Nilsen, Norner

In December 2022, the Circular Solutions for the Aquaculture Industry project (SirkAQ) was awarded a grant of almost NOK 70 million from the government’s Green Platform support scheme. The Green Platform is a national initiative to support research- and innovation-driven green restructuring in trade and industry.

Project ambition

The goal of the SirkAQ project is to promote the transition from a linear to a circular economy in aquaculture. The project will establish and implement sustainable circular value chains for plastics from discarded equipment from the aquaculture industry through reuse, repair, lifetime extension, and the use of recycled materials in new products.

In addition to focus on eco- design, environmental documentation, and traceability systems throughout the value chain. The purpose is resource optimization as well as to reduce the environmental and climate footprint of aquaculture. The vision is “zero plastic waste by 2030.”

The project has a strong consortium of partners throughout the value chain from producer, supplier, farmer to re- cycler. In addition, SirkAQ has strong R&D partners in relevant disciplines. Scale Aquaculture AS is the responsi- ble company and heads the project.

Norner's role in SirkAQ

Norner Research is one of the R&D partners, and is responsible for a work package named “Technology for the increased use of recycled plastic from fish farming facilities”. The purpose of this research work is to ensure materi- al recycling of plastic equipment from the aquaculture industry. The work will develop, test, and establish suitable processes for high-quality mechanical recycling, lifetime extension, and upgrading of the technical material properties of discarded equipment.

This will be a positive boost for the required green transition in aquaculture, it will give us new knowledge and expertise. A more sustainable aquaculture ecosystem is also a precondition to creating even more jobs in this industry. - Hanne Digre, project manager for SirkAQ

Norner and Future Materials Catapult Center

Through several work packages, Norner AS is actively contributing through Future Materials, aiming to play an essential role in the success of SirkAQ using its extended know-how:

• Advanced microscopy analysis to enable in-depth materials, contaminants, and structural analysis
• Fatigue and aging testing to ensure component durability

• Additives and polymer expertise
• Recycling know-how and pilot lines for compounds with optimal material performances

Norner’s multifaceted knowledge and skills are crucial in achieving SirkAQ’s sustainability goals efficiently.

Participants

• ScaleAQ, system supplier, and project owner
• Hallingplast, pipe, and profile extrusion
• Sinkaberg-Hansen, aquafarming
• Oceanize, recycler
• Norner Research, material research
• OsloMet, systems, and design
• Sintef Ocean, technology research
• Future Materials Catapult, processing pilot