Portuguese partner step closer to realising Circular Hub

The workshop was led by Susana Garrido, Principal Investigator of the project, and had the participation of Patrícia Pereira da Silva, the University of Coimbra Pro-Rector for Planning and Sustainability, and the representative of the National Innovation Agency, Luís Ferreira. Alexandra Aragão and Margarida Quina provided valuable insights and facilitated discussions. 

Participants strongly supported developing a Circular Hub in the region, emphasizing the need for collaboration and cooperation. While enthusiasm was high, several key challenges were identified, including: the lack of a comprehensive regional diagnosis, a coherent political strategy and varying regional approaches, scaling issues  and the need for stable regulation. 

The lack of a comprehensive regional diagnosis  
It is important to map the stakeholders with different profiles and roles in the centre region of Portugal, where a circular hub is expected to start up. It is strategic to identify the main companies of the Agro-industrial sector located in this region that already implement circular practices and the public institutions at a regional and national level that could support them in improving their level of circularity. 

A coherent political strategy and varying regional approaches 
Companies may need to adapt their circular strategies to meet different regulatory requirements in the region, increasing operational complexity and costs. Stricter regulations in some areas may put companies at a competitive disadvantage compared to those operating in regions with more lenient rules. Moreover, coordinating reverse logistics and material recovery across diverse regional systems can be complex and costly. 

Scaling issues   
As circular practices scale up, they often encounter the following limitations in existing infrastructure and operational capacity: some regions may lack adequate recycling facilities or reverse logistics systems to handle increased volumes of materials; the inability to scale up processes like sorting, refurbishing, and remanufacturing can add time and costs to circular operations. 

The need for stable regulation 
Uncertainty around the categorization of waste streams and how materials that are recovered in the production of new materials can be a limitation for circular economy transitions. Companies may also hesitate to invest in circular initiatives if they are unsure about future regulatory changes or requirements. 

The next steps towards realizing the Circular Hub  
To overcome these challenges, companies implementing circular practices across varying regions must adopt flexible strategies, collaborate with local stakeholders and advocate for more harmonized policies and infrastructure development. This may involve customizing approaches for different regions while maintaining core circular principles and working closely with regional partners to build necessary capacities and systems.  

Building on the insights gained from the workshop, the project team outlined the next steps towards realizing the Circular Hub. These steps will address the identified challenges and develop a concrete roadmap for the hub's implementation.