Latvian Researchers Look to Turn Food, Wood and Construction Waste into Raw Materials
Latvian researchers from the food, wood processing and construction sectors say industrial by-products and waste are increasingly studied as raw materials for other products. The work is driven by EU climate goals and national programmes, while obstacles include missing technology, costs and public attitudes.
Scientists in Latvia are studying how by-products and waste from industrial production can be turned into raw materials for making other products. Researchers from the Latvian University of Life Sciences and Technologies, the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry and Riga Technical University (RTU) described the work to the business daily Dienas Bizness. They say the approach lets industry use fewer primary resources and make the most of what production already generates.
Food: fermentation and added value
Sandra Muižniece-Brasava, professor at the university's Institute of Food, says the research runs through projects, national programmes, international initiatives and doctoral theses. Fermentation is a key direction. Peels and other residues once went into animal feed, but are now being sent for further processing. Whey, a by-product of cheese making, and coffee grounds can also be fermented, and the resulting substances can be used in cosmetics, for example. She cites a new pea protein plant in Jelgava, where researchers are examining how to use starch and husks left over from production.
Wood: bark and needles
Māris Lauberts, a leading researcher at the wood chemistry institute, stresses that wood processing produces by-products rather than waste. Bark can account for at least 15%. Sawdust and wood chips are already used for pellets and briquettes. Bark can yield biologically active substances, bioethanol and biobutanol. Conifer needles remain an unused opportunity because equipment to collect them is lacking, and separating them from branches is still manual work.
Construction: reuse of materials
Diāna Bajāre, a professor at RTU, points to industrial symbiosis: by-products of other sectors, such as phosphogypsum or gypsum compounds from acidic wastewater treatment, can serve as inputs for building materials. Ash, hemp shives, straw and oil shale ash are also being considered. Obstacles include public prejudice and extra costs, as recycled materials are less uniform and demand stricter quality control.
Drivers and cooperation
The research is encouraged by European Union CO2 reduction targets, the Green Deal and structural fund programmes. Lauberts says business funding makes up only about 20% of the total. His institute also takes part in a Horizon Europe project, the EU's research and innovation programme, on using grape residues after winemaking, involving nine countries and 16 partners.
