Upgrading wineries to biorefineries within a Circular Economy perspective: An Italian case study

In the challenge of transforming waste into useful products that can be re-used in a circular perspective, Italian wine industry represent suitable model for application bioeconomy principles, including valorisation agricultural and food waste. present study, comprehensive environmental assessment traditional production was performed potentiality biorefinery system, based on winery aimed at recovering bio-based products, such as grapeseed oil calcium tartrate, examined through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The company “I Borboni”, producing Asprinio Campania Region (Italy), proposed case study. hotspots linear system were identified bottling phase, particular packaging glass, resulted to contribute generation impacts 63%, average, versus 14.3% phase 22.7% vinification phase. LCA results indicated human carcinogenic toxicity, freshwater eutrophication fossil resource scarcity impact categories most affected ones, with normalized amounting 9.22E−03, 3.89E−04 2.64E−04, respectively. Two side chains (grapeseed tartrate production) included patterns designed introduced chain aim valorising residues improving overall performance. By implementing approach, global warming, mineral categories, particular, three times lower than system. achieved demonstrated closing loops industry, reuse alternatively fossil-based inputs within process, integrating new led an upgrade wineries biorefineries, towards more sustainable patterns.