Instant Insights

Chapter 1 - Circular, closed-loop agricultural systems: key principles and challenges: Rolf Meyer, Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany;

1 Introduction

2 Circular agriculture: principles and practice

3 Circular biomass use

4 Circular nutrition provision

5 Circular energy provision

6 Cascade use as a special form of circularity

7 Conclusion and future trends

8 Where to look for further information

9 References

Chapter 2 - Redirecting nutrients in urban waste to urban agriculture: Rosanne Wielemaker and Jan Weijma, Wageningen University, The Netherlands;

1 Introduction

2 Urban agriculture and new sanitation

3 Background information

4 Case studies

5 Challenges for integration: areas for future research

6 Conclusion and future trends

7 Where to look for further information

8 References

Chapter 3 - Developing bioplastics from agro-industrial wastes for applications in food packaging: Angela Marchetti, Gaia Salvatori and Lionel Tayou Nguemna, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Mattia Grumi, Ahmet Ozan Basar, Mar­a Pardo-Figuerez, Jose Maria Lagaron and Cristina Prieto, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA), Spain; Chiara Marcoaldi, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy and Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA), Spain; Marianna Villano and Mauro Majone, Research Center for Applied Sciences to the Safeguard of Environment and Cultural Heritage (CIABC) and Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; and David Bolzonella, University of Verona, Italy;

1 Introduction: the problem of plastic waste

2 Bioplastics as a promising alternative

3 Types of bio-based polymers

4 Bioplastics from renewable feedstocks: the example of polyhydroxyalkanoates from agricultural waste

5 Cost evaluation of biopolymers

6 Applications of bioplastics in food packaging

7 Innovative food packaging

8 Packaging production techniques

9 Case study: the Horizon 2020 Usable Packaging project

10 Conclusion and future research needs

11 References

Chapter 4 - Closed plant production systems in vertical farms for a circular economy: Yoshiaki Kitaya, Osaka Metropolitan University, Japan;

1 Introduction

2 Environmental control in facility-based plant production systems as semi-closed systems

3 Facility-based plant production systems with efficient circulation of materials

4 Sustainable balance of human activities and environmental conservation in urban ecosystems

5 Conclusion

6 References

Chapter 5 - Building natural resource networks: urban agriculture and the circular economy: Stefano Pascucci, Exeter University, UK;

1 Introduction

2 Rethinking urban agriculture and food provisioning beyond a linear economy

3 Designing regenerative urban agri-food systems through a circular economy approach

4 Strategies for building natural resource networks in circular urban agriculture

5 Key bottlenecks to transition into circular urban agriculture and food provisioning

6 Conclusions

7 References