In a groundbreaking development for aquaculture sustainability, Circularise and ScaleAQ have unveiled the results of their pilot project, SirkAQ, which introduces the first-ever Digital Product Passport (DPP) for the aquaculture supply chain. This achievement showcases a major leap toward circular practices in an industry generating vast amounts of plastic waste.
Revolutionising Aquaculture with Circular Practices
Aquaculture, a vital food production sector, struggles with the environmental impact of its plastic-heavy practices. Europe’s 36,239 fish farms alone contribute an estimated 360,000 tonnes of plastic to the environment, while Norway generates 25,000 tonnes of waste annually. The SirkAQ project directly addresses this issue, offering a model for circular plastic reuse.
The pilot centred around ScaleAQ’s Vortex® model pen, with its DPP enabling unprecedented traceability for 20 components and detailed mass balance accounting for plastics. This innovative system ensured that plastic material flows could be tracked across the supply chain, aligning with sustainability goals and addressing regulatory challenges.
Proving Circularity in Action
The project demonstrated how plastics from fish farming pens could be reused for the same application rather than being downcycled. Despite regulatory restrictions that currently prevent recycled plastics from being used in load-bearing structures, the pilot simulated a closed-loop system, laying a foundation for future policy changes.
Ståle Sæther, COO of ScaleAQ, highlighted the importance of these findings: “With the evidence gathered from this project, we are in a strong position to push for legislative changes. Our goal is to demonstrate that reusing plastics from the same structures is not only feasible but essential for the sustainability of the aquaculture industry.”
Advancing Sustainable Innovation
Circularise’s advanced traceability tools enabled comprehensive data sharing without compromising sensitive business information. Mesbah Sabur, Founder of Circularise, remarked: “By leveraging our platform’s ability to trace materials in a circular supply chain, we have demonstrated a feasible solution for reusing plastics in aquaculture equipment. This pilot project is a crucial step towards more sustainable practices in the industry.”
Beyond recycling, the project aligns with the EU’s push for Digital Product Passports to ensure transparency in material flows and compliance with circular economy principles. The potential impact of these technologies extends beyond aquaculture, influencing the broader plastics and manufacturing sectors.
Collaborating for a Circular Future
The SirkAQ project united a powerful consortium of partners, including ScaleAQ, Circularise, and Hallingplast, alongside research institutions like Sintef Ocean and OsloMet. Together, they created a replicable model for circular plastic reuse, pushing the aquaculture industry closer to achieving its goal of zero plastic waste by 2030.
Laying the Foundation for Policy Reform
The project’s success not only showcases the potential for sustainability but also initiates vital conversations with policymakers. By demonstrating the feasibility of reusing plastics in aquaculture, SirkAQ aims to inspire regulatory changes that embrace circularity, setting a precedent for other industries to follow.To learn more about Circularise and its pioneering work in digital traceability, visit Circularise.
