Core of this project is the understanding that the valorization of what is currently considered as a “waste” by farmers and relevant stakeholders, may contribute to a significant improvement of both the economic revenues of agricultural entrepreneurs and the environmental sustainability of their productions. Indeed, if adequately managed and entrained in a proper value chain, the agricultural waste – both organic, coming from mowing/pruning, animal manure, agro-industrial co-products/by-products, etc., and non-organic, like plastics employed for crop protection (mulching, tunnel, greenhouse, etc.), irrigation pipes/tubes, silage film, crates, ropes, containers of chemicals for plant protection, etc. – may reveal a new resource, to be valorized in the framework of a circular economy approach.

Without proper solutions for the end-of-life management, the impact on the environment of these materials, that cannot be managed as a household waste, is negative and the footprint is deteriorated. Although the farmer is responsible for the end-of-life management, he is not able to do it alone. The farmer plays an important role in the recyclability, depending on the waste preparation at farm and his participation in the collection scheme. Farmers, as well as other stakeholders involved in the relevant value chain, deserve solutions from good practices, technical references, and collection schemes for a sustainable end-of-life management and a foot-print reduction. This requires a specific training for these categories of workers, that is currently not existing all over Europe.