The foundation industries, comprising glass, ceramics, cement, metal, paper and chemicals, are pivotal to a successful economy. These industries account for three-quarters of the materials we encounter daily. Across the UK, the foundation industries boast a collective turnover of £67.5 billion and support the employment of 250,000 people, many of whom work in Scotland.
Addressing supply chain efficiency and waste management in the foundation industries is essential to reducing emissions and creating economic opportunities. Scotland’s Circular Economy Route Map, published in 2022, details the benefits of implementing a circular economy, which reconsiders a material's life cycle and allows industry to reuse, repurpose or recycle resources.
An economy that eliminates waste and extends the typical life span of a material requires systematic change across supply chains. Creating closed-loops means materials that can be reused or repurposed are returned to their manufacturer at the end of their service life and regenerated into other products. This approach contrasts the traditional linear economy which relies heavily on disposable products.
The Scottish whisky industry has historically been a model of low-waste production and reuses co-products like spent grain and pot ale for animal feed. As the industry furthers its decarbonisation efforts, these materials are now used in anaerobic digestion plants to produce energy and soil conditioners. Researchers are also exploring co-product use in food, cosmetics, and biofuel.
A partnership between Falkirk Distillery and biotechnology company MiAlgae has reduced waste and water output. Recycling whisky co-products to grow microalgae, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, offers an alternative to pet food and reduces the dependency on wild-caught fish. Future innovations include co-locating distilleries and biotech facilities to create on-site water recycling solutions, enhancing the sector’s water efficiency.
Despite Scotland’s leadership in the oil and gas industry, North Sea hydrocarbons pose a decommissioning challenge for nearly 600 offshore platforms. The Ardersier Port near Inverness, once a major oil rig manufacturing yard, will be repurposed as a decommissioning facility. Plans include a £300 million "green steel" fabrication plant powered by offshore wind and an energy-from-waste (EfW) plant. This initiative will reuse steel from offshore oil drilling platforms into structures for offshore wind turbines.
As Scotland progresses towards a net zero society, rethinking industrial waste management and exploring innovative reuse methods are vital. Scotland’s commitment to a circular economy emphasises the importance of partnerships and strategic planning to improve the sustainability of materials. Collaboration with the foundation industries is necessary to unlock Scotland’s economic opportunities whilst driving a sustainable future.
These innovations require substantial support. Innovate UK, part of UK research and Innovation (UKRI) works to create a better future by investing in businesses which develop life-changing innovations. UKRI’s Transforming Foundation Industries (TFI) Challenge, delivered by Innovate UK, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), plays a pivotal role in unlocking these opportunities. The TFI Challenge is transforming the foundation industries, making them more competitive, creating well-paid jobs, particularly in Scotland, and helping the UK to decarbonise.
Click here to learn more about the TFI Challenge’s work.
Dr Christopher Pilgrim is Knowledge Transfer Manager, Materials at Innovate UK Business Connect
Agenda is a column for outside contributors. Contact: agenda@theherald.co.uk
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