At the Nordic-Baltic Scientific Conference hosted by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), our coordinator Alessio Adamiano (CNR) brought BIO²’s vision for sustainable, bio-based innovation to an international stage. With our project poster, he sparked lively exchanges with researchers and stakeholders across the region—proof that circular, practical solutions are hitting a nerve.
And the momentum didn’t stop at the conference halls.
Together with project partner Anne-Kristin Løes (NORSØK), Alessio visited fellow BIO² partner Prithvi Simha at SLU and its spin-off Sanitation360 AB—turning conversations into on-the-ground exploration.
On campus, they stepped into a living lab for circular sanitation (see pictures below). Here, waste is rethought as resource: human urine is collected, stabilised using organic acids to prevent ammonia loss and pathogens, and processed into a dry fertiliser product. The result? Granurin—a nutrient-rich, circular alternative with real potential.
While not yet approved for organic farming under EU rules, Granurin is already being tested in Sweden’s conventional agriculture. Early field trials on Gotland are promising, showing strong barley yields. Even more striking: the system has scaled all the way up to a football stadium in Uppsala, now equipped to collect and recycle urine from up to 10,000 spectators.
This is exactly where BIO² comes to life—not in theory, but in systems that work under real conditions.
A big thank you to SLU for creating such a dynamic platform, and to our partners for pushing the boundaries of what circular bioeconomy can look like in practice.
Pictures: Farmers from the Farmer’s BIO² Network, BIO²