POST-PURPLE, a new Horizon Europe research and innovation project, officially launched with its kick-off meeting held on 21–22 January 2026 at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC) campus in Móstoles, Madrid. The two-day meeting brought together project partners from across Europe to align on objectives, technical work plans, and collaboration strategies to accelerate sustainable urban waste management.
POST-PURPLE aims to transform urban wastewater and organic waste into valuable resources by developing innovative bio-based technologies that produce nutrients, proteins, and natural compounds. By reducing emissions and enhancing the value of wastewater and organic municipal waste, the project supports zero-waste and zero-pollution goals while improving the sustainability of urban waste treatment systems.
Urban wastewater treatment plants and organic waste facilities are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption across Europe. Large volumes of valuable organic material also remain underutilised. POST-PURPLE addresses this challenge by introducing advanced circular solutions that convert waste streams into resources, helping cities reduce pollution while creating new value chains.
During the kick-off meeting, partners presented their technical approaches, discussed pilot activities and upscaling, and defined the next steps for implementation across the project’s demonstration sites.
“We are not just solving environmental problems - we are turning emissions and waste streams into valuable resources. Instead of destroying these gases, we want to use them to create high-value products,” said Daniel Puyol Santos, the project coordinator of POST-PURPLE based in University Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid.
“For the first time, we are tackling solid waste, wastewater and gas emissions together, rather than as separate problems. This integrated approach is where the real innovation lies.”
“Technology alone is not enough. If we do not explain clearly what we are doing and why, even good ideas can fail. Our goal is to solve real problems for society and to bring people along from the very beginning,” he said.
Over the coming months, POST-PURPLE will begin developing and validating its integrated technology portfolio, aiming to demonstrate practical pathways toward cleaner, more circular urban biorefineries and a measurable reduction of diffuse emissions to air and water.