Sustainable Business Hub

Verapark – a Lab for Innovative Ideas to Close the Circular Loop

By unlocking traditional business models within waste management, Verapark is an innovation platform in which the business sector, the public sector and universities collaborate to develop new ideas for recycling and upcycling waste.

With a vision to become the leading European centre for the circular economy, Verapark is changing the way we think about waste. Verapark is an incubator organisation for environment-related development and innovation, aiming to develop new products from waste and residual material. Companies operating in this field receive help with marketing, contacts, collaboration and establishing links with universities.

Recycling centre-based test bed

The concept is much like a test bed or ‘natural lab’, with ideas, research and physical waste recovery taking place at NSR’s recycling centre. NSR AB is a waste management company owned by six municipalities in the Skåne region of southern Sweden. The business aims to do a lot more than its core task of handling waste and recycled material. Underpinned by the research taking place at Verapark, NSR wants to lead the way to a sustainable society by finding ways to close the circular loop.

Creative ideas for commercial circularity

Verapark makes the most out of the resources already extracted by creating circular flows. One way is to find business models that focus on reuse by innovating new areas of use for waste, and/or developing brand new products. Verapark’s work within upcycling includes:
• chipboard comprising alternative fossil-free binders instead of formaldehyde;
• household plastic converted into railway ties; and
• food waste converted into biogas and the extraction of sustainable fertiliser.

Sharing know-how and expertise

Its many projects have made Verapark a virtual lab for establishing and demonstrating effective waste recycling/upcycling processes. The contact and collaboration between business, universities and public sector are an important success factor, leading to the sharing and spread of expertise and experience. Verapark is a showcase for new ideas and solutions for turning waste into new products and for a circular society.


Similar Best Practices

Manufacture in Wood – Sustainable Wooden Design

Manufacture in Wood – Sustainable Wooden Design

‘Manufacture in wood’ is a gathering of forces from the wood construction industry and the wood-based interior design industry. The project will take advantage of the expertise available in production, automation and digital systems so that companies that work with wooden house construction, interior design and design can develop, with new solutions and smarter processes.

Kristineberg Center – Accelerating Sustainable Blue Growth

Kristineberg Center – Accelerating Sustainable Blue Growth

Kristineberg Center is an open partnership founded to accelerate the transition to a sustainable blue economy. The mission is to advance the implementation of research and knowledge.

Near Infrared Sorting of Plastics from Household Waste Reduces Emissions by 75 %

Near Infrared Sorting of Plastics from Household Waste Reduces Emissions by 75 %

This plant outside of Stockholm is the first of its kind in Sweden, using the Near-Infrared Technology to automatically sort out plastics from household waste. A total of 11,000 tonnes of plastic and 2,500 tonnes of metal are sorted out each year.

Waste to Energy Facility in Högbytorp

Waste to Energy Facility in Högbytorp

In a circular economy, waste is a resource that can be recycled into materials and energy. And that is exactly what is happening in the recycling facility in Högbytorp!

Energy Evolution Center

Energy Evolution Center

The Energy Evolution Center will be an arena for innovative solutions that lead to real energy conversion, increased competitiveness in companies and ensure long-term supply of skills.

Last-Mile Delivery – Inner-City Distribution

Last-Mile Delivery – Inner-City Distribution

Last-mile delivery is the final stage of an item’s journey, where it reaches the end customer. It’s also the most carbon-intensive stage. Growth in e-commerce is increasing both traffic congestion and CO2 emissions from delivery vehicles. Intensive work is underway in Gothenburg to test carbon-neutral concepts for last-mile deliveries.

Tvärpilen – a Small Residential Area, Big on Sustainability

Tvärpilen – a Small Residential Area, Big on Sustainability

The village of Kivik in south-east Sweden is where you’ll find the new residential area Tvärpilen, which combines beauty, sustainability and responsibility in perfect harmony.

Fossil-free steel demonstration plant in Vitåfors – direct reduction of iron ore pellets with hydrogen

Fossil-free steel demonstration plant in Vitåfors – direct reduction of iron ore pellets with hydrogen

HYBRIT’s demonstration plant in Vitåfors, northern Sweden, will demonstrate the value chain for fossil-free steel on an industrial scale. It includes production of hydrogen in order to manufacture sponge iron by direct reduction. The plant is due to open in 2026.

Fossil-free steel pilot plant reduces iron ore pellets use with hydrogen

Fossil-free steel pilot plant reduces iron ore pellets use with hydrogen

HYBRIT is conducting trials on direct reduction of iron ore pellets, using hydrogen produced by fossil-free electricity. Currently, a pilot hydrogen storage is being built to test the best way to store hydrogen underground.

Site East –  a Climate-Neutral Construction Site

Site East – a Climate-Neutral Construction Site

At Skellefteå Site East, close to Northvolt’s factory, one of the world’s most sustainable development projects has been conducted. Maximising the cutting-edge know-how of both Skellefteå Municipality and external partners, Site East is a source of inspiration for the industry. It has the boldness to adopt new approaches to sustainability and work with contractors towards a common vision.

Skellefteå Airport – the First Fossil-Free Airport

Skellefteå Airport – the First Fossil-Free Airport

As the global aviation sector faces increasing demands to get on a sustainable flightpath, one airport in northern Sweden has gained a head start. It aims to become Europe’s, and probably the world’s, first fossil-free airport. It is also preparing to become a test centre for electrically powered and vertical take-off aircraft.

Blue Green City Lab Evaluates Sustainable Solutions

Blue Green City Lab Evaluates Sustainable Solutions

At times of more extreme weather caused by climate change, the downside of dense cities with few green spaces and more paved surfaces is evident; extreme heat, flooding and reduced biodiversity. Blue Green City Lab is a test bed that evaluates new and proven ‘blue-green’ solutions to mitigate these effects.

My Visit Plan Favorite star