Page 21 - Environmental_Circular Economy

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3.3 Cascading guiding principles

EC guidance publication on the cascading use of biomass presents 6 guiding principles for cascading:

- Sustainability

The European Commission stresses that if cascading is an economic measure, focused on production chain,
it shouldn’t forget about the two other pillars of sustainability which are the environmental and social
consideration, from a long-term perspective. In particular, it is important to calculare the impact of
cascading in terms of emissions, eventual environmental damage or loss of biodiversity.

- Ressource efficiency

It has been seen before that cascading shouldn’t be confused with ressource efficiency. However, it is very
important that cascading intend to maximise the use of biomass materials in use for as long as it is
technically and economically possible.

- Circularity

Cascading is part of the circular economy process, and as such, circularity principle should be applied in
every stream and at every step, aiming at keeping in the loop all flows of biomass put to different
ressource efficient use. New technologies, innovation and investment should support this principle.

- New products and new markets

The development of new products by innovative companies for multiple uses and purpose should lead to
evolutions in the markets, opening new market opportunities, the development of new technologies and
advanced high quality products.

- Subsidiarity

Subsidiarity means that a centralised function should take place only if it can not be performed at a more
local level. Also, cascading should respect the local and regional level beside the national context, and
assess the most economically viable use of biomass.

3.4 Cascading and sustainable development goals

In its first section regarding the sustainability principle, the EC guidance publication on the cascading use of
biomass also refer directly to the Sustainable Development Goals, by refering the influence that cascading
use of biomass can potentially have on several of the SDG.