SYMBIOS Project Partners Meet in Valencia to Advance Industrial Symbiosis for Leather and Agrifood
Valencia, 6-7 May 2026: Partners of the SYMBIOS EU project gathered in Valencia, Spain, for a two-day working meeting to review the first phase of research into industrial symbiosis opportunities for the leather and agrifood industries.
The meeting marked a significant milestone in the project's research phase. Two pan-European Focus Groups bringing together up to 20 leather industry experts, 31 surveys and 9 in-depth interviews were collected across the European leather industry, involving tanneries, scientific experts and academics, providing the most comprehensive picture to date of the sector's readiness for industrial symbiosis.
What the research found
The findings present both a strong foundation and clear challenges. The leather industry demonstrates a high level of internal monitoring of waste flows, which is a solid starting point for developing symbiotic practices. Stakeholder engagement and collaboration also scored high, driven in large part by the strength of Europe's leather clusters.
However, barriers remain. Administrative burden, including permits, authorisations and legal uncertainty, emerged as the primary obstacle to waste and by-product management. Skills gaps in technical, regulatory and compliance knowledge were also identified, alongside low adoption of key tools: Life Cycle Assessment competence was rated low by 39% of respondents, EPD and environmental labelling by 50%, and digital monitoring tools by a similar share.
What comes next
As of September 2026, the SYMBIOS project will develop a Model for Symbiotic Practice, combining identified best practices, existing gaps, and training needs, alongside a digital platform and a MOOC open to the wider industry.
Leather is a by-product of the food chain. Placing it at the forefront of industrial symbiosis is not just an environmental opportunity, but a strategic one. The SYMBIOS project is building the evidence, the tools and the skills to make that case and to act on it.
About SYMBIOS
The SYMBIOS project brings together partners from across Europe to explore and develop industrial symbiosis solutions for the leather and agrifood sectors, supporting the transition toward a more circular and resource-efficient European industry.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the Granting authority can be held responsible for them.