Circular solutions in horticulture - How sustainable production and efficient operations work hand in hand

Circularity in horticulture

This is the right moment to propel the European horticulture sector towards a truly circular economy, leveraging its demonstrated capacity for innovation and the proven success of existing interventions. This strategic shift is vital to efficiently manage crucial resources including biomass, nutrients, water, and energy, which in turn addresses critical challenges such as environmental pollution and ensuring global food security. With the industry ready and eager to adopt these practices, the key now lies in overcoming policy and regulatory gaps, fostering greater collaboration across the value chain, and securing consistent political attention and support at the European level. 

Event highlights

The workshop kicked off with opening remarks by Bianca Oosterlaar, Public Affairs Manager at Grodan, setting the stage for an afternoon of dynamic exchange on circular solutions in horticulture. This was followed by a keynote address from Bart Vandecasteele, Senior Researcher at ILVO, who provided valuable context on ongoing innovations in controlled environment agriculture.

Participants also heard from Jessika van Leeuwen, Member of the European Parliament from the European People’s Party (EPP), who shared her thoughts in a recorded video message. She highlighted the vital role played by the Netherlands in global food security and recognized CEA as an innovation leading the way and offering “remarkable sustainability through high efficiency, requiring minimal inputs while producing substantial outputs” despite the fact that it has not yet received sufficient attention by the EU.

A panel discussion brought together a diverse group of experts to exchange experiences and best practices from across Europe. The discussion touched on challenges and opportunities for circular practices in horticulture, as well as practical examples from the field.

The panel featured:

• Bart Vandecasteele, Senior Researcher, ILVO
• Cecilia Luetgebrune, Secretary General, Growing Media Europe
• Luc Haverkamp, EU Representative, Province of Noord-Holland
• Giovanni Missanelli, Director, Assomela

Engaging discussions

The roundtable discussion brought forward a wide range of insights, addressing the challenges and opportunities for circular economies and practices in horticulture and controlled environment agriculture. Panellists shared real-life examples from the greenhouse showcasing best practices and the results of existing circular systems. They also provided concrete policy recommendations, underlining a shared conclusion: stronger policy support is essential to advance circularity in the sector.

While technological solutions and knowledge are not the primary barriers to achieving a truly circular horticulture sector, scaling these innovative practices faces several significant hurdles. A major challenge lies in the absence of a coherent and comprehensive European policy framework. Current European legislation often fails to reflect existing, successful practices already implemented in various Member States, leading to fragmentation and regulatory inconsistencies. As a result, there is little incentive for growers to adopt circular materials and solutions at scale.

Furthermore, administrative burdens and lengthy permit processes actively stifle innovation and deter investment. Policies are also frequently too sectoral, making it challenging to implement intersectoral solutions that could unlock significant circular potential, such as using tomato stems for airplane insulation.

Compounding these issues is a profound lack of public and political awareness regarding the critical role of the horticulture sector and its vital contributions. This lack of awareness hampers the momentum needed for systemic change.

There is therefore a strong call for the European Commission to present a comprehensive plan, simplifies regulation, reduces administrative burden, and makes existing support tools more accessible and visible. Most importantly, such a plan should consistently integrate horticulture into national strategic agendas and elevate its role within broader sustainability goals.

Despite these challenges, a strong sense of optimism emerged from the discussion. The horticulture sector and its growers demonstrate a remarkable capacity for innovation, paired with a clear willingness to invest in and adopt circular practices. Inspiring examples from Flanders, Noord-Holland, and Italy illustrate this momentum. With the right policy framework and consistent support, a transition towards circular horticulture on a wider scale is not only possible but well within reach. Crucially, enhanced collaboration across the value chain, from growers and industry to researchers and policymakers, will be essential to scale successful solutions from local pilots to widespread adoption across Europe.

EU Green Week 2025 

This workshop was part of EU Green Week 2025, a key initiative by the European Commission designed to raise environmental awareness and drive action. This year’s Green Week unpacked the “three Cs” – Clean, Competitive & Circular – exploring how to place circularity at the centre of Europe’s economic transition. With its potential to drive sustainable competitiveness, reduce waste, increase strategic autonomy, and promote innovation, the circular economy was presented as a key solution to some of Europe’s most pressing challenges.

As one of the partner events, Grodan’s workshop aligned with a wide range of activities which are taking the conversation on circularity to local and regional levels, engaging businesses, individuals, and communities across Europe and beyond.