The Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU) – Department of Agriculture – Laboratory of Natural Resources Management and Agricultural Engineering, led by Professor Thrassyvoulos Manios, actively participated in the RETASTE 2026 – 6th International Conference on Rethinking Food Resources, Losses, and Waste, held in Rethymno, Crete, Greece, on 16–19 September 2026.
The HMU research team contributed to the conference with scientific presentations highlighting the activities and progress of two major European projects:
🌱 Sludge2Energy – Interreg NEXT MED, focusing on sustainable sewage sludge management, pyrolysis, biochar production and valorisation, environmental monitoring, and circular economy solutions.
♻️ LIFE-W2B, focusing on the sustainable transformation of organic waste into biomethane through the integration of innovative anaerobic digestion, gasification and biological upgrading technologies.
Participation in RETASTE 2026 provided an excellent opportunity to present our ongoing research, share project results and experiences, exchange knowledge with the international scientific community, and strengthen collaborations in the fields of waste valorisation, bioenergy, resource recovery and circular economy.
A great opportunity to bring European research projects, innovative technologies and scientific knowledge together towards a more sustainable future!
☀️ NUTRIFEEDS (Project No. 101179992 — HORIZON-CL6-2024-FARM2FORK-02), presenting experimental results on solar-assisted drying and ensiling of rye as alternative feed ingredients, from field-scale trials to feed formulation strategies.
🏥 LIFE-HIPPOCRATES (Project No. 101113941 — LIFE22-ENV-EL), sharing real operational data and optimisation proposals from the pilot wastewater treatment unit at Heraklion University Hospital, demonstrating innovative solutions for hospital wastewater management.
🌾 LIFE-INOFEED (Project No. 101215561 — LIFE24-ENV-EL-LIFE-INOFEED), led by Associate Professor Ioannis Daliakopoulos on behalf of HMU, was presented at the conference in its entirety by all five consortium partners. The HMU team contributed the scientific presentation “Solar-Dried Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Wastes as Alternative Feed Ingredients: A Quality Assessment within the LIFE-INOFEED Project”, showcasing the first physicochemical characterisation results from four representative bio-waste streams dried under real-life conditions in the AOSDU prototype unit, confirming their potential as safe and sustainable alternative feed ingredients in full compliance with EU feed legislation.