Circular Economy and Quality of Life

This sub-programme covers the part of EU environmental policy that touches people and the economy: waste, resources, water, air, noise, chemicals.

By the profile of its applicants it is the closest to municipalities and utilities. The typical funded project is not a scientific development but the switch of a specific town or plant to a different technology with a measurable result.

Main areas

Circular economy and waste: waste prevention, separate collection, re-use, material recovery.

Water: water quality, reuse of treated water, implementation of the Water Framework Directive.

Air: cutting the emissions with the greatest health impact, particulate matter in particular.

Chemicals and noise: substitution of hazardous substances, reduction of urban noise exposure.

What makes an application strong

Two things. First, a measurable effect: how many tonnes of waste will be kept out of landfill, by how much a pollutant concentration will fall, for how many people. Second, replicability: LIFE funds a model others can repeat, so a project with no plan for spreading the result reads as a one-off equipment purchase.