The Factory in the Landscape: the “recognition for high environmental value” goes to Mater-Biotech

On 13 October, in Foligno  the award ceremony of the IX edition of "La Fabbrica nel paesaggio" (the factory in the landscape) was held. The initiative is the International Competition of the Italian Federation of Clubs and Centers for UNESCO, sponsored by the UNESCO Club of Foligno and Valle del Clitunno.
 
Among the 27 candidacies, in the Section dedicated to Private Entrepreneurs, the Novamont Group company Mater-Biotech received the Recognition of high environmental value: “Because of its high environmental value. The reconversion of an industrial site into a fully ecological and sustainable production reality is a very positive model to be disseminated and imitated”.
 
Mater-Biotech, whose candidacy has been proposed by the Club for UNESCO of Ferrara, is indeed the world-first plant for the industrial production of Bio-BDO from raw materials of renewable origin and represents a fundamental development of the biorefinery model integrated into the territory promoted by Novamont.
 
Resulting from of significant efforts in terms of research and investments in proprietary technologies, Mater-Biotech is the outcome of the industrial reconversion of a decomissioned site and of the redevelopment of a highly degraded area, through the enhancement of existing infrastructures and skills, with cascading effects on the downstream industry and on the related industries.
 
The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Mayor of Foligno Rita Barbetti, of Donatelli Porzi, President of the Regional Council of Umbria, and of Gaudenzio Bertolini, President of the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Foligno, Maria Paola Azzario, President of the Italian Federation Clubs and Centers for UNESCO, Daniela Popescu, President of the European Federation of Clubs and Centers for UNESCO, Maurizio di Stefano, Honorary President of ICOMOS Italy and Angelo Paladini, President of the European Observatory for Landscapes and Arco Latino.