Carbone
The result? A series of experimental innovations that not only reduce waste streams, but also challenge the working cultures of local administrations.
Researcher Simon De Muynck, coordinator of the Carbone project, looks back at the key elements of this ambitious approach.
What is the Carbone project?
Carbone was set up to test how locally generated green waste, such as prunings, leaves or grass clippings, could be treated not as waste but as a resource. Several Brussels municipalities and administrations partnered with researchers to develop new methods of processing and reuse.
“The Carbone project focused on recirculating thousands of tonnes of green waste produced by municipal administrations.”
The project was about more than just technical fixes: it tackled the institutional challenge of aligning rules, values and habits with circular principles.
From local challenge to systemic shift
In most municipalities, the linear disposal of green waste is still standard practice. Carbone aimed to introduce a new approach: not only by innovating, but by helping to institutionalise circular values, new responsibilities, and a different view on costs and functions within administrations. “Innovation means bringing something new into something established,” Simon explains.
In this sense, the project was a test of strength between entrenched systems and emerging practices.
How did Innoviris support the project?
The support from Innoviris was crucial for enabling risk-taking. Without this funding, the participating municipalities would likely not have dared to trial such experimental innovations. The budget covered research time and also funded the infrastructure needed to test alternative ways of processing green waste.
“We could never have taken the risk of testing experimental innovations in the municipalities... it’s not part of their working culture.”
Simon De Muynck emphasizes that without this support, implementing the project within municipal structures simply wouldn’t have been feasible.
What does innovation mean to you?
In Carbone, innovation isn’t about gadgets or new tech. It’s about bringing something new into something existing: shifting values, reshaping priorities, and rethinking what is considered normal. The project aligns with broader ideas about institutional transformation: a delicate balance between continuity and change, between structure and creativity.
Meaningful work for and with Brussels
For the researchers, the value lies in three things: the freedom to experiment methodologically, a strong connection to the urban fabric of Brussels, and a clear commitment to real-world impact.
It is research for Brussels, by Brussels residents, with Brussels residents. The project is grounded in practice and co-developed with local stakeholders. This makes it not only scientifically relevant, but socially valuable as well.
What comes next?
One of the key research questions was whether the innovations would survive beyond the life of the project. Some have since been adopted by local governments, while others proved harder to sustain. Today, researchers are working with ULB students to assess what has endured.
“We submitted a proposal... to guide students who could carry out this analysis and really answer your question.”
True system change takes time, more than most project funding cycles allow. The Carbone project shows that circular innovation is not just about technology. It’s about culture. And Brussels is gradually proving to be fertile ground for that transformation.