INTERVIEW Alternative Proteins Magazine April 2024 31 About Nathalie Berezina Nathalie Berezina is educated as chemist (MSc) and chemical engineer (MSc), education completed by a PhD in biotechnology. She has more than 15 years of international experience in the field and is a recognized expert with more than 30 peer-reviewed scientific papers and 20 filed patent applications. Berezina worked as Senior scientist and Project leader with Materia Nova (Belgium) for more than 9 years and as CSO and IP representative with Ynsect (France) for 5 years. In 2020 Nathalie successfully launched Norbite, the company focusing on the upcycling of un-recyclable plastic waste by an insect-based biorefinery. The company has won numerous prestigious awards, has participated in international incubation and acceleration programs, consolidated several collaborations, partnerships, and earn grants at national and international levels. multiple actors and collaborative efforts to move forward. By identifying gaps and opportunities in the recycling system, creating small and big loops to upscale plastic waste stream, including decentralized recycling and industrial symbiosis simultaneously producing valuable bioproducts, could help to move in solving the problems of plastic waste pollution and hunger. On the other hand, let’s be positive and dream about the future. We are not so far away from long-distance space trips. When we are talking about circularity on earth, it is nice to have, but when we are talking about long-distance space trips then circularity is a must have. Then it is mandatory to build a type of circular system where waste from one process becomes a resource or materials for another one and re-enter the system. In this connection, I assume that it is interesting to mention that Norbite’s first project was related to space. To feed astronauts and handling their waste by using insects is a very promising way to secure circularity in space. Finally, is there anything else you would like to add? Norbite’s solutions go beyond just technical and technological development. Innovations are required to deal with plastic waste at different stages. We are fully aware that challenges are too big to be solved by one actor and transforming the industry requires a system-level change with collaboration and commitment to innovate from multiply actors together with public sector and civil society. So, we offer and invite committed, forward- thinking individuals and companies to join us and follow this journey together. Proteins Food & feed Lipids Skin-care Faeces Fertilizers Chitosan Elicitors AMP Products Medicines
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