Today we introduce… PANECO
1. What is your name and your role at the company?
My name is Jose Ramón Herrero, and I am the Country Manager at Paneco Ambiente. My role focuses on leading the company’s strategy and market development, connecting our environmental biotechnology solutions with the real operational needs of the sector.
On a day-to-day basis, my work involves presenting our solutions and, based on our experience, either replicating proven approaches or adapting them to the specific context and circumstances of each client, whether in the public or private sector.
2. Briefly describe your company and the role it plays within the waste management or circular economy sector.
At Paneco Ambiente, we develop and market environmentally friendly environmental biotechnology solutions designed to reduce the impact of human activity.
Our technology combines naturally occurring, non-genetically modified microbial consortia, specific nutrients that support their growth, and natural plant extracts. Through these formulations, we are able to:
- Neutralise odour-causing molecules through odour abatement mechanisms.
- Capture PM2.5 particulate matter.
- Significantly accelerate the biodegradation of a wide range of organic compounds.
Beyond the waste sector, we also provide solutions for the primary industry, including organic and regenerative agriculture, livestock farming, and even aquaculture. Large-scale water bioremediation—focusing on nutrient control and the prevention of eutrophication—is another area where our technology is successfully applied.
We work with both public and private organisations facing environmental challenges related to waste treatment or odour emissions in facilities such as:
- Composting and waste sorting plants.
- Biogas and anaerobic digestion facilities.
- Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs).
- Industrial sites and waste management facilities in general.
Our priority is to provide Nature-Based Solutions that are completely safe for both people and the environment, enabling complex environmental challenges to be addressed in a clean and sustainable way.
3. What challenges or needs is your company currently addressing?
The environmental and waste management sector is at a turning point. On one hand, organisations are facing increasingly demanding environmental regulations, particularly regarding emissions control and odour management. On the other, there is a growing need to improve the operational efficiency of treatment facilities and maximise the recovery of valuable resources.
In this context, the challenges are no longer simply reactive—such as resolving odour complaints—but increasingly preventive and process-oriented. One of the key priorities is optimising the biological processes that take place within treatment facilities by:
- Increasing the efficiency of anaerobic digestion and biogas production.
- Improving processing times and compost quality in composting plants.
- Significantly reducing emissions, including not only odours but also greenhouse gases and compounds such as ammonia.
Our greatest challenge is to make biotechnology an everyday management tool. Wherever possible, we aim to replace non-sustainable chemical treatments and temporary corrective measures with integrated biological processes that tackle problems at their source while maximising plant efficiency in a safe and sustainable way.
4. What motivated you to join CREC, and what kind of synergies are you looking to build with other members?
Our decision to join CREC was driven by our desire to connect directly with Catalonia’s environmental innovation ecosystem and actively contribute to the transformation of the sector.
As a technology-driven company, we do not believe innovation happens in isolation. Alongside our environmental biotechnology solutions, we bring the expertise and experience of our industrial group in Italy, a pioneer in the sector with more than 40 years of experience in waste treatment, biogas production, and landfill gas recovery.
Within CREC, we are looking to build technical collaborations and co-develop innovative solutions with other members by:
- Working closely with waste management companies, engineering firms, treatment plant operators, and other stakeholders to address complex real-world challenges while identifying emerging needs that can drive future research and product development.
- Implementing pilot projects that demonstrate biotechnology as a key enabler of the circular economy.
- Sharing technical knowledge to raise standards of sustainability, operational efficiency, and harmonious integration between treatment facilities and their surrounding communities.
