Background With a more than 30% share of total industrial energy use worldwide (including feedstocks), the chemical/petrochemical sector is by far the largest energy user in industry, with related high levels of greenhouse gas emissions. According to the European Environment Agency, the European chemicals industry, including pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, food, electronics and petrochemicals, emitted in 2010 a total of 165.8 megatonnes of CO2 equivalent. In particular, oxidation and condensation processes in the chemicals industry have a major negative impact on the environment. These two reactions are used in many chemical sub-sectors such as petrochemical monomers including olefins, resins, and polycondensates PET/PA/PU, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and fine organic chemicals. These reactions are very energy-consuming and generate substantial quantities of saline aqueous effluents as by-products. Objectives The LIFE VANECO project aims to reduce the chemical industry’s pollutant emissions by improving the energy efficiency of chemical reactions and minimising the production of effluents as by-products. The project will focus on reducing the negative environmental impact of the production of vanillin, an organic compound that is the primary component of the extract of the vanilla bean. This extraction process normally includes two oxidation reactions and one condensation reaction, and produces more than 400% by volume of salt by-products. The technology developed by the beneficiary involves improvements to the synthesis process, such as the production of diphenol in a unique oxidation-condensation phase and the use of catalysts in the final step of vanillin distillation. Expected results: The project expects to produce the following results: A 21% reduction in energy consumption and CO2 emissions (from 835 gigajoules to 660 gigajoules and from 60 kilotonnes to 48 kilotonnes, respectively); and An 80% reduction in volume of the salt by-product, and valorisation of the 20% of salt remaining. The reduction in volume of the by-product will also allow the consumption of soda and sulphuric acid raw materials to be reduced by 80%.