CircSyst - Circular Systemic Solutions for Plastic, Packaging, Bio-Waste, and Water
Updated on 02.12.2024
To contribute to catalysing the transition towards a sustainable, circular economy CircSyst, presents a series of shared Demonstration Experiences of new technological and societal adaptations to a Circular Economy involving 8 European regions: Valencia (SP), Maribor (SI), Flanders (BE), Gotland (SW), Paijat-Hame-Lahti (FI), Castila la Mancha (SP), Central Macedonia (EL), and Central and East Hungary (HU). The project focuses on three of the priority value chains of the Circular Economy Plan: Water Management, Biowaste, and Plastics and Packaging, as well as in the potential synergies among them. 4 Demonstrators are proposed developing and validating solutions for Water Management:
- Reuse of industrial treated wastewater through on-demand treatment.
- Agricultural industry and utilities uses for reclaimed urban water.
- Smart wastewater management as a structural solution to water scarcity and floods in urban contexts.
- Validation of a set of Integrated tools and methodologies for smart management of water symbiosis.
In the Biowaste field, the project will implement 2 Demonstrators dealing with waste from different sources and extracting valuable substances directly applicable in the other addressed value chains: 5 Flexible and intelligent biorefinery for the recovery of materials and components.
- Valorisation routes of Food Industry Biowastes.
In the Plastics and Packaging field, the project tackles the main aspects of plastic waste management, including eco-design, cost-effective segregation, and recyclability:
- Mechanical recycling of mPET.
- Consumers engagement in plastics segregation.
- Food Packaging value chain redesign towards the substitution of plastics Work Packages on Communication & Dissemination, Knowledge Transfer, and Results Exploitation and Impact, are designed to ensure that the results adequately reach key stakeholders in governments, private organizations, and civil society with the cooperation of the CCRI Coordination and Support Office.
Leading organisation/partner
Asociación de Investigación de la Industria del Juguete, conexas y afines - AIJU
Target territory
Cities involved
- Riba Roja de Túria (Spain)
- Ptuj (Slovenia)
- Koksijde (Belgium)
- Visby, town (Sweden)
- Gothenburg (Sweden)
- Lahti (Finland)
- Ibi-Alicante (Spain)
- Thessaloniki (Greece)
Regions involved
- Valencia Community (SPAIN)
- Podravje, Maribor (SLOVENIA)
- Flanders (BELGIUM)
- Gotland (SWEDEN)
- Päijät-Häme (FINLAND)
- Castilla la Mancha (SPAIN)
- Central Macedonia (GREECE)
- Central and East Hungary (HUNGARY)
Territorial clusters involved
Territorial clusters involved (i.e. any socio‑economic, geographical and environmental system composed of all relevant actors and including at least one public authority ready to implement, demonstrate and facilitate the replication of at least one Circular Systemic Solution in a specific territory).
Spain:
- AIJU
- AIDIMME
Belgium
- VITO
Sweden
- RISE
Macedonia
- ITI-CERTH
Hungary
- INNOSKART
- Omnipack
Scope and objectives
The main objective of CircSyst is the development and demonstration of a range of novel Circular Systemic Solutions (CircSyst Solutions or CSS) that increase sustainability by applying innovative holistic circular models at local and regional scales.
The CircSyst solutions are based on 9 demonstrators involving three of the priority value chains of the European Commission's Circular Economy Action Plan.
The demonstrators are intended to give solutions to specific problems in their geographical scope, and to cooperate amongst them in a symbiotic approach that delivers extended Circular Systemic Solutions (ECSS) enabling and boosting interregional and cross border knowledge exchange and improving future replicability.
Key services provided by the project
- In the water field:
a) To provide technologies, knowledge and experience to deploy water circularity solutions in different contexts (urban and industrial)
b) To provide technological solutions for smart water management in extreme weather episodes
- In the field of Bio-waste
a) Demonstration of new technologies for bio-waste processing following the concept of bio-refinery
b) Demonstrations of use of food industry waste to extract high value-added substances
- In the field of food packaging
a) To provide technological solutions for mechanical recycling of mPET
b) To demonstrate methodologies for social awareness and public participation in circularity
c) To provide a set of eco-designed food packaging fit for a circular economy and reducing the use of raw material
- To demonstrate the existing synergies among different sectors and waste streams developing symbiotic relations
- To enhance the collaboration in science production, circular economy regulation, and policy objectives development
Circular sustainable business models creation and support. Analysis of their replication capabilities and transfer to a broad part of the society and the stakeholders.
Key deliverables
Short description for each of them:
WP1:
D1.2: Project Environmental, Social and Economic Impacts Assessments: A report containing the performance of the project measured through LCA, LCC and an S-LCA systems
WP2
D2.1: CircSyst Circular Water Solutions: Specification and characterisation of the developed water demonstrators and their performance
D2.2: Integrated Evaluation of Circular Systemic Water Solutions: Summary of Circular Systemic Water Solutions (CSWS) configurations including techno-economical outline
WP3
D3.1: CircSyst Bio-Waste Circular Solutions: Report on Bio-waste Demos, including new bio-formulations and wastes circularity processes
WP4
D4.1: Food Packaging Value Chain Circularity Solution: including new formulations of recycled mPET, circular industrial prototypes, cost-effective systems for segregation and collection
D4.2: Synergies and Extended Circular Systemic Solutions (ECSS): A technical report including the Demonstrated Extended Circular Systemic Solutions
WP5
D5.3: First version of the Stakeholder Map and Database: The Deliverable will contain a map and the data of the identified stakeholders classified according to the KER for which they will be target public
D5.4: Final Version of the Project Stakeholders Map and Database: Based on the previous deliverable, this report will assess the evolution of the project stakeholders’ group to evaluate the success of the C& D related actions in engaging key actors within the project results and activities
WP6
D6.1: CCRI Pilot Guide: Issue a common methodology for assessing the Demonstrators, and for the implementation of the co-creation processes supporting thus a smooth social acceptance of the technologies deployed, and an integration of the technologies in the existing social systems. This methodology will also work to encourage the creation of cross-sector systemic symbiosis. The methodology will be developed following the CCRI Methodology for the implementation of a circular economy at the local and regional scale and the partners will seek the support of the CCRI CSO
D6.2: Socio-Technical Analysis Report: Includes an overview of the socio-technical analysis of the CCS and pathways building on interconnected changes in technologies, actors, organizations, and institutions
D6.3: Recommendations for Scaling and Replication: Scaling and Replication Strategies as well as the workshops on results and learnings
D6.4: CircSyst Policy Briefs and Recommendations 1st Publication: policy recommendations formulated according to the outcomes of the initial stages of the Demonstrators
D6.5: CircSyst Policy Briefs and Recommendations 2nd Publication: policy recommendations formulated according to the outcomes of the final stages of the demonstrators
D6.6: Socio-technical systems map. Include a description of the spatiotemporal context of the application of the circular systemic solutions, including technology, actors, organizations, and institutions involved and that need to be considered
WP7
D7.2: CircSyst advanced and after project IPR considerations and exploitation pathways.This report will include the IPR considerations of the results achieved and the legal framework for the commercial and non-commercial exploitation of the project results
D7.3: CircSyst Market and competitor analysis, Co-Design Process, and Strategies for Commercialization: Outcomes of the market and competitor analysis for each pilot and potential market opportunities based on synergies and symbiosis among them
Key messages for project promoters
CircSyst is developing and demonstrating innovative circular economy solutions across 8 European cities and regions, focusing on three key areas - water management, bio-waste, and packaging waste - to create sustainable, replicable systems that connect local and regional stakeholders while aligning with EU circular economy initiatives.
Description of future collaboration with CCRI-CSO
We have a task (T6.4) dedicated to collaborate with the CCRI-CSO and projects by providing policy feedback based on the outcomes and results.
CCRI relevant material
Although all the expected outputs of the program are addressed, the most relevant ones are the following.
Out1: Implementation of circular systemic solutions at regional/local level, involving concrete demonstrations
Out2: Improved circularity and reduced environmental impacts in the regions/value chains
Out5: Development of business models and improvement of economic performance
Out6: Policy recommendations and framework conditions for implementation
Findings: regulatory bottlenecks
The main related bottlenecks detected are related to:
-
Demo 1: Discharges of wastewater not fulfilling the local regulation
-
Demo 4: Fully biological safety fulfilling the regulation
-
Demo 9: to find such materials that fulfil the regulation standards
Environmental outcomes of circular economy solutions
Water treatment to develop new solutions and applications, increasing knowledge on biorefinery for extracting value from bio-wastes with potential to be improved and further developed, development and better understanding food contact biomaterials,
Greenhouse emission reduce for water, biowaste and plastic industry
Social outcomes of circular economy solutions
Greenhouse emissions (GHG) are reduced for water management, biowaste management, and food and packaging industries. Reduction of waste generation. Society awareness. Wider interregional cooperation on sustainability.
Economic outcomes of circular economy solutions
12 new research-level jobs, the technological developments will create a great potential for new businesses and, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Main project stakeholders
- Industry (industrial areas, plastic products & packaging manufacturers, plastics & PHA producers & providers, beer industry, food producers –FMCG sector-,
- Waste and wastewater management (Wastewater treatment plant operators, producers of waste materials, mPET recyclers, )
- Policy Makers
- Related to the field federations and associations
- Environmental and social associations
- Academics
- Communities, local decision-makers
- Consumers (water, food, etc.)
- Citizens
- General public
