Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English en
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Smart and flexible Separation and Valorisation of mixed bio-waste from along the agri-food value chain.

Project description

When food waste becomes a resource

Europe throws away most of its mixed agri-food bio-waste. The agricultural sector needs to find a way to repurpose the 85 million tonnes of bio-waste that are currently burnt or buried each year. These waste streams are abundant in chemical value, but their contaminated nature has traditionally made industrial-scale recovery prohibitively expensive. The EU-funded MixMatters project aims to address this by deploying a modular, containerised system that uses robotics and AI to sort waste at the source. This successfully extracts high-value sugars, fibres, and bioactive compounds from previously unusable streams. By converting discarded material into industrial feedstock, MixMatters reduces emissions. It helps secure a sustainable, circular framework for Europe’s food and manufacturing sectors.

Objective

Mixed bio-waste generated along the agri-food value chain is an abundant resource, rich in valuable compounds e.g. polysaccharides or polyphenolic constituents. Yet, its potential as a source of recycled components is untapped - 75% of the generated bio-waste (approx. 85 M/y) is landfilled or incinerated, constituting 3% of total EU GHG emissions.
Valorisation of mixed bio-waste from the agri-food sector is hindered by (1) technological challenges of removing impurities (e.g. plastics, cardboard, or metals) that would otherwise decrease the process quality, (2) logistics challenges of collecting seasonal, geographically dispersed feedstock that lower valorisation cost-benefit.
MixMatters proposes an innovative system that efficiently separates and valorises three types of mixed bio-waste streams containing impurities from the agri-food industry (wholesale markets, greenhouses, food and drink industry) and obtains six high value-added outputs (powder ingredients, sugar concentrates, recombinant proteins, green fibres, bioactive compounds, plastic monomers).
The MixMatters system is modular and multi-purpose - able to treat a range of mixed bio-waste streams (ensuring feedstock supply). The separation stage is automated, integrating advanced robotics and AI. It is also containerised – separating the bio-waste at waste generation sites to avoid inefficient transportation of water and stream spoilage. The system functioning is optimised via a Decision Support while transparency + traceability are ensured via a Digital Product Passport.
In the project, the system will be demonstrated during 15 months at three waste generation sites, along with output validation with 6 bio-based industries and active involvement of value chain actors (partner networks outreach + 2,280 members) – to ensure result deployment. MixMatters will contribute to meeting the separation targets of the Waste Framework Directive (separated 6,240 t/y by one system at industrial scale).

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-JU-IA - HORIZON JU Innovation Actions

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-JU-CBE-2022

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

AINIA
Net EU contribution
€ 852 687,50
Address
CALLE BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 5-11 VALENCIA PARC TECNOLOGIC
46980 Paterna Valencia
Spain
SME
Yes
Region
Este Comunitat Valenciana Valencia/València
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost
€ 852 687,50

Participants (16)

Partners (1)