Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CircSyst (Circular Systemic Solutions for Plastic, Packaging, Bio-Waste, and Water)
Berichtszeitraum: 2024-06-01 bis 2025-11-30
CircSyst (Circular Systemic Solutions for Plastic, Packaging, Bio-Waste, and Water) is a Horizon Europe-funded project coordinated by AIJU, involving 32 entities from eight European countries. With a €10,244,330.61 grant over 36 months, the project aims to accelerate the transition to a circular economy through large-scale pilot systems. These projects will be replicated across Europe, focusing on three key value chains: Water Management, Biowaste, and Plastics and Packaging.
The project addresses challenges outlined in the European Commission’s Circular Economy Action Plan through nine pilot projects in Spain, Slovenia, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Greece, and Hungary. These regions will serve as examples of circular business models that can be adapted across Europe. CircSyst’s solutions include water management, biowaste valorisation, and packaging waste reduction, promoting eco-design and consumer awareness.
CircSyst is committed to supporting the European Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) by closing gaps in knowledge, skills, and awareness. Its goal is to create a sustainable future by advancing circular economy principles across Europe, demonstrating how systemic solutions can drive regional economic systems toward sustainability.
The project addresses challenges outlined in the European Commission’s Circular Economy Action Plan through nine pilot projects in Spain, Slovenia, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Greece, and Hungary. These regions will serve as examples of circular business models that can be adapted across Europe. CircSyst’s solutions include water management, biowaste valorisation, and packaging waste reduction, promoting eco-design and consumer awareness.
CircSyst is committed to supporting the European Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) by closing gaps in knowledge, skills, and awareness. Its goal is to create a sustainable future by advancing circular economy principles across Europe, demonstrating how systemic solutions can drive regional economic systems toward sustainability.
During the reporting period, CircSyst advanced the design, implementation, and validation of Circular Systemic Solutions (CSS) in its three priority areas. In the water management domain (WP2), the project developed circular water solutions focusing on smart management, wastewater reuse, and urban water circularity. An integrated evaluation framework combining technical and techno-economic considerations was applied to assess these solutions' performance, providing a basis for replication.
In the bio-waste value chain (WP3), CircSyst demonstrated circular bio-waste solutions, including new bio-based formulations and flexible valorisation processes for food and industrial waste streams. This approach illustrates how bio-waste can be transformed into valuable resources, reducing waste and creating new circular value chains.
In the plastics and packaging sector (WP4), CircSyst achieved significant progress by developing new recycled mPET formulations, validating circular industrial prototypes, and implementing cost-effective systems for waste segregation and collection. These initiatives demonstrate Extended Circular Systemic Solutions (ECSS) by creating synergies between the water, bio-waste, and plastics sectors, enabling cross-sector resource loops.
The main achievement of this phase was the successful demonstration of integrated, cross-sectoral circular solutions, backed by technical validation and systemic analysis. These results provide evidence for scalability and replication, reinforcing CircSyst’s role in accelerating the circular economy transition.
In the bio-waste value chain (WP3), CircSyst demonstrated circular bio-waste solutions, including new bio-based formulations and flexible valorisation processes for food and industrial waste streams. This approach illustrates how bio-waste can be transformed into valuable resources, reducing waste and creating new circular value chains.
In the plastics and packaging sector (WP4), CircSyst achieved significant progress by developing new recycled mPET formulations, validating circular industrial prototypes, and implementing cost-effective systems for waste segregation and collection. These initiatives demonstrate Extended Circular Systemic Solutions (ECSS) by creating synergies between the water, bio-waste, and plastics sectors, enabling cross-sector resource loops.
The main achievement of this phase was the successful demonstration of integrated, cross-sectoral circular solutions, backed by technical validation and systemic analysis. These results provide evidence for scalability and replication, reinforcing CircSyst’s role in accelerating the circular economy transition.
Systemic and Large-Scale Demonstrations: CircSyst validates nine demonstrators in real conditions across European regions, showing performance and replicability in diverse regulatory and market contexts.
Integrated and Extended ‘Systemic Circular’ Solutions (CSS → ECSS): The project goes beyond optimizing single technologies, demonstrating cross-sector synergies to close resource cycles and create Extended Circular Systemic Solutions (ECSS).
Integrated Technical-Economic Assessment and Triple Impact: By combining Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC), and Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA), CircSyst provides comprehensive evidence of environmental, economic, and social impacts.
Replicable Methodology for Co-Creation and Evaluation (CCRI Pilot Guide): The guide offers a practical framework for evaluating demonstrators and co-creating with local actors, ensuring technical innovations are adapted for territorial adoption.
Translation of Technical Results into Scaling and Public Policy: CircSyst translates demonstration results into actionable recommendations for governments and regions, supporting regional and European policy development.
Validation of Advanced Circularity Solutions in Packaging and Plastics: The development of new mPET formulations, circular prototypes, and cost-effective systems for waste segregation advances a value chain approach that integrates material and system-level solutions.
Social Infrastructure for Adoption: The evolution of stakeholder mapping and engagement mechanisms enables real capacity to mobilize actors for implementation and continuity, a key result often missing in similar projects.
Exploitation and IPR for Market Deployment: The project defines routes for exploitation, IP frameworks, and market positioning, bridging demonstration results with commercial adoption.
CircSyst’s outcomes promise significant environmental, economic, and societal impacts, including carbon emission reductions, increased resource efficiency, and the creation of new circular value chains across water, bio-waste, and plastics sectors. The validated Circular and Extended Circular Systemic Solutions support regional and European circular economy strategies and policy development.
To ensure long-term success, key needs include continued demonstration at larger scales, access to financing for replication, and supportive regulatory frameworks for cross-sectoral solutions. Effective IPR management, commercialization strategies, and stakeholder engagement are essential for widespread adoption.
Integrated and Extended ‘Systemic Circular’ Solutions (CSS → ECSS): The project goes beyond optimizing single technologies, demonstrating cross-sector synergies to close resource cycles and create Extended Circular Systemic Solutions (ECSS).
Integrated Technical-Economic Assessment and Triple Impact: By combining Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC), and Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA), CircSyst provides comprehensive evidence of environmental, economic, and social impacts.
Replicable Methodology for Co-Creation and Evaluation (CCRI Pilot Guide): The guide offers a practical framework for evaluating demonstrators and co-creating with local actors, ensuring technical innovations are adapted for territorial adoption.
Translation of Technical Results into Scaling and Public Policy: CircSyst translates demonstration results into actionable recommendations for governments and regions, supporting regional and European policy development.
Validation of Advanced Circularity Solutions in Packaging and Plastics: The development of new mPET formulations, circular prototypes, and cost-effective systems for waste segregation advances a value chain approach that integrates material and system-level solutions.
Social Infrastructure for Adoption: The evolution of stakeholder mapping and engagement mechanisms enables real capacity to mobilize actors for implementation and continuity, a key result often missing in similar projects.
Exploitation and IPR for Market Deployment: The project defines routes for exploitation, IP frameworks, and market positioning, bridging demonstration results with commercial adoption.
CircSyst’s outcomes promise significant environmental, economic, and societal impacts, including carbon emission reductions, increased resource efficiency, and the creation of new circular value chains across water, bio-waste, and plastics sectors. The validated Circular and Extended Circular Systemic Solutions support regional and European circular economy strategies and policy development.
To ensure long-term success, key needs include continued demonstration at larger scales, access to financing for replication, and supportive regulatory frameworks for cross-sectoral solutions. Effective IPR management, commercialization strategies, and stakeholder engagement are essential for widespread adoption.