Project description
Enhancing the efficiency of recycling and trading metal
The process of metal production adversely affects the environment. Waste from extractive processes alone, accounts for one of the largest waste streams in the EU. The process also accounts for 7 % of global energy consumption, contributing significantly to carbon emissions. The EU-funded Schrott24 project will provide an intelligent online marketplace that digitises and automates large parts of the industry for scrap metal and recycled metals. It helps match buyers and sellers to optimise outcomes for both parties, aligning the European scrap trading market with the digital single market. With its use, the European metal recycling industry could contribute to building a sustainable future for the EU.
Objective
The production of primary raw materials, such as metals, requires widespread and large-scale mining. This involves heavy
processes and chemicals with harsh labour conditions, substantial transport and pollution emissions. Waste from extractive
processes is one of the largest waste streams in the EU (727 million tonnes p.a.) with certain fractions containing high
concentrations of toxic substances including heavy metals. The mining and processing of virgin materials is a leading cause
of deforestation and requires huge amounts of energy and water. Furthermore, these processes account for 7% of global
energy consumption and contribute substantially to carbon emissions. The widespread use of secondary (recycled) raw
materials is crucial to addressing this global challenge.
The European metal recycling industry has the potential to be a major contributor to a sustainable future for the EU.
However, it is outdated, offline, and inefficient, leading to low recycling rates even for valuable commodities. The Schrott24
Platform is an intelligent online marketplace that digitises and automates large parts of the industry for scrap metal and
recycled metals. It dynamically matches buyers and sellers to optimise outcomes for both parties, aligning the European
scrap trading market with the digital single market.
We use advanced pricing and matching algorithms, matching the seller of a certain metal scrap, with a certain logistics need,
with the most efficient recycling solution. This can be a local scrap yard for a small electrician with 500kg of copper cable
waste, or a specialized aluminium smelter that is in need of a specific alloy in the yard of a scrap dealer unknown to them.
With the integration of transport service providers, they are not only matched, but we can facilitate the whole process, to
ensure the fulfilment of the clients’ needs. Schrott24 is disrupting the industry, allowing it to deliver a sustainable, circular
economy for raw materials in the EU.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste managementwaste treatment processesrecycling
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementcommercee-commerce
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrypost-transition metals
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectrical engineering
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2Coordinator
8020 GRAZ
Austria
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.