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MixMatters

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

Project details

Type of project
Innovation Action - Demonstration
Project focus
Bio-based chemicals
Feedstock origin
Agri-food waste
Other and new
Feedstock type
Food industry sidestreams
Industrial waste streams
Project period
1 June 2023 - 31 May 2027
Status
In progress
CBE JU Contribution
€ 5 651 163,5
Call identifier
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2022

Summary

Mixed biowaste from the agri-food sector is both abundant and rich in valuable compounds. But its potential is largely untapped: 75% of it goes into landfills or is incinerated, which accounts for 3% of EU greenhouse gas emissions. Use of this waste is hindered by the technological challenge of removing impurities and the logistical challenge of collecting seasonal, geographically dispersed feedstock. 

Over 15 months at three waste generation sites the MixMatters system, composed of a mobile unit for automated separation of mixed agri-food waste and a valorisation hub for treating the separated waste, will demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of obtaining high-value-added outputs for the cosmetic, chemical and food industry from mixed biowaste streams. Both elements are integrated by a decision-support tool to optimise economic and environmental performance, while the traceability of the final products will be ensured by the issuing of digital product passports.  

The overall objective of MixMatters is to set up the system and demonstrate the separation and valorisation of mixed agri-food biowaste containing impurities such as plastic, cardboard or metal and coming from three streams from the agri-food industry (wholesale markets, greenhouses, and the food and drink industry) into six high-value outputs: powdered ingredients, sugar concentrates, recombinant proteins, green fibres, bioactive compounds and plastic monomers. 

 

In relation to this, the project aims to: 

  • profile the targeted waste streams and waste generation sites and plan the demonstration, laying the ground for industrial symbiosis; 

  • test and optimise the separation unit and valorisation hub prior to demonstration; 

  • validate the quality, quantity and commercial value of the outputs with end users; 

  • guarantee regulatory compliance and safety of the project developments, as well as assessing the environmental and 

  •  techno-economic aspects of the entire solution and social acceptance of the final products; 

  • engage multiple actors in the process with a view to securing widespread, long-term deployment of the results; 

  • ensure wide visibility of the results, thereby increasing public awareness of bio-based solutions. 

In the mid-term perspective (3-5 years after the end of the project), the MixMatters system is expected to: 

  • process approximately 6 240 tonnes of mixed biowaste a year, thus reducing landfill use and incineration of waste, increasing processing of biowaste and helping to meet EU reuse and recycling targets; 

  • process approximately 1 123 tonnes of plastic a year, preventing pollution and biodiversity loss; 

  • avoid the emission of 2 780 tonnes of CO2 every year; 

  • engage with new agri-food producers and bio-based product industries to create at least two new value chains from the adaptation and configuration of the MixMatters waste valorisation technology; 

  • expand opportunities for the use of biowaste at all stages of value chains and across all sectors so as to foster industrial symbiosis; 

  • support the market uptake of innovative waste valorisation technologies with the prospect of generating €24.6 million of revenue in the first 5 years of industrial exploitation of the system; 

  • scale-up production and market uptake of bio-based products obtained from industrial waste feedstocks by raising public awareness and ensuring traceability via the implementation of digital product passports.  

Consortium map

Project coordination

  • AINIA Paterna Valencia, Spain

Consortium

  • VLAAMSE INSTELLING VOOR TECHNOLOGISCH ONDERZOEK N.V. Mol, Belgium
  • FUNDACION DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA PARA LA PROMOCION ESTRATEGICA EL DESARROLLO Y LA INNOVACION URBANA Valencia, Spain
  • IOS, INSTITUT ZA OKOLJEVARSTVO IN SENZORJE, PROIZVODNJA, TRGOVINA IN STORITVE DOO Maribor, Slovenia
  • WAGRALIM Gosselies, Belgium
  • FEDERACION EMPRESARIAL DE AGROALIMENTACION DE LA COMUNIDAD VALENCIANA(FEDACOVA) Valencia, Spain
  • TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OY Espoo, Finland
  • FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION DONOSTIA-SAN SEBASTIAN (GIPUZKOA), Spain
  • ASOCIACION CLUSTER FOOD+I De Calahorra La Rioja, Spain
  • BIONET SERVICIOS TECNICOS SL Fuente Alamo De Murcia, Spain
  • NATURSTOFF-TECHNIK GMBH Osterholz-Scharmbeck, Germany
  • FUNDACION TECNOLOGICA ADVANTX MADRID, Spain
  • EIGEN VERMOGEN VAN HET INSTITUUT VOOR LANDBOUW- EN VISSERIJONDERZOEK Merelbeke, Belgium
  • UNIVERSITAET FUER BODENKULTUR WIEN Wien, Austria
  • UNIVERSIDAD DE ALMERIA Almeria, Spain
  • ENCO SRL Napoli, Italy
  • SOLUCIONES INDUSTRIALES Y TRATAMIENTOS AMBIENTALES S.L Castellon De La Plana, Spain
Partners
  • RECYCLEYE LTD London, United Kingdom