Spain is moving towards a circular economy with the launch of the first demonstrator of the European project MixMattersThis initiative, funded by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE-JU), transforms mixed agri-food waste into new value streams through an innovative smart separation technology.
The MixMatters project is coordinated by the Valencian technology center AINIA and has a consortium of 18 partners from eight European countries (Spain, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom). Its objective is to validate a mobile separation system using robotics and artificial intelligence capable of processing mixed waste that, until now, could not be recovered using conventional methods. With a team of 5,7 millones de eurosThe initiative aims to reduce the environmental impact of food waste and generate new value chains in the circular bioeconomy. The project is part of the program Horizon Europe through the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE-JU) initiative.
The first pilot is already underway in Valencia, in a real validation environment located in Mercavalencia, and is part of a deployment strategy that will continue in two other scenarios in Spain: the food industry of Natural de Montaña in Anna (Valencia) and the organic waste treatment centers from greenhouses in SACh (Almería).
El project coordinator, Nicolas Issaly, He stated: "This project aims to demonstrate, under real-world conditions, how a Mobile Separation Unit With robotics and artificial intelligence, mixed biowaste streams can be transformed into new, high-value resources. The Mercavalència pilot project is the first step in a validation process that will continue in two other sectors that produce mixed waste: the food industry (Natural de Montaña – Anna) and organic waste treatment centers from greenhouses (SACh – Almería). This is how we are moving towards more efficient waste management, with less CO₂ and more opportunities for the circular bioeconomy.
For its part, Javier Donato, director of SITRA, The company responsible for the design and construction of the Separation Unit has stated that "MixMatters represents a space for collaboration with actors in the industrial and scientific ecosystem. It is a contribution aimed at generating knowledge and solutions that can be transferred to industry, reinforcing the role of waste valorization as a strategic axis of business competitiveness."
The MixMatters pilot project revolves around a mobile separation unit that integrates robotics and artificial intelligence vision to automatically identify and classify bio-waste containing impurities such as plastics, cardboard, and glass. The technological solution incorporates components developed by various consortium partners: Recycleye contributes to the separation of plastics and cardboard; VTT provides the dehydration and stabilization processes; and ILVO performs the analysis of the organic fraction's composition.
The goal is to transform this waste into high-value byproducts—powdered ingredients, sugar concentrates, proteins and fibers, bioactive compounds, and plastic monomers—thus reducing landfilling and incineration. During this first phase, up to 16 tons of waste.
The launch of the MixMatters pilot project complements the organic growth strategy already being implemented in many Spanish cities. Nationally, official statistics show that in 2023 the management companies collected 22,4 billion tons of municipal waste, of which 5,4 million The waste was collected selectively, representing an increase compared to the previous year and demonstrating the progressive consolidation of waste separation models in Spain. These results reflect a structural shift in urban waste management in the country, towards more sustainable and efficient models.
MixMatters is now tackling the next challenge: the valorization of mixed agri-food waste, which until now could not be treated using conventional collection and treatment systems. Its deployment represents a decisive step towards more efficient, low-emission waste management aligned with the principles of the circular bioeconomy. The consortium will continue to monitor the impact of the pilot project to validate its scalability in other industrial environments across Europe.
Photo: Nicolas Issaly, doctor in Microbiology.
