Agro2Circular (A2C) project is focused on the implementation of the first territorial systemic solution for the upcycling of most relevant residues in the agrifood sector (fruits& vegetables and plastic multilayers) into high added value products, powered by a digital tool and constructed upon a systemic approach with high replicable/scalable potential. Through this solution, A2C will face important industrial, economic & social challenges in the agrifood sector: 1) The fruits & vegetables (F&V) are the group of major contribution to food waste along the food supply chain rising up to > 40% of waste, and are as excellent source of natural bioactives. However, these F&V wastes are not exploited. A2C will valorise them by green routes to obtain these bioactives for the production of nutraceuticals, functional foods, and cosmetics. 3) Multilayer plastic films are widely used as industrial packaging for the protection of food and agriculture for crops due to their unique barrier properties. However, there is a lack of sorting and recycling technologies for an economic and environmentally sustainable valorisation of these multilayer structures. A2C will develop the first recycling value chain for post-industrial multilayer films based on a synergistic approach combining innovative sorting, physical delamination, enzymatic depolymerisation, decontamination & mechanical recycling. 3) There is a lack of digitalisation in the agrifood sector. A2C will implement a Data Integration System (DIS) as a digital tool for ensuring traceability and as Predictive Decision Tool in the agrifood sector. A2C will be a demonstrated in the Regi?n de Murcia (Spain) and replicable systemic solution throughout Europe for the territorial deployment of the circular economy.

The DATA4CIRC project aims to enhance circularity within the manufacturing sector to facilitate decarbonisation whilst improving competitiveness and boosting the adoption of R-strategies. These objectives will be achieved by providing the sector with the proposed DATA4CIRC solution, a human-centred collaborative digital framework that leverages the power of data and cutting-edge digital technologies for assets digitalisation. This framework will comprise (A) Federated Data Spaces, (B) Digital Models of the circular value chains and products; (C) Digital Product Passport (DPP); and (D) an AI-assisted end-to-end LCA tool. The integration of these tools into a single framework will improve data interoperability and accessibility, therefore boosting the collaboration and the establishment of circular value chains. To do so, (E) ontologies and semantic models will be leveraged and proper user-friendly interfaces will be developed. Furthermore, the DATA4CIRC solutions will be based on existing standards and architectures to maximise their adoption and impact. Special focus will be placed on social aspects for the transition to circular business models which prioritise the needs, expectations and experiences of end-users. By embracing the social innovation paradigm, human involvement throughout the project is boosted through co-creation and co-validation activities. Moreover, an upskilling and reskilling training programme will be designed and conducted to facilitate the uptake of digital tools in the manufacturing workforce during the project and beyond its completion. Validation and demonstration of the DATA4CIRC solution will be achieved via three use cases, thereby consolidating successful progress from TRL4 to TRL6. The selected use cases are circular value chains in manufacturing sectors with high impact potential and significant room for improvement regarding the field of circular economy: the electronics, plastics, and automotive sectors.