5 March 2021

In the presence of the town’s mayor and other local authorities, CIRC4Life partner ALIA, an animal feed manufacturer, recently installed an intelligent bin for the collection of biowaste in the town of Abarán.  This pilot action is part of ALIA’s undertaking to develop products and services in a more sustainable and efficient way. Within the framework of the CIRC4Life project, ALIA’s aim has been to co-create circular economy solutions with all relevant stakeholders, engage citizens in collaborative reuse and recycling and promote sustainable consumption.

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ALIA’s innovative and collaborative bio-waste collection system rewards eco-friendly behaviour of Abarán’s citizens, as they will obtain eco-credits by using the CIRC4Life App and disposing their organic waste in the bin properly. These eco-credits can then be exchanged for incentives provided by the local administration, such as free theatre tickets, entry to sports facilities or discounts at local markets.

Once the biowaste is recovered from the bin, it will be turned into compost and used to improve the soil of public green spaces in Abarán and in local school gardens.

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In the first phases of development of the bin, ALIA organised several workshops in order to make sure that all stakeholders were involved from the start. During these workshops it was decided on where the bin should be placed and which incentives should be given.  More workshops will be held to inform the public on how to use the waste collection system properly.

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Moreover, Living Labs will be set up, in collaboration with the HORIZON 2020 LIVERUR Project, in order to establish further use for the compost/organic fertiliser obtained from the waste collection unit. Within CIRC4Life, Living Labs are defined and used as a framework for involving actual customers and other key stakeholders in the ongoing collaborative innovation process.