SMART-REC Europe: Interregional AI-powered platform for circular material flows, smart recycling logistics and digital traceability

SMART-REC Europe builds on a simple but critical observation: despite years of circular economy policies and growing environmental awareness, enormous volumes of recyclable materials generated by SMEs, residential complexes, retail chains, schools, and small businesses still never enter efficient recycling streams. Existing systems were designed for predictable, large-scale waste collection, while fragmented, low-volume recyclable flows remain economically difficult to collect, coordinate, and trace.

To address this challenge, Recycle has been developing SMART-REC — a digital circular economy platform currently being validated in Ukraine through ongoing real-life operations with businesses, condominiums, recyclers, and logistics operators. The platform combines a digital marketplace for recyclable materials, automated compliance workflows, and an innovative Smart Logistics Engine capable of dynamically coordinating decentralised recyclable-material collection in real time.

The proposed project, SMART-REC Europe, aims to expand and validate this solution in an interregional European context through pilot deployments and collaboration across RIVCircular regions. The project will build on an already operational and growing ecosystem that is currently undergoing technological and business validation in Ukraine.

At the heart of the project is the idea that digital technologies can fundamentally transform how circular material flows are organised. Through AI-powered logistics optimisation, event-driven routing, interoperable data exchange, and digital traceability, the platform enables previously disconnected actors to become part of an integrated circular ecosystem. SMEs, municipalities, recyclers, industrial parks, and local communities can interact through a shared digital infrastructure that makes recyclable collection more transparent, efficient, and economically viable.

The project will validate how smart circular logistics can reduce inefficiencies in recyclable-material collection, improve recovery rates of secondary raw materials, lower CO₂ emissions related to transport and landfill disposal, and support regional circular economy strategies. Particular attention will be given to decentralised waste generators that are often underserved by conventional systems.

Pilot activities in participating RIVCircular regions will test the transferability and scalability of the SMART-REC approach under different regional conditions. The project will explore how the platform can integrate with local circular economy ecosystems, regulatory frameworks, and stakeholder networks while supporting interoperability between regional actors. The pilots will also provide valuable insights into user adoption, operational workflows, digital compliance requirements, and business models for circular logistics services.

Beyond technological validation, SMART-REC Europe aims to contribute to a broader transition toward data-driven circular economy management. The project envisions recyclable materials not as waste streams, but as traceable and manageable resource flows supported by digital infrastructure. By creating stronger connections between waste generators, recyclers, logistics operators, and public authorities, the project seeks to accelerate the development of resilient regional circular ecosystems across Europe.

The consortium is looking for partners from RIVCircular regions including municipalities, recyclers, circular economy clusters, industrial stakeholders, research organisations, digital technology providers, and SME support networks interested in piloting and co-developing scalable digital solutions for circular economy implementation.

The project targets TRL 6–8 and aligns with RIVCircular Topic 5 priorities on digital solutions for circular economy, with a strong focus on practical deployment, regional cooperation, and scalable impact.