Spanish plastics technology centre Aimplas (Valencia; www.aimplas.net) said it has joined an EU-funded project – kicked off in January – that aims to revolutionise industrial practices in the bio-based ecosystem with AI-driven solutions that promote circularity.

Under the banner of securing local supply chains via the development of new methods to assess the circularity and symbiosis of the bio-based industrial ecosystem, the EU-funded Symba project strives to pave the way for zero-waste value chains. It aims to achieve this by developing a user-friendly AI-driven database that will act as a tool for fostering collaboration among value chain stakeholders.

At the core of the Symba project lies the development of a unique industrial symbiosis methodology specifically tailored to local and regional bio-based ecosystems. Aimplas said the AI database will suggest regional industrial symbiosis processes that can create zero-waste value chains.

Innovative methodologies and technologies are expected to demonstrate how the industrial ecosystem can shift from a linear to a circular economy, contributing to bio-based solutions with reduced environmental impacts on soil, water, and air quality, Aimplas said.