Mediterranean Waste Innovations for Sustainable Environments

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B NEXT Mediterranean Sea Basin (NEXT MED)

Date of latest update: 2026-06-25

Description

Description (EN):

PROJECT TYPE: 1 - Thematic projects ~ MAIN INTERVENTION FIELD: 067. Household waste management: prevention, minimisation, sorting, reuse, recycling measures ~ SUMMARY: The Mediterranean grapples with waste management issues, with most municipal waste ending up in landfills untreated. Organic waste, a major component, and a valuable energy and nutrient resource, is often contaminated, making it inadequate for usage. The imminent climate change challenge worsens these effects. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation stresses the need for a circular economy to address this. However, the region faces inconsistent variations of legislative, technical, and funding gaps hindering the implementation of circular strategies. Public perception of waste as a disposal issue adds to these challenges. In response to this context, the MedWISE project aims to accelerate the transition to a circular resource-efficient economy within the region through the sharing of proven-efficient solutions. The project will therefore optimize organic resource management using two main strategies: enhancing cross-border testing of innovative technological resource efficiency solutions and increasing transnational knowledge sharing of technologies through a triple helix approach. The methodology comprises 6 WPs implemented in Italy, Spain, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, and Tunisia. While WP1 prioritizes efficient project management, WP2 develops a robust communication strategy and communities of practice for widespread result dissemination. The technical WPs focus on promoting cradle-to-grave solutions. Specifically, WP3 maps 3 types of innovations: industrial symbiosis, AI-powered sorting at the source, and decentralized composting by focusing not only on technological but also environmental social and economic transferability. Then, WP4 pilots the solutions while enhancing parallelism between northern and southern contexts. The remaining WPs target cross-border solution adoption. WP5 builds the capacities of public and private entities while raising awareness at the societal level while WP6 concentrates on policy integration to ensure regional and local policy mainstreaming. ~ KEEP KEYWORDS: Green technologies, ICT and digital society, Innovation capacity and awareness-raising

Expected Achievements (EN):

Management coordination Communication and dissemination CODE: SO1ER1 ~ SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE: To enhance cross-border testing of innovative technological resource efficient solutions ~ EXPECTED RESULT: Improved implementation of innovative resource management solutions within the Mediterranean region CODE: SO1ER1 ~ SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE: To enhance cross-border testing of innovative technological resource efficient solutions ~ EXPECTED RESULT: Improved implementation of innovative resource management solutions within the Mediterranean region CODE: SO2ER2 ~ SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE: To increase transnational knowledge sharing of technologies among academic, private and public entities ~ EXPECTED RESULT: Resource efficient mindset is adopted by stakeholders transnationally CODE: SO2ER2 ~ SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE: To increase transnational knowledge sharing of technologies among academic, private and public entities ~ EXPECTED RESULT: Resource efficient mindset is adopted by stakeholders transnationally

Project outputs: (1.1) Project Governance(EN)
(1.2) Project Management Handbook(EN)
(1.3) Monitoring Plan(EN)
(2.1) Communication and Dissemination Strategy(EN)
(2.2) Communication tools(EN)
(2.3) Mediterranean synergies and Liaising(EN)
(3.1) Mapping of waste management solutions(EN)
(3.1) Mapping of waste management solutions(EN)
(3.2) Industrial Symbiosis methodology (IS)(EN)
(3.3) IS platform development(EN)
(3.4) AI-based tool for enhanced public awareness and separate collection quality(EN)
(3.4) AI-based tool for enhanced public awareness and separate collection quality(EN)
(4.1) Implementation of resource management solutions(EN)
(4.2) Monitoring of resource management solutions(EN)
(4.3) MEDWISE Sustainable Waste Management and Industrial Symbiosis (SWMIS) platform(EN)
(5.1) Triple helix Results transfer(EN)
(5.1) Triple helix Results transfer(EN)
(5.2) Transnational awareness-raising campaign(EN)
(6.1) MedWise Policy toolkit(EN)
(6.2) Capitalization conferences(EN)
Website: https://www.interregnextmed.eu/project-page/medwise/about/

Thematic information

Governance, partnership Waste and pollution Knowledge and technology transfer

Priority: (VI-B_MSB_2) Priority 2: A greener, low-carbon and resilient Mediterranean

Priority specific objective: RSO2.6. Promoting the transition to a circular and resource efficient economy

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO2 A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility

Type of intervention: 067 Household waste management: prevention, minimisation, sorting, reuse, recycling measures

Partners (7)

Lead Partner: Università di Catania

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 02772010878 | PROFIT MAKING: False ~ STATUS PUBLIC: True

Department: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettrica, Elettronica e Informatica

Address: Piazza Università 2, 95131 Catania, Italy

Legal status: public

Organisation type: N.a.

Website: https://www.unict.it/

Total budget: EUR 370 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 329 300.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 89.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 40 700.00

قيادات مؤسسة

Name: قيادات مؤسسة

Partner’s ID if not PIC: RA-22302-HR | PROFIT MAKING: False ~ STATUS PUBLIC: False

Address: Ramallah, Palestine

Legal status: private

Organisation type: N.a.

Website: https://leadersinternational.org/

Total budget: EUR 324 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 288 360.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 89.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 35 640.00

Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Üniversitesi

Name: Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Üniversitesi

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 14608901 | PROFIT MAKING: False ~ STATUS PUBLIC: True

Address: Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Üniversitesi Rektörlüğü , 4800 Muğla, Turkey

Legal status: public

Organisation type: N.a.

Website: http://www.mu.edu.tr

Total budget: EUR 306 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 272 340.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 89.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 33 660.00

جمعية إدامة للطاقة والمياه والبيئة

Name: جمعية إدامة للطاقة والمياه والبيئة

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 2009045001 | PROFIT MAKING: False ~ STATUS PUBLIC: False

Address: El-Rawaby, Yousef El Sukkar Street Building No. 8Amman, Jordan

Legal status: private

Organisation type: N.a.

Website: https://edama.jo/

Total budget: EUR 357 500.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 318 175.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 89.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 39 325.00

American University of Beirut; الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت

Name: American University of Beirut; الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت

Department: Environment and sustainable development unit

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 123329 | PROFIT MAKING: False ~ STATUS PUBLIC: False

Address: Bliss StreetBeirut, Lebanon

Legal status: private

Organisation type: N.a.

Website: https://www.aub.edu.lb/pages/default.aspx

Total budget: EUR 406 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 361 340.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 89.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 44 660.00

Contractors:

Name: Moore Stephens Tabbal Limited
VAT registration or tax identification number: 305853-601

Agenzia nazionale per le nuove tecnologie, l'energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile

Name: Agenzia nazionale per le nuove tecnologie, l'energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile

Department: Dipartimento Sostenibilità dei Sistemi Produttivi e Territoriali

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 01320740580 | PROFIT MAKING: False ~ STATUS PUBLIC: True

Address: Lungotevere Thaon di Revel 76, 00196 Roma, Italy

Legal status: public

Organisation type: N.a.

Website (not verified): https://www.enea.it/en/

Total budget: EUR 370 200.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 329 478.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 89.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 40 722.00

FUNDACIÓ UNIVERSITÀRIA BALMES

Name: FUNDACIÓ UNIVERSITÀRIA BALMES

Department: Beta Technological Center

Partner’s ID if not PIC: G58020124 | PROFIT MAKING: False ~ STATUS PUBLIC: True

Address: C. Perot Rocaguinarda, 17, 08500 Vic, Spain

Legal status: public

Organisation type: N.a.

Website: https://betatechcenter.com/

Total budget: EUR 358 200.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 318 798.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 89.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 39 402.00

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Leaders Organization

Mediterranean Waste Innovations for Sustainable Environments

Partners and Projects info

Mugla Sitki Kocman University

Mediterranean Waste Innovations for Sustainable Environments

Partners and Projects info

EDAMA Association for Energy, Water, Environment

Mediterranean Waste Innovations for Sustainable Environments

Partners and Projects info

American University of Beirut

Mediterranean Waste Innovations for Sustainable Environments

Partners and Projects info

Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development

Mediterranean Waste Innovations for Sustainable Environments

Partners and Projects info

Balmes University Foundation

Mediterranean Waste Innovations for Sustainable Environments

Partners and Projects info

University of Catania, Department of Electric, Electronic and Computer Engineering

Mediterranean Waste Innovations for Sustainable Environments

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Mediterranean Waste Innovations for Sustainable Environments

Project acronym: MEDWISE~A_T_2.4_0393

Project ID: 00059

Project start date: 2025-07-17

Project end date: 2028-07-16

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

Enhancing soil sustainability: Unlocking efficient bio-based fertilizers from underutilized side streams (LANDFEED) - Horizon-JU-CBE-2023-IA-02 production of safe, sustainable, and efficient bio-based fertilizers to improve soil health and quality (EN) | MedWise will take advantage of the experience gained LANDFEED where a multi-user web-based Industrial Symbiosis (IS) Platform should be implemented by ENEA and supported by UNICTto facilitate agro-industrial residues management and their sustainable use for fertiliser production in an IS perspective. ENEA will use the experience in the developing of such kind of platforms, e.g., the Symbiosis® platform and the DECORUM platform. The IS Platform will integrate specific tools with the following functionalities:
▪ Explore all the possibilities of IS in agro-industrial districts;
▪ Check the compliance with environmental, health and technical standards and regulations;
▪ Provide a digital passport and guarantee the treaceability;
▪ Monitoring the supply chain in terms of sutainability and circularity.
On one hand, this output will be exploited in the MEDWISE project to engage stakeholders, build and extend IS networks, and practice IS round tables. On the other hand, it will serve as a starting point for the design of the MEDWISE IS platform, which will be developed and implemented with its own specific contents and tools. Moreover, the experience acquired with the pilot testing (considering several producers and several end users) within the Sicilian territory will support the MEDWISE activities on the management and valorization of urban organic waste with resource-efficient and circular approaches. (EN), Mediterranean Dialogue for Waste Management Governance (Med4Waste) - ENI CBC Med programme (EN) | ESDU-AUB will capitalize on the expertise acquired from the Med4Waste project across various dimensions:
Mediterranean Business Platform
Waste Management Policy Toolkit
Integrated Municipal Waste Management Plans
Med4Waste Awareness Campaigns
Circular Economy Approach
By leveraging the insights and accomplishments from Med4Waste, ESDU-AUB aims to enhance its initiatives in these specific realms. (EN), SURFOLY (EN) | ESDU-AUB will leverage the expertise acquired from SURFOLY projectin the following domains:
SURFOLY serves as a pioneering model of circular economy, converting olive oil by-products into premium-quality animal feed suitable for small ruminants, such as sheep and goats, in the Mediterranean area. Through the utilization of olive pomace, stones, and polyphenol-rich wastewater in an advanced pyrolysis procedure, SURFOLY generates biochar capable of absorbing pollutants and acting as a beneficial feed supplement. This feed not only enhances animal well-being and product quality but also mitigates methane emissions. The project seamlessly integrates these processes within mixed crop-livestock systems, where grazing ruminants aid in carbon sequestration within olive groves. This comprehensive approach not only fosters sustainable agriculture and bolsters the olive industry but also underscores significant environmental advantages, advocating for replication across various socio-economic landscapes throughout the MENA region.
By employing the circular economy framework to transform waste by-products, the project initiates a harmonized and sustainable approach. (EN), DECISIVE: A DECentralIzed management Scheme for Innovative Valorization of urban biowaste. H2020. 2016-2021 (EN) | MedWise will take advantage of several of the DECISIVE outcomes, particularly those associated with the social awareness of the proposed technologies:
Promoting citizens awareness about waste costs and values - a decision support tool to plan, design and assess efficient decentralised management networks for biowaste in urban areas.
As an important part of the DECISIVE project involved Spain and Italy, synergies can be established to join efforts in increasing social awareness and promote innovative decentralized solutions to waste management systems. (EN), SCOW: Selective collection of the organic waste in tourist areas. ENPI CBC MED Programme. 2013-2015 (EN) | Outputs to be exploited include:
- The already implemented Mediterranean Compost Network targeted biowaste managers and small-scale composting plants.
- Policy recommendations on the future biowaste regulatory framework at EU and Partners’ Countries level.
- Good Practices developed for small-scale composting plants.
MEDWISE will use all the available tools and developments of the Mediterranean Compost Network and will consider the policy recommendations and main outputs of SCOW project as baseline for the execution of the project (EN), Supporting Circular Economy Opportunities for Employment and Social Inclusion (SIRCLES),
ENI CBC Med Programmes by EU 2021-2023 (EN) | The main objective of the project is to promote social inclusion and combat poverty by providing underprivileged NEETs (youth not in employment, education, or training) and women with marketable skills based on circular economy business models applied to the hotel, food retail, and household sectors. It is estimated that the project will create 8 new jobs for NEETs and women in Aqaba, Jordan. These pilots will continue to develop circular economy business models and serve as ongoing training platforms, even after the project ends, fostering a sector expected to generate more opportunities in the future. Additionally, the project will facilitate job placements for vulnerable groups in new services created by the partners, primarily in waste management and farming. Beneficiaries include unemployed women of all ages and NEETs aged 18–24 at risk of exclusion, Aqaba’s civil-based organizations, and targeted hotels. Project outputs include promoting a cross-border network and establishing local mechanisms involving public, private, and civil society sectors to assist NEETs and women through supported employment schemes in circular economy jobs; delivering a training program for NEETs and women focusing on soft and hard skills related to biowaste management and entrepreneurship using both theoretical and on-the-job methods with digital tools; and implementing circular biowaste management pilots that create jobs and foster sustainable circular economy employment in partnering countries. (EN), GIMED: Green Impact MED Project - Positive Investments for Positive Impacts - ENI-CBC Med (EN) | The development of a green economy in the Mediterranean area to combat environmental degradation represents a great opportunity for jobs creation, particularly for young graduates and women who are three times less likely to be employed than men. Strengthening eco-innovative entrepreneurship is a recognised solution even though green ventures face a complex set of challenges including limited access to funding, underdeveloped markets and fragmented support from sector stakeholders. GIMED aimed at boosting the development of eco-innovative ventures to create employment and drive the green and circular economy in the Mediterranean. The project implemented a United Nations-backed ‘Green Entrepreneurship Standard’ that supported entrepreneurs in green economy to generate successful ventures those ventures a mark of quality to better access finance and markets. On the ground, the project trained and coached eco-innovators and encouraged financiers to invest in the Mediterranean eco-innovation sector. Some of the project’s beneficiaries were in the waste-management sector. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 2 491 900.00

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 2 217 791.00

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 89.00%

Co-financing sources:

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

Other On a strategic level, MedWISE aligns with several strategies and initiatives as outlined below:
- UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 12, 14, and 15: It aligns with these SDGs by promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns, conserving marine resources, and protecting terrestrial ecosystems. This is done through the dissemination of circular economy principles, waste reduction strategies, and sustainable resource management practices
- EU Circular Plastics Alliance: It synergizes with this initiative by promoting the circular economy of plastics and encouraging recycling and resource efficiency within municipalities
- European Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA): It complements ERMA's aim to diversify supply chains, create jobs, and foster innovation in the raw materials value chain by promoting resource-efficient practices, enhancing technology transfer, building the capacity of engineers and students, and boosting the recovery and recycling of critical raw materials.
- EU Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP): It aligns with CEAP's objective to reduce consumption footprints and increase circular material use by promoting circular economy principles, waste reduction, and material cycle optimization, contributing to the EU's circular economy targets.
- EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters: It synergizes with this mission by promoting sustainable practices that protect and restore ocean health. It complements this mission by increasing the adoption of innovative resource management solutions within the Mediterranean region resulting in polluted waterbodies
- Union for the Mediterranean Ministerial Declarations on Energy, Environment, and Climate Action: It aligns with these declarations by promoting clean waste management solutions, environmental protection, and climate action. It complements these efforts by implementing sustainable practices, fostering collaboration across borders, and contributing to a greener and more resilient Mediterranean region.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:
RCO 084 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects, Measurement unit:
RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:
RCO 081 - Participations in joint actions across borders, Measurement unit:

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 084 - Organisations cooperating across borders after project completion, Measurement unit:
RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:
RCR 085 - Participations in joint actions across borders after project completion, Measurement unit:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B NEXT Mediterranean Sea Basin (NEXT MED)

Latest month of project-partner-call data publication

2026-06

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

59 / 59 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

392 / 392 (100%)

Notes on the data

There are discrepancies in this programme's financial data in keep.eu. Namely, in one or more cases, the sum of the project partners' budgets exceeds the total budget of the respective project. Interact is working with the Programme to correct those figures.

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Mediterranean Waste Innovations for Sustainable Environments

Description

Thematic information

Partners (7)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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