The transition to a circular economy is crucial for achieving sustainability, minimizing waste, and optimizing resource efficiency. The CIRC-UITS project introduces innovative digital tools that leverage AI-driven advisory systems and marketplace solutions to facilitate circularity across various industries, particularly in consumer electronics and automotive sectors.
AI-Powered Advisory for Circular Design
One of the central components of CIRC-UITS is its AI-powered advisory tool, which integrates several key digital solutions. This advisory system combines the Digital Twin (DT), GRETA sustainability assessment tool, and the Recycling and Circularity Simulation Tool (MARAS) to provide data-driven insights into product lifecycle management.
- Eco-design optimization – The advisory tool helps manufacturers refine their product designs by simulating various repair, reuse, and recycling scenarios.
- Decision-making support – Users can leverage multi-criteria decision-making methodologies to compare different design choices and optimize for circularity.
- End-of-life (EoL) management – The tool outlines repair and recycling pathways, suggesting the most sustainable strategies based on real-time KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).
By integrating AI-based simulation models, the advisory tool enhances manufacturers’ ability to design products with higher reusability and recyclability, ultimately reducing environmental impact.
AI-Driven Marketplace for Circular Supply Chains
Another breakthrough in CIRC-UITS is its marketplace tool, designed to connect End-of-Life (EoL) actors, such as recycling facilities and waste treatment plants, with Beginning-of-Life (BoL) actors, including appliance manufacturers.
Key Benefits of the Marketplace:
- Facilitating component reuse – The platform enables manufacturers to recover second-hand electronic components from recycling facilities, reducing the demand for virgin materials.
- Supporting sustainability goals – The marketplace helps EoL actors meet EU recycling targets for critical raw materials (CRM) and precious metals.
- Enhancing supply chain resilience – By reintegrating PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) and electronic parts into production, the marketplace reduces dependency on imports and strengthens local supply chains.
Functionality Highlights:
- Automated matching – AI-powered algorithms match available components from recyclers with manufacturer needs based on predefined sustainability criteria.
- Negotiation and smart contracts – The system uses blockchain-based smart contracts to facilitate secure transactions between buyers and sellers.
- Real-time monitoring – Users receive notifications about available components, ensuring they make informed purchasing decisions in line with sustainability goals.
AI and Circular Economy: A Synergistic Future
The CIRC-UITS platform represents a holistic approach to advancing the circular economy, blending AI-powered analytics, digital twins, and smart marketplaces. These tools empower businesses to optimize resource efficiency, reduce waste, and promote sustainable production and consumption patterns.
By integrating AI into decision-making and market interactions, CIRC-UITS sets a new standard for circularity, ensuring that industries can move beyond traditional recycling and embrace intelligent, data-driven sustainability solutions.