The grant of €88,366 awarded to the Basque startup aims to reduce food waste through digitization processes based on innovation in the logistics of perishable goods.
The grant comes from FEDER funds and is part of the Basque Government’s program for innovative eco-design and circular economy projects in Basque industry, managed by Ihobe.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), more than one-third of the world’s food production is wasted each year, amounting to approximately 1.7 billion tons, with an economic cost of 730 million euros. A considerable portion of this waste occurs during transportation and distribution. The devices currently used in logistics to monitor key conditions for preserving perishable goods, such as temperature, are mostly single-use. This means they are simple devices, lacking real-time reporting capabilities and limited to measuring a few parameters. As a result, current devices only allow companies to find out after the fact if conditions during transport were not optimal, by which time the products may have already been damaged.
To solve this problem, the Basque company ARCTIC SEA designed and commercialized reusable dataloggers for measuring parameters in the logistics of perishable goods. After use, the devices are collected from anywhere in the world and returned to ARCTIC SEA. This not only reduces electronic waste but also allows the incorporation of more advanced technology into the device. The next step of this initiative takes shape in the CLCircular project, aimed at exploiting these new capabilities. As part of this project, the devices have been improved, and features have been added that allow real-time monitoring of parameters throughout the logistics chain: temperature, humidity, shocks, door openings, and geolocation. This allows logistics companies to be alerted the moment the parameters fall outside the optimal range, enabling them to act quickly and rectify the situation, thereby avoiding the loss of cargo.
As a combination of the device and specific software for remote management, the project integrates various digital solutions, such as real-time monitoring with IoT sensors, Blockchain traceability, Big Data / Business Intelligence, emission measurement, and smart labelling.
The strong conviction behind this proposal is based on a circular economy model grounded in reuse and servitization, enabling user companies to simultaneously reduce their environmental impact and economic costs, thereby improving the sustainability of their operations and competitiveness.
The CLCircular project represents an innovative solution to combat food waste and enhance sustainability in the logistics of perishable goods. Through the use of reusable IoT sensors, CLCircular enables real-time monitoring of key factors such as temperature, humidity, and geolocation, reducing the risk of damage during transportation and facilitating an immediate response to any anomalies.
In addition to preventing product loss, the integration of Blockchain technology ensures secure and transparent traceability throughout the supply chain. This is crucial not only for regulatory compliance but also for providing consumers with greater confidence in the quality and freshness of the transported food products.
The circular economy approach adopted by CLCircular benefits companies by reducing both waste and costs, while also supporting global sustainability goals. By reusing sensors and optimizing logistics processes, companies can minimize their environmental footprint, aligning with current demands for social and environmental responsibility.
