Countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are experiencing increasing pressure from population growth, urbanization, and increasing consumption, leading to higher waste generation and management challenges (World Bank et al., 2026). Waste from municipal, industrial, and extractive sectors poses environmental and public health risks (Belyamani et al., 2025). The region produces approximately 155 million tons of waste annually, averaging 0.9 kg per capita per day, surpassing the global average. Over two-thirds of this waste is mismanaged, causing significant pollution, particularly in the Mediterranean Sea, which suffers from high levels of plastic leakage. Recycling and treatment rates are below 10%, despite collection rates nearing 80% (World Bank et al., 2026).
The MEDWISE Project
To address these challenges, the Mediterranean Waste Innovations for Sustainable Environments (MEDWISE) project has been launched as a collaborative initiative to promote sustainable and circular waste management solutions across the region. Funded by the European Union under the Interreg NEXT MED Program, MEDWISE will run from July 2025 to July 2028.
The project aims to accelerate the transition toward a circular and resource-efficient economy by improving the management and reuse of organic waste. It combines technological innovation, policy dialogue, and capacity building to develop scalable and adaptable solutions across diverse Mediterranean contexts.
Key Innovation Strategies
- AI-Powered Waste Sorting
Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative AI, offers transformative potential for waste management systems and promotes the shift to a circular economy.
AI-driven tools can support efficient waste sorting, optimize material use, and enhance recycling processes. Chatbots powered by AI assist people in sorting waste and streamlining environmental initiatives. AI also aids in the creation of items with closed material loops that are reusable and repairable. The use of materials is further optimized through machine learning and big data, significantly reducing waste.
Generative AI has enormous potential to transform waste management across all industries by replacing outdated methods with more intelligent, and resource-efficient ones (Snoun et al., 2025).
- Industrial Symbiosis
The optimization of materials and resources, waste recycling, and reduced emissions can all be achieved with the help of industrial symbiosis (IS). Industrial symbiosis promotes collaboration among industries by enabling the use of one company’s waste or byproducts as another’s raw materials. This approach enhances resource efficiency, reduces emissions, and creates economic value. By facilitating the exchange of materials, energy, and water, industrial symbiosis supports sustainable industrial development while advancing circular economy principles (Chowdhury et al., 2025).
- Decentralized Composting Systems
Decentralized composting, or community-based composting, is the process of diverting and composting biowaste in a regulated operational environment inside a neighborhood. This approach reduces the expense and effort of transporting waste for processing and treatment, as well as the need to build new disposal facilities. It can also facilitate the local reuse of organic matter, foster small-scale local businesses, and lower the cost of purchasing commercial fertilizer. Additionally, due to effective waste separation, the finished compost product is of higher quality. Policymakers are therefore paying some attention to community composting because they see it as a sensible implementation (Bruni et al.,2020).
Looking Toward a Circular Mediterranean Future!
MEDWISE represents a strategic step toward transforming waste management systems in the Mediterranean. By integrating innovation, collaboration, and practical implementation, the project aims to reduce environmental impacts, improve resource efficiency, and unlock new economic opportunities. As waste generation continues to rise, initiatives like MEDWISE will be essential in driving the transition toward a circular, sustainable, and resilient Mediterranean future.
Get to Know More about the MEDWISE project.
References
Belyamani, I. (2025). Artificial intelligence in waste management systems: Applications, challenges, and prospects. Waste Management Bulletin, 100269.
Snoun, A., Mufida, M. K., El-Cadi, A. A., & Delot, T. (2025). AI-Driven Innovations in Waste Management: Catalyzing the Circular Economy. Engineering Proceedings, 97(1), 12.
Chowdhury, S. R., Mitra, B., Ghannam, M., Kumar, U., Rahman, S. M., & Mozumder, M. S. (2025). Symbiosis, zero-waste goal and resource-sharing potential for UAE industries. Journal of Environmental Management, 380, 125128.
Bruni, C., Akyol, Ç., Cipolletta, G., Eusebi, A. L., Caniani, D., Masi, S., … & Fatone, F. (2020). Decentralized community composting: past, present and future aspects of Italy. Sustainability, 12(8), 3319.
Written by Mireille Zeineldine, Agricultural Engineer.