ASSOCIATION OF CITIES AND REGIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Their core work

ACR+ is a European network of cities and regions focused on sustainable waste management and circular economy policy. They help local and regional authorities design better waste collection systems, implement public procurement for resource efficiency, and transition toward circular bioeconomy models. Their practical role in EU projects is translating research results into actionable strategies for municipalities — bridging the gap between technical innovation and urban waste policy implementation.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2015-2018, ACR+ focused broadly on waste management infrastructure — paper collection, bulky waste recycling, tourism waste, and public procurement for waste treatment. From 2020 onward, their work narrowed sharply toward urban circular bioeconomy: biowaste valorisation, food waste reduction, wastewater recovery, and investment models for circular cities. The shift signals a move from general waste policy toward financially viable circular bioeconomy implementation at the city level.

ACR+ is moving from advising cities on waste management toward helping them build investment-ready circular bioeconomy infrastructure, making them increasingly relevant for projects that need municipal buy-in and financial engineering.

How they like to work

ACR+ operates almost exclusively as a participant (10 of 11 projects), with only one coordination role (PPI4Waste, a smaller CSA). They work in large consortia — 210 unique partners across 28 countries — suggesting they function as a network amplifier, bringing municipal perspectives and dissemination reach rather than leading technical development. Their consistent participation across many different consortia makes them a reliable, low-risk partner for projects needing local authority engagement.

ACR+ has collaborated with 210 unique partners across 28 countries, making them one of the more broadly connected associations in the waste and circular economy space. Their Brussels base and membership network give them reach across virtually all EU member states.

What sets them apart

ACR+ represents the municipal voice in circular economy research — they are not a research lab or a company, but a network of cities and regions that can mobilize local authorities as pilot sites, policy testbeds, and early adopters. This makes them uniquely valuable for any project that needs to demonstrate urban-scale implementation or influence waste policy. Few organizations can offer both pan-European municipal reach and deep technical knowledge of waste management systems.

Highlights from their portfolio

• HOOP
  Largest funding (EUR 648,750) and most ambitious scope — a platform for circular city investments in biowaste and wastewater valorisation, running until 2025.
• PPI4Waste
  Their only coordinated project, focused on public procurement of innovation for waste treatment — reflects their core institutional competence.
• DECISIVE
  Longest-running project (2016-2021) on decentralized biowaste valorisation, bridging their early waste work with their current circular bioeconomy focus.