PLUG-AND-PLAY 2 ZERO-WASTE

Innovation snapshot

PLUG-AND-PLAY 2 ZERO-WASTE is a novel system designed to eliminate single-use plastic waste at festivals and tourist destinations. The model integrates a sustainable cleaning infrastructure with bio-based, reusable cups and glass bottles to support reuse onsite and sustainable alternatives towards zero-waste.

Developed as part of the REMEDIES project, the innovation targets high-waste areas by introducing practical, scalable solutions for event sustainability. It provides event-specific customization options and seamless integration into existing event logistics across the hospitality and entertainment sectors.

Related REMEDIES pillars: Prevention and Zero-Waste Solutions

Partner(s)/Owner(s): Alchemia-nova Greece

Other partners involved: ANGR, Bio-Mi, AITIIP, CIBOS, NTUA

Made for: Festival organizers, catering companies, venue operators concert halls, trade shows, exhibition centers, co-labs hotels, campsites, resorts, theme parks, tourist attractions, beach bars, canteens, terminals, ports, marinas

Technology maturity: Demonstrator for high-traffic venues at the Sea Star Festival Demo Site and small-scale prototype introduced to Mykonos, Greece

Commercial relevance: Designed for organisations that need a scalable, circular system for reducing plastic waste at events and in high-traffic venues

Watch the REMEDIES – Bio-based Cups for PLUG-AND-PLAY 2 ZERO-WASTE video:

The challenge it addresses

Current resource consumption levels at festivals, tourism hotspots and outdoor gatherings are unsustainable, as is the amount of waste produced. The demonstrators focus on the 0.5L beer glass, identified as the most frequently discarded item and responsible for over 70% of event-generated waste, and the plastic 0.5L water bottle, which is a major polluter at tourism hotspots and water-stressed destinations across the Mediterranean Sea basin.

• Infrastructure and logistics: many festivals and tourist hubs lack the facilities and infrastructural capacity to support smooth reuse and efficient integration with existing event logistics.
• Financial costs: reuse systems interventions require initial investment, preventing operators and organizers from opting for more sustainable options.
• Consumer behavior: encouraging attendees to return reusable cups remains a challenge in large-scale settings.
• Stakeholder coordination: successful implementation requires collaboration between vendors, sponsors, organizers and waste management entities.

PLUG-AND-PLAY 2 ZERO-WASTE large-scale cleaning infrastructure with exterior design and onsite installation.

The solution

The PLUG-AND-PLAY 2 ZERO-WASTE system offers a scalable, circular solution that integrates mobile cleaning infrastructure, bio-based reusable cups and bottles, and smart tracking via a mobile app. Designed for seamless event integration, the system enables efficient onsite reuse with nature-based water treatment, real-time monitoring and stakeholder coordination.

Unlike traditional reuse models, the solution addresses the logistical burden of transporting reusables off-site. Its decentralized, closed-loop cleaning infrastructure enables safe and hygienic treatment of reusable cups and bottles directly at the point of service.

Outside and inside views of the large-scale system, fully-equipped for efficient and hygienic treatment of reusables at the point of service

Unique value proposition

• Scalability & Flexibility: adaptable to different event sizes and industry-specific needs across the hospitality and entertainment sectors.
• Circular Reuse System: safe and hygienic treatment of reusable packaging directly at the point of service enabling  collection, cleaning and redistribution, minimizing environmental impact.
• Smart Monitoring & Transparency:both consumers and organizers can track material cycles, reuse rates and environmental impact through an intuitive app and web platform.
• Customization & Accessibility: designed to ease integration, accelerate the transition toward zero-waste and bring together relevant stakeholders for a joint strategy.

 

Sea Star Festival setup for bio-based reusable cups

 

Technical characteristics

• Plug-and-play Reusables Cleaning Infrastructure: resource-efficient decentralized cleaning infrastructures for consistent, safe and hygienic high-volume reuse at the point of service with cleanign capacity of over 2.000 items per hour with vertECO® technology.
• Reusable Cups: 0.5L reusable  cups for beer, designed for over 100 uses,  made by biodegradable bio-polyesters, compliant with EU Regulation 10/2011. End-of-life plans support both mechanical recycling or industrial composting. 
• Reusable Bottles: 0.3L glass bottles, ISO 22000 TÜV HELLAS.
• UX/UI Smart Tracking: NFC/QR/Barcode scanning for user identification, performance tracking and integration with business operations, enabling real-time monitoring and management.

Technical demonstration of the reusables washing-line, illustrating the pre-washing and special track loading

Function of the vertECO® Green Wall

The vertECO® Green Wall is a nature-based water treatment system that can recover and treat up to 80% of greywater for reuse in secondary applications. Greywater generated during washing is directed to the green wall, where it is naturally treated through a combination of filtration, adsorption, and plant-based biological processes. 

The system consists of two parallel treatment units planted with more than 100 carefully selected wetland plants, including Broadleaf Cattail (Typha latifolia) and Yellow Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus). Together with naturally occurring microorganisms around their root systems, these plants remove organic matter, surfactants, and suspended solids from the water. The plants are bi-weekly monitored and variables like pH, EC and turbidity  are continuously measured to ensure optimal plant health.  No nutrient deficiencies or signs of water stress have been observed, showcasing the effective use of water and nutrients.

Almost one year after installation, the plants are thriving despite seasonal extremes, including intense summer heat and cold winter conditions. Most plants have outgrown their pots and show vigorous new vegetation, with vibrant leaf color, dense foliage coverage, and minimal signs of stress. A small population of Pseudococcidae/ Coccoidea was observed in the lower middle section of the plantation, likely due to reduced air circulation and rising spring temperatures. Manual removal with clean water has kept the population under control. The system demonstrates stable performance and strong adaptability across varying temperature ranges, achieving high survival and recovery capacity.

Photographic records of one-year plant growth of the vertECO® system (May 2025–2026).

 

Artistic integration

Through the REMEDIES Artists’ & Researchers’ Residencies, the containerized system became more than technical infrastructure. A local street artist transformed the façade into a biodiversity-themed mural. The artwork connects the industrial unit with ecological storytelling, using flowers, plants and vivid colours to show what is protected when single-use plastics are rejected. This makes the anti-SUP message visible, accessible and aligned with the festive setting.

Artistic intervention on the containerized system, linking reuse infrastructure with ecological storytelling

System components and operation

The system combines cleaning infrastructure for reusables as a service, material development, injection molding, mobile application support and water quality monitoring and evaluation. This structure allows the solution to operate as a practical zero-waste model for events and seasonal operations.

• Collection: reusable cups and bottles are returned and prepared for washing.
• Cleaning: onsite infrastructure enables safe and hygienic treatment directly at the venue.
• Redistribution: cleaned reusables are placed back into circulation.
• Monitoring: the mobile application supports tracking, user identification, performance data and operational transparency.

Sea Star Festival reusable cups guide to festival goers. Source: seastarfestival
Instagram Campaign 24/05/2026

The DRS app is the digital layer of PLUG-AND-PLAY 2 ZERO-WASTE, connecting the reusable cups and bottles, the points of service and the cleaning infrastructure into one trackable loop. Through a web platform for organizers and a mobile app for on-site staff and attendees, it runs and measures the reuse process during an event: organizers set up the event and its reuse rules, attendees join with a personal code, and every cup exchange is logged with a quick scan. The result is a reuse scheme that organizers can plan, operate and prove with data, and that attendees can follow as the event runs.

• Setup and rules: organizers define the bars (points of service), the cups and bottles provided, and the reuse rules, such as how many cups a person can hold or return.
• Cup exchanges: staff distribute a first cup, swap a used one for a clean one, or collect a final return, each logged instantly.
• Live tracking: cups distributed, swapped (reuses) and returned are measured per bar and per attendee, and remain available during and after the event.
• Value: organizers gain operational control and impact metrics for reporting and sponsors, while attendees get a simple experience and a view of their own contribution that encourages the return behavior reuse depends on.

 

DRS Application in use during SeaStar Festival

Field demonstration and stakeholder engagement

The demonstrator for high-traffic venues was launched at the Sea Star Festival Demo Site, while a small-scale prototype was introduced to Mykonos, Greece to facilitate reuse at beach-bar operations. Both applications align with the third pillar of the REMEDIES program: Prevention and Zero-Waste Solutions.

The solution is relevant for a joint strategy across the Mediterranean Sea basin, especially where events, hospitality operations and tourism hotspots need to reduce single-use plastic waste while maintaining hygiene, efficiency and user convenience.

App user scanning their personal QR-code at an info point in SeaStar Festival

To further validate the solution under real operating conditions, pilot demonstrations were conducted in Thessaloniki, Athens, and Nafplio between April and May 2026, engaging stakeholders from the hospitality, cultural, and service sectors. The demonstrations took place in real business environments, including restaurants, art galleries, and co-working spaces, allowing businesses and consumers to evaluate both the technical performance and the user experience through hands-on testing.

The trials confirmed the operational feasibility, adaptability, and user acceptance of the reuse solution across a wide range of applications and real-life contexts. Feedback collected from participants informed further optimisation of both the reusable cup service and its digital Deposit Return System (DRS), while demonstrating the solution’s strong potential for replication and wider deployment in urban environments next to tourism destinations.

Hands-on demonstrations realized in Nafplio, Thessaloniki and Athens between April and May 2026

Who can use it

• Beverage suppliers and event organizers: ensuring compliance with sustainable practices and reducing event-related waste.
• Cultural managers and venue operators: implementing reuse systems to enhance sustainability efforts.
• Municipalities and expo organizers: supporting local zero-waste initiatives and green infrastructure development.
• Resorts, campsites, water-stressed locations and islands: introducing practical reuse infrastructure where waste prevention and water efficiency are priorities.
• Festival attendees and tourists: accessing plastic-free alternatives for large-scale events.
• Sponsors, funders and investors: supporting a scalable sustainability solution with a clear exploitation pathway and high visibility in public-facing venues.

Deployment and exploitation pathway

The adoption and expansion of PLUG-AND-PLAY 2 ZERO-WASTE follows several strategic pathways:

1. Leasing Model: event organizers can lease the system tailored to their needs, offering flexibility in implementation.
2. Investment in Reuse Systems: businesses and municipalities investing in circular economy infrastructure can integrate this system for long-term sustainability.
3. Promotion & Advisory Services: case studies will be developed to attract investment and provide consultancy on effective reuse models.
4. Scalable Deployment: the system can be expanded to new locations based on demand, enabling broader adoption across different industries.

Public event setting showing the scale of high-traffic venue applications

Discover more and contact

Alchemia-nova Greece: https://alchemia-nova.gr/ 

Contact for further information: info@remedies.com

During a six-week demonstration at Lia Beach in Mykonos, the system achieved an 83% reuse rate without the implementation of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in the beach bar application. On-site dishwashing, sanitising, and drying of reusable cups and bottles were successfully carried out with low energy and water consumption. By reaching Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7, the demonstration enabled the beach bar to avoid the use of more than 4,000 cups and approximately 5,000 bottles, preventing around 70 kg of plastic waste from reaching the beach. In addition, GRETA™ enabled the reclamation of more than 80% of the water used in the washing process, significantly improving water efficiency.