Austria has one of the most efficient waste management systems in Europe.
The transformation to a circular economy requires enormous investments in energy-efficient processes, sustainable production systems and new business models.
The directive for waste electrical and electronic equipment is getting on in years. For some time now, Brussels has been working on a revision.
Currently, considerable quantities of critical raw materials are lost, as vehicle electronics have so far mainly been shredded together with end-of-life vehicles.
Growing material inventories make it difficult to close material cycles.
The expansion of electromobility is crucial for the decarbonisation of the transport sector.
Renewable energy accounted for 26.2% of the European Union's gross final energy consumption in 2025, according to provisional data from Eurostat.
The economic potential of the circular economy has not yet been exploited. The EEA's report "Unlocking the circular economy: investment needs, barriers and enabling conditions" aims to show how this can be changed.
World crude steel production for the 70 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (Worldsteel) was 155.7 million tonnes (Mt) in June 2026, a 1.7% increase compared to June 2025.
Energy-intensive industries are at the heart of European climate, environmental and industrial policy.
The consequences of climate change are increasingly affecting infrastructures, material flows and the supply of secondary raw materials.
In addition to the intended effects, measures to promote the circular economy can also have unintended effects that undermine political objectives or cause new conflicting goals.
According to Eurostat, environmental tax revenues in the EU amounted to 371.9 billion euros in 2024.
In its report "Scaling circular business models in Europe", the European Environment Agency (EEA) makes it clear that the circular economy in Europe is structurally underdeveloped despite political support and increasing investment in Europe.
The European Commission has presented an action plan for the electrification of Europe as well as proposals for the revision of the European emissions trading system.
Finnish researchers have investigated the efficiency of AI-supported sorting systems in building material recycling compared to conventional methods.
Engineering plastics pose special challenges for recycling.
The wear liner on a belt conveyor transfer point is essentially considered a sacrificial layer.
A study conducted by FH Münster in cooperation with BRT HARTNER has examined the influence of different material infeed systems on fire safety in sorting plants for lightweight packaging from the Dual System Germany (DSD).
The European research and innovation project PACE has launched a flagship initiative to demonstrate the industrial-scale production of bio-based chemicals from potato juice.
Residual waste sorting is becoming an increasingly important element of modern resource management.
