Michael Brunn

The regulation introduces new operational requirements, including mandatory electronic submission and exchange of information, as well as stricter rules for completing Annex VII documentation prior to shipment.

The opening ceremony, scheduled for Monday, May 4, at 10 a.m. on the Blue Stage at the Munich exhibition center, will be conducted jointly with the Management Board of Messe München. Confirmed participants include Germany's Federal Minister for the Environment Carsten Schneider, EU Commissioner Jessika Roswall and Bavaria's State Minister for the Environment Thorsten Glauber.

The report was commissioned by the European Container Glass Federation (FEVE) and carried out with operational support from members of the European Federation of Glass Recycling Companies (FERVER).

The material was produced at Cylib's pilot facility in Aachen using the company's water-based OLiC (Optimised Lithium and Graphite Recovery) process. According to the company, the recycling process enables the recovery of lithium in a quality that meets industrial specifications for battery production. The successful qualification confirms that recycled lithium carbonate from end-of-life batteries can be reintegrated into established battery manufacturing processes.

The location is operated on a carbon-neutral basis and is regarded as the first carbon-neutral scrap yard in Germany. An important component of this approach is the electrically powered Sennebogen EQ-Balancer, which has been in operation since May 2023.

Stadler has carried out the comprehensive upgrade of the Bizkaiko Zabor Berziklategia facility. The modernized plant was inaugurated on 27 January 2026 in the presence of representatives from BZB, Ecoembes and regional institutions. The upgrade focuses on increased capacity, a higher degree of automation and enhanced digital process control, enabling more efficient sorting and improved material quality.

Excavator operator Vítězslav Weis has been employed at Kovosrot Group. for more than 15 years. His responsibilities include sorting and loading scrap, feeding scrap shears and carrying out basic maintenance work. In daily operation, the Sennebogen 830 G is used for truck and rail wagon loading, handling different metal fractions and supplying material to the shear. The machine is operated in extended shifts and is designed for continuous use in demanding yard conditions, where fast response times and precise control are essential for efficient workflows.

The newly selected participants include local and regional authorities from Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Europe. Five of the selected authorities are members of ICLEI Europe, among them the municipalities of Aalborg in Denmark, Belfast in the United Kingdom, Braga in Portugal, Pescara in Italy and Tirana in Albania.

A study conducted by IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, TERRA and Swedish Plastic Recycling has been published in The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment and analyses the climate impact of different plastic packaging waste treatment methods in a Swedish context. The findings highlight significant differences between recycling approaches currently applied in Europe and point to potential implications for EU climate and circular economy legislation.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is one of the fastest-growing waste recycling streams. It covers anything with a plug, power cord or battery that has been disposed of.