The European Union promotes recycling to reduce plastic waste and reduce the use of virgin plastics. Chemical recycling can be an important complement to this, especially for hard-to-recycle plastic waste.

High metal prices, rising energy and transport costs, and increasing trade restrictions are putting pressure on the international non-ferrous metal recycling industry.

The hoped-for recovery of the European plastic recycling market after the summer break has so far failed to materialize.

The international steel scrap market is facing significant changes. While demand for recycled steel is growing in key sales markets, new European export restrictions could disrupt established trade flows.

European waste paper markets are seeing rising prices, even though demand from the paper and packaging industry remains subdued.

The European plastics industry is under massive pressure to transform: While politicians and industry want to push ahead with the expansion of circular material flows, Europe is increasingly losing competitiveness in production, recycling capacities and investments.

A survey of 10,245 adults in 12 European countries shows Fast Tech is widely owned, while many devices are kept at home or misdisposed.

Novelis and Beiersdorf now produce the Nivea Creme tin with 95 per cent recycled aluminium, lowering the carbon footprint of the packaging.

The European Demolition Association has published guidance on assessing, monitoring and controlling dust during demolition projects.

The transformation to a climate-neutral economy requires cooperation.

PreZero Lamesch is commissioning an automated sorting plant for commercial and industrial waste in Bettembourg, Luxembourg.

While the decarbonization efforts of the European steel industry are faltering, new production capacities are emerging in other regions of the world that are explicitly designed for export to Europe.

EU food waste reached 57.9 million tonnes in 2024. Households accounted for more than half of the total.

As in the rest of Europe, the plastics recycling sector in the UK is struggling with the economic situation.

World crude steel production for the 70 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (Worldsteel) was 144.2 million tonnes (Mt) in August 2026, a 1.2% decrease compared to August 2025.