The sorter uses hyperspectral imaging (HSI) instead of near-infrared technology. The HSI camera records high-resolution images and provides detailed information on material characteristics. All sensor data - including NIR, colour, 3D and metal detection - is processed via a sensor-fusion concept. The raw data is evaluated directly without additional interfaces, enabling loss-free data transfer to the detection algorithm, which is trained on extensive datasets.

For non-ferrous recyclers, CMR Green serves as a strong example of how reliable sorting performance can be achieved even under demanding Indian conditions such as high temperatures, dust, heterogeneous material streams and fluctuating quality. The company's latest success is built on advanced sensor-based sorting systems from Steinert, which deliver precise material separation and high recovery rates.

Aimed at those metal recyclers who shred and process end-of-life vehicles, household appliances and other metal wastes, it concerns the landfilling of metal shredder residue (MSR).

Of this, 35 million tons, or 92 percent, was used as building materials and fertilizers, as well as in other applications. This prevented the extraction of 40 million tons of natural rock and the emission of 11,4 million tons of CO2 across Europe. Between 2000 and 2024, this will amount to a total of 1.21 billion tons of natural rock and 319 million tons of CO2.

Europe's material footprint has been growing rapidly. In 2022, an average EU resident purchased over 32 kg of electrical and electronic equipment and 19 kg of textiles, and generated nearly 5 tonnes of waste.

The Strategy confirms the Commission's vision: replacing fossil-based materials with sustainable biobased solutions, scaling industrial deployment across value chains, and creating predictable demand conditions for innovative materials, including bioplastics. It also embeds biobased plastics within a coherent PPWR architecture, by committing to adopt, in 2027, criteria and targets for biobased plastics— a milestone that can provide much-needed regulatory clarity and long-term investment certainty. We also applaud the approach taken in the strategy to support biobased plastics in complementary with recycled content targets and coherently across sectors and applications.

Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) welcomes the EU Bioeconomy Strategy's vision of a bioeconomy that "strengthens resilience, ensures food security, and protects Europe's ecosystems". However, while the strategy presents opportunities to advance Europe's bioeconomy, it currently lacks the ambitious targets and safeguards needed to deliver real environmental and social impact.

The auditors found that the current recycling market faces challenges, separate waste collection remains at a very low level in some cases, and the disposal tariffs that citizens are charged do not necessarily cover all waste management costs.

ESWET welcomes this ambition and considers the initiative an important milestone in the EU's path towards climate-neutrality and resource efficiency.

Today's revised Bioeconomy Strategy makes some headway but falls short on giving a clear vision for a European bioeconomy that operates within planetary boundaries, says ECOS. This risks continuing the degradation of resources (such as forests, soils, farmland, and water systems) instead of steering the bioeconomy towards resilience and circularity.

Eva Bille, Head of Circular Economy at the EEB, said: "Instead of setting a strategy that confronts Europe's excessive demand for resources, the Commission clings to the illusion that we can simply replace our current consumption with bio-based inputs, overlooking the serious and immediate harm this will inflict on people and nature."

By using renewable biological resources from land and sea and providing alternatives to critical raw materials, the EU will move forward towards a more circular and decarbonised economy and can decrease dependence on fossil imports.

A major European research initiative coordinated by Fraunhofer Umsicht has been launched to develop integrated solutions for textile waste recycling.

Scheduled for commissioning in August 2027, the plant will be the most advanced MSW treatment facility in Latin America, setting a new standard for technological excellence and circular resource recovery.

Over the past legislative cycle, the EU introduced ambitious circular economy measures, yet the absence of strong market signals, predictable demand and a coherent industrial policy has limited their overall impact.

The BIR expresses concern regarding the announcement made last week by European Commission Executive Vice-President for Trade, Maroš Šefčovič, on the launch of preparatory work on a new trade measure targeting recycled aluminium exports from the European Union, with a formal proposal expected in spring 2026.

The hours spent training production and maintenance teams can lead to variable results. They might just tick the boxes without providing a return on investment. Or they can enhance safety, foster team building, and develop a deep understanding of the equipment that boosts efficiency and uptime.

The European PET value chain encourages the adoption of the pr EN18120 series for design for recycling and recyclability assessment protocols for plastics packaging developed by CEN TC261/SC4/WG10 Design for Recycling (DfR) standards for plastic packaging, developed under the European Commission's mandate.

Haelixa's DNA marker is applied directly to post-industrial and post-consumer waste, before shredding, staying intact through New Focus Textiles' mechanical recycling process. The non-toxic DNA marker, which is derived from Swiss mountain herbs, is a permanent tag, and cannot be removed or copied, remaining embedded throughout spinning, weaving, dyeing, and finishing.

The project, Beyond Single-Use Plastics: Processing Innovation Driving Sustainable Pharmaceutical Packaging (SusPack), is coordinated by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and delivered by a consortium of 12 partners. SusPack focuses on industry-led innovation to advance sustainable medicines manufacturing in the UK, addressing waste reduction, emissions control, and energy efficiency. The project has been awarded funding under the Innovate UK Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Programme (SMMIP) Grand Challenge.