Renewable carbon is considered a key to freeing the plastics and chemical industries from fossil raw materials. At the same time, it forms an important basis for the future of the recycling industry. Current EU regulations set hurdles for bio-based raw materials, for the use of CO₂ and for new recycling methods. The Renewable Carbon Initiative's analysis "Policy barriers for renewable carbon uptake" shows where regulatory regulations are slowing down investment.

Incorrectly disposed lithium-ion batteries are creating an increasing fire risk for Europe's waste management and recycling sector.

The international recycling industry has urged policymakers to adopt clear and harmonised rules for the transboundary movement of used textiles under the Basel Convention.

In a recent report, Zero Waste Europe warns that the EU is also setting the wrong incentives with its textile strategy.

Recycling Europe issues a warning about the structural issues endangering European plastic recycling.

Biogenic waste is one of the largest sources of raw materials in the European circular economy, which has so far been underestimated. Food residues, wood waste, sewage sludge and agricultural residues accumulate in enormous quantities, but are still often incinerated or landfilled. The study "Assessing the potential to enhance the circularity of bio-based waste" by Magellan Circle and 3drivers shows that more than half of these materials could be used in a higher quality. To achieve this, better separate collection, new recycling technologies and clear political framework conditions for a circular bioeconomy are crucial.

Incorrect waste separation is a major obstacle to high-quality recycling in Europe. With the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, the EU is striving for uniform symbols for the first time.

The Endfouling project is investigating how organic waste generated in ports can be converted into bio-based additives that help prevent marine biofouling on ships and other submerged structures.

DEScycle has commissioned its first demonstration plant at the Wilton Centre in Teesside, marking the first industrial deployment of the company's distributed metals processing platform.

The use of fiber composites is growing rapidly worldwide. However, with increasing production, energy consumption, material losses and waste volumes are also increasing significantly. The study "Mapping the global flow of fiber-reinforced polymer composites and supply chain energy requirements" by American scientists shows in detail how much energy is actually required for the production of composites, where large quantities of production waste are generated along the supply chain, and why recycling has so far only played a minor role. The study was published in "Resources, Conservation & Recycling".

The European composite recycling sector is entering a decisive phase.

The Fraunhofer institutes for Chemical Technology, Computer Graphics Research and Mechanics of Materials, together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability, have reached an important milestone in the research project "Technology Platform for Tire Abrasion and the Identification of Its Emissions in Road Traffic (TERIS)".