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As the automotive industry accelerates its transition towards electric vehicles (EVs), the focus on sustainable practices has never been more critical. Central to this evolution is the lifecycle management of EV batteries, which poses both opportunities and challenges.

Nextek and Coveris have announced a partnership to transform the mechanical recycling of flexible films with the COtooCLEAN process Together, they aim to convert post-consumer polyolefin (PE & PP) packaging waste into high-quality food-grade recycled resins and films.

Vianode has launched the first high-performance solution based on recycled graphite as part of its next-generation material series. The product is based on recycled battery-grade graphite and designed to meet growing demand for sustainable electric vehicle (EV) and battery manufacturing.

To meet the legal requirements for the recycled content of nickel, cobalt, and lithium in new batteries, Duesenfeld has developed a sustainable recycling process to counteract the increasing quantities of waste from battery production, especially electrode scrap.

In recent years, sorting centres have seen a gradual transformation of their waste input stream. They are now faced with larger incoming volumes with more complex materials that are therefore more difficult to sort. At the same time, the legislative framework imposes increasingly ambitious recycling targets.

The OECD Environment working paper “Extended producer responsibility in the garments sector” aims to assess the potential of an extended producer responsibility approach to achieve the goal of a circular economy in the apparel sector.

In a new report commissioned by the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Nordic Working Group for Circular Economy, Sweco recommends the governments of Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland, as well as the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland, to implement more systematic waste prevention strategies to achieve regional and national sustainability goals. The report outlines practical measures to strengthen the circular economy in the Nordics, with a particular focus on waste prevention and reuse.

This initiative is in line with the work the Thermoform team is carrying out in the CEN Standardization WG.

Japanese metal recycler Matec has recently commissioned one of the world’s most advanced processing plants for shredder residue from end-of-life vehicles (ASR) in Tomakomai, near Sapporo. This plant is the largest of its kind in the country, with an annual throughput of 30,000 tonnes. Matec relies on sorting technologies from Steinert to efficiently separate different material streams.

A new report by Bankwatch, Za Zemiata and Zelena Akcija, in collaboration with Zero Waste Europe, reveals that current EU budget allocations for circular economy and municipal waste management measures are insufficient to help central and eastern European countries catch up with the EU’s decarbonisation targets.

The event drew together some leading names and brands in metal recycling to discuss the opportunities, challenges and future direction of the global industry.

Construction, renovation and demolition waste (CRD) accounts for about one third of all the waste produced worldwide. Using circular economy methods, waste and the associated environmental impacts can be significantly reduced. Various countries use a number of methods to achieve this aim. The study “Review of national policy instruments motivating circular construction”, conducted by Canadian scientists, analysed a range of instruments applied in 19 countries. The study was published in the journal “Resources, Conservation & Recycling”.