Circular Economy News – Week 13
Summary about last week (13)
- In 2023, EU27’s Ferrous Scrap Exports Nearly Reached an All-Time High 🌍
- Global E-Waste Generation is Outpacing Recycling Capabilities, with 62 Million Tonnes Recorded in 2022 📱
- 4–9% of All Textiles in Europe, Totaling 264,000 to 594,000 Tonnes Annually, Are Destroyed Before Reaching Consumers 🧵
- The EU’s Environment Committee Has Approved the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation 📦
- Solar Panel Waste Expected to Exceed 500,000 Tonnes ☀️
- The Growing Challenge of Insurance for Waste Managers 💸
- Austria’s 2023 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Dropped by 5.3% 🌱
📫 newsletter signup for early & regular updates 👉 click-me
1. In 2023, EU27’s ferrous scrap exports nearly reached an all-time high 🌍
🔗 link
In 2023, EU27’s ferrous scrap exports nearly reached an all-time high, with 18.9 million tonnes shipped to non-EU countries, marking the second-largest volume since 1999. Despite a slight decrease in exports to Turkey, substantial increases to India and the USA contributed to this near-record level, occurring amidst a historical low in imports.
2. Global e-waste generation is outpacing recycling capabilities, with 62 million tonnes recorded in 2022📱
🔗 link
Global e-waste generation is outpacing recycling capabilities, with 62 million tonnes recorded in 2022 — an 82% increase from 2010. Projected to rise by another 32% by 2030, the e-waste crisis underscores the urgent need for enhanced recycling efforts, as the vast majority remains uncollected or improperly recycled, leading to significant environmental and health risks.
3. 4–9% of all textiles in Europe, totaling 264,000 to 594,000 tonnes annually, are destroyed before reaching consumers 🧵
🔗 link
An alarming report reveals that 4–9% of all textiles in Europe, totaling 264,000 to 594,000 tonnes annually, are destroyed before reaching consumers. This practice, responsible for up to 5.6 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions, highlights the substantial environmental impact of pre-consumer textile waste.
4. The EU’s Environment Committee has approved the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation 📦
🔗 link
The EU’s Environment Committee has approved the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, a significant step towards reducing packaging waste and advancing sustainable packaging solutions across the EU. This agreement, pending further legal checks, aims to be adopted by the EU Parliament, reflecting a collective effort towards environmental sustainability.
5. Solar panel waste expected to exceed 500,000 tonnes ☀️
🔗 link
Germany is set to see an influx of solar panel waste with the anticipated end of the 20-year feed-in tariff, expected to exceed 500,000 tonnes annually. This development underscores the evolving focus of recycling efforts, including the recovery of valuable components like silver, showcasing the advancement in recycling technologies.
6. The Growing Challenge of Insurance for Waste Managers 💸
🔗 link
The recycling and waste management sector is facing increased difficulties in securing affordable fire insurance coverage, with premiums rising steadily over the years. This trend highlights a growing challenge for the industry in finding cost-effective insurance solutions amidst escalating risks.
7. Austria’s 2023 greenhouse gas emissions dropped by 5.3% 🌱
🔗 link
Austria’s 2023 greenhouse gas emissions dropped by 5.3%, marking the second consecutive year of decline, attributed to renewable energy records, renovation initiatives, and climate tickets, potentially reducing emissions below 70 million tonnes CO2. This decrease, across various sectors including steel and transportation, reflects the impact of policy shifts towards sustainability. However, experts caution that this progress, partly due to unexpected extreme events and energy price shocks, requires improved monitoring and continuous effort to maintain the trajectory towards the 2040 climate neutrality goal.
more articles:
- Recycling Realities and Greenwashing Gimmicks: Unveiling the Multi-faceted Nature of Recyclability
- Navigating CSR Reporting in the EU
- Waste is not turning into Value
- Understanding the European Supply Chain Act: A New Era of Corporate Responsibility
- The Future of the Plastic Industry: Navigating Challenges and Seizing Opportunities
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Mattersdorfer
I would call myself a person who is interested in entrepreneurship, sustainability, knowledge-sharing and probably a few other things. I summed up my “big 5 for life” (very much recommend the book, if you do not know it) on my website (👇). After setting up some start-ups in the area of circular economy, combined with continuous curiosity, I decided to share some learnings, thoughts and questions here regularly. I would be happy if you let me know, what you think about them. Cheers!
click for
👉 WEBSITE
👉 LINKEDIN
👉 NEWSLETTER
