Circular Economy News — Week 26

Summary about last week (27)

1. Saudi Arabia’s Recycling Initiative: Joint Venture Aims for 1.8 Million Tons CO2 Reduction Annually 🇸🇦♻️
2. Veolia Takes Over Dachau Waste Paper Sorting Plant: 150,000 Tons Annual Capacity 🗞️
3. Veolia Fully Acquires Fels Recycling: Strategic Move to Enhance Circular Economy 🌍
4. Oil Giants Embrace Circular Economy: BP, Shell, and ExxonMobil Aim for Sustainability 🛢️♻️
5. Plastic Recycling Crisis: Demand for Recycled Plastics Remains Weak 📉
6. Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Guide: Reporting Progress in the Circular Economy 🌍📊
7. Alba and Cemex Launch Biochar Joint Venture: 100,000 Tons of Waste Annually 🌱
8. Jena Researchers Develop Sustainable Battery Materials from Lignin: 50 Million Tons Available Annually 🔋🌲
9. Hamburg’s Phosphorus Recovery Plant Continues Trial: 20,000 Tons of Sludge Ash Annually 🔄
10. EU Directive on Tethered Caps Now Mandatory: Aims to Reduce Plastic Waste 🚰
11. Scholz and Autocirc Partner in End-of-Life Vehicle Recycling: 80% Revenue Growth for Autocirc 🚗🔄

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1. Saudi Arabia’s Recycling Initiative: Joint Venture Aims for 1.8 Million Tons CO2 Reduction Annually 🇸🇦♻️

A joint venture between MVW Lechtenberg and SIRC aims to advance recycling in Saudi Arabia, significantly reducing CO2 emissions.

• The joint venture between MVW Lechtenberg and SIRC plans to process 3 million tons of waste per year.
• 35% of the waste will be converted into sustainable alternative fuels (EBS), with 15% being recycled.
• The expected CO2 reduction is 1.8 million tons per year.
• A new, fully automated sorting facility is expected to be operational by the end of 2025.

This project promotes sustainable waste management and supports the transition of cement plants in Saudi Arabia to alternative energies.

🔗 source

2. Veolia Takes Over Dachau Waste Paper Sorting Plant: 150,000 Tons Annual Capacity 🗞️

Veolia has fully acquired the waste paper sorting plant in Dachau after UPM decided to exit the venture, thereby strengthening its position in the recycling and circular economy sector.

• Veolia has fully acquired the Dachau waste paper sorting plant from UPM.
• The facility has a capacity of 150,000 tons of waste paper per year and is one of the most modern in Europe.
• UPM decided to focus on its core business of paper manufacturing, selling off its recycling activities.
• Veolia plans to enhance the efficiency of the plant and expand its recycling capacities.

This acquisition marks a strategic move for Veolia to consolidate and expand its market position in the recycling sector.

🔗 source

3. Veolia Fully Acquires Fels Recycling: Strategic Move to Enhance Circular Economy 🌍

Veolia has completed the acquisition of Fels Recycling to strengthen and expand its strategic position in the recycling market.

• Veolia has fully acquired Fels Recycling to enhance its presence in the circular economy.
• Fels Recycling specializes in the treatment of mineral waste, complementing Veolia’s existing portfolio.
• The acquisition allows Veolia to leverage synergies and improve efficiency.
• The goal is to develop innovative solutions for the recycling of construction and demolition waste.

This acquisition is a crucial step for Veolia to solidify its sustainability goals and market leadership in the recycling sector.

🔗 source

4. Oil Giants Embrace Circular Economy: BP, Shell, and ExxonMobil Aim for Sustainability 🛢️♻️

A new report from Global Data shows that leading oil companies are increasingly adopting circular economy practices to develop more sustainable business models.

• BP, Shell, and ExxonMobil are investing more in circular economy projects.
• The report highlights that these companies view recycling and reuse as central to their sustainability strategies.
• Innovations in plastic waste management and waste reduction are key focus areas.
• These initiatives aim to reduce the ecological footprint and remain competitive in the long term.

The increased focus on the circular economy demonstrates the oil industry’s commitment to pursuing more sustainable and environmentally friendly business models.

🔗 source

5. Plastic Recycling Crisis: Demand for Recycled Plastics Remains Weak 📉

Despite the growing need for sustainable solutions, the demand for recycled plastics remains weak, posing significant challenges for the recycling industry.

• The demand for recycled plastics is still weak, despite increased recycling capacities.
• Price differences between virgin and recycled materials are a major issue, with virgin materials often being cheaper.
• Many companies continue to rely on primary plastics instead of recycled materials.
• Lack of regulatory mandates and incentives hampers the market penetration of recycled plastics.

The industry must continue to seek ways to increase the demand for recycled plastics and improve market dynamics.

🔗 source

6. Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Guide: Reporting Progress in the Circular Economy 🌍📊

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation provides recommendations on how companies can effectively communicate their progress in the circular economy.

• Companies should publish transparent and detailed reports on their progress.
• Measurable goals and concrete metrics are crucial to demonstrate advancement.
• Utilizing standardized reporting frameworks enhances comparability and credibility.
• Best practice examples and case studies can serve as inspiration and demonstrate the effectiveness of measures.

Clear and transparent communication allows companies to showcase their efforts in the circular economy and build trust with stakeholders.

🔗 source

7. Alba and Cemex Launch Biochar Joint Venture: 100,000 Tons of Waste Annually 🌱

Alba and Cemex have established the joint venture “Alce Biochar GmbH” to convert up to 100,000 tons of waste wood and biogenic waste into biochar annually.

• The joint venture “Alce Biochar GmbH” will process 70,000 to 100,000 tons of waste wood and biogenic waste annually.
• Through torrefaction and pyrolysis, up to 60,000 tons of biochar will be produced for use in cement production.
• Cemex plans to achieve CO2-neutral cement production by 2030.
• The biochar plant is expected to become operational by the end of 2026, supporting the competitiveness of the German cement industry.

This collaboration marks a significant step towards greater climate neutrality and sustainable energy supply in the cement industry.

🔗 source

8. Jena Researchers Develop Sustainable Battery Materials from Lignin: 50 Million Tons Available Annually 🔋🌲

Researchers at the University of Jena have launched a project to develop sustainable battery materials from the waste product lignin.

• The Friedrich Schiller University of Jena receives 5 million euros in funding from the Carl Zeiss Foundation for the project.
• Annually, 50 million tons of lignin are produced in the pulp industry, mostly burned.
• Lignin can be used as a sustainable raw material for battery materials, potentially replacing critical metals.
• A pilot plant at Mercer in Rosenthal already processes one ton of kraft lignin per day.

This project could pave the way for sustainable batteries and resource-efficient use of waste materials.

🔗 source

9. Hamburg’s Phosphorus Recovery Plant Continues Trial: 20,000 Tons of Sludge Ash Annually 🔄

The Hamburg pilot plant for phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge ash remains in trial operation, aiming for a gradual start-up.

• The pilot plant for phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge ash continues in trial operation.
• The goal is to treat 20,000 tons of sludge ash annually.
• The Tetraphos process has proven effective at an industrial scale, producing phosphoric acid of desired quality.
• The plant is funded under the Environmental Innovation Program and aims to serve as a model for other facilities.

This pilot plant marks a significant advancement in sustainably recovering valuable resources from wastewater.

🔗 source

10. EU Directive on Tethered Caps Now Mandatory: Aims to Reduce Plastic Waste 🚰

The new EU directive for tethered caps on single-use beverage containers is now in force to reduce plastic waste pollution.

• The EU directive for tethered caps is now mandatory to minimize litter from loose caps.
• Single-use beverage containers must now have caps that remain attached during use.
• This regulation aims to significantly reduce plastic waste pollution in the EU.
• Manufacturers need to adapt their production processes to meet the new requirements.

This measure is a crucial step towards reducing plastic waste and promoting sustainable packaging solutions in the EU.

🔗 source

11. Scholz and Autocirc Partner in End-of-Life Vehicle Recycling: 80% Revenue Growth for Autocirc 🚗🔄

Scholz and Autocirc have agreed to a partnership for end-of-life vehicle recycling to expand their geographic reach and operational growth.

• Scholz and Autocirc have signed a memorandum of understanding for a partnership in end-of-life vehicle recycling.
• Autocirc recorded a revenue increase of nearly 80% to 1.93 billion Swedish kronor last year.
• The partnership aims to improve the geographic presence and quality of recycled auto parts.
• Autocirc has grown rapidly since its founding in 2019, with 63 locations in several countries.

This collaboration aims to set new standards in the automotive recycling industry and improve the efficiency of material reuse.

🔗 source

more articles:

1. Recycling Realities and Greenwashing Gimmicks: Unveiling the Multi-faceted Nature of Recyclability
2. Navigating CSR Reporting in the EU
3. Waste is not turning into Value
4. Understanding the European Supply Chain Act: A New Era of Corporate Responsibility
5. 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!

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