Circular economy
French investigation shines light on Amazon mass destruction of goods
The global e-commerce giant Amazon has been hit with claims that it has destroyed up to three million unsold products from French warehouses over the past year. The news comes a week after Amazon became the world's most valuable public company in terms of market value.
Crunch time for crisp makers as EU waste targets loom
The European Commission has set an EU-wide objective for all packaging to be recyclable or reusable by 2030. But crisp packets are a particular headache for policymakers and the recycling industry because they are so tiny and lightweight.
Biogas in Germany: Maintaining momentum
With the European Parliament backing a net zero emissions target for 2050, EU member states will need to further develop their biogas markets to continue to reduce emissions from waste, energy, and transport, write Benjamin Budde and David Newman.
New Caledonia bans disposable plastics
On 27 December, the Congress of New Caledonia voted to do away with most single-use plastic objects by 2020. EURACTIV France’s media partner the Journal de l’environnement reports.
EU nails rapid-fire deal on single-use plastics
Negotiators of the European Parliament, Council and Commission struck a provisional agreement early Wednesday morning (19 December) on banning single-use plastic products like cutlery and food containers, in what is one of the most quickly finalised proposals in recent EU memory.
Do you want to know the precious metals recipe to address potential trade offs between Chemical Management and Circular Economy?
The “Conflict and Opportunity: Chemical Management, the Circular Economy and Precious Metals” event concluded on the 5th of December in Brussels after an inspiring afternoon of engaging debate around the subject. We are delighted to be able to share with you our formal conclusions derived from the afternoons lively debate.
Europe’s ‘Kafka-esque’ recycling dilemma for precious metals
Precious metals are big business in the EU but possible conflicts between recycling policies and chemical management mean that the industry risks missing out on a golden opportunity.
Biofuels and electromobility are key in Portugal’s transport decarbonisation
Portugal will use both electromobility and biofuels to decarbonise its transport sector by 2050, José Mendes, Portuguese First Secretary of State for Mobility - Environment and Energy Transition, told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
All that glitters is not just gold
The circular economy is taking on more and more significance but a potential clash is looming between maximising the potential of our waste and safeguarding human health.
Ex-chemicals agency chief: ‘Courage’ needed to rethink EU laws
Europe's chemical management rules, REACH, are over a decade old and the man seen as the architect of the legislation still thinks it is the most modern of its kind in the world. But the former boss of the European Chemicals Agency says the EU could do with going back to the drawing board.
The Sustainable Blue Economy: EU’s actions must match its words
As global leaders met at the world’s first Sustainable Blue Economy conference this week, the EU must face the sobering reality of the state of our ocean and stand by its commitments to sustainably protect and effectively manage Europe’s seas before it’s too late, writes Dr Samantha Burgess.
Waste incineration is waste incineration, no matter the classification
The European Parliament must reject any proposal that provides Cohesion Funds to incineration facilities, no matter their classification, writes Dr. Ingrid Behrsin.
Deposit-Return Schemes for single-use packaging: an unnecessary evolution?
To prevent littering and foster more recycling, some member states are considering setting mandatory deposit-return schemes (DRS) on single-use beverage packaging. For plastic packaging, there are reasons to believe this could happen. But if a DRS on single-use plastic packaging is introduced, would it also include other materials?
Brussels plans new EU packaging rules to cut waste
The European Commission has started gathering views from EU member states, the packaging industry and online retailers ahead of a comprehensive review of EU rules on packaging waste, part of efforts to boost reuse and recycling rates by 2030.
Raw materials: The foundation of a prosperous European future
Forming the basis of our cities, digitalisation and the European energy transition, raw materials are essential components in manufacturing the products of the future, writes Roman Stiftner. With the emergence of new demand, now is the right time for stakeholders to come together and respond to this challenge, he argues.
Europe’s mining sector faces skilled workers shortage
Trade unions expressed concerns on Tuesday (20 November) about a shortage of skilled workers in the extraction industry, saying this is becoming a problem for Europe at a time of rising global demand for raw materials.
What’s the point of recycling?
It is easy to rank EU member states by how proficient they are at recycling but the details behind the statistics are more complex. Scratch beneath the surface and there is a quasi-philosophical issue lying in wait.
Race for lithium illustrates EU drive for ‘strategic’ raw materials
The European Union is accelerating plans to develop lithium mining and refining capacity on its territory as part of a concerted EU push to develop a strategic value chain for manufacturing electric car batteries inside Europe.
Recycling’s powerful waste-fighting arsenal
Two of recycling’s main tools are used to varying degrees across Europe and now the industry and member states are considering how best to leverage them and help create what has been touted as the "internal market for recycling".
EU’s Sefcovic: Real risk that ‘raw materials become the new oil’
Europeans have to be “very vigilant” that today’s dependency on imported oil and gas is not replaced by dependency on lithium, cobalt, copper and other raw materials that industries need for the green transition, Maroš Šefčovič told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.
Injecting responsibility into recycling
Collecting and recycling waste is more important than ever, since EU targets ask more and more from member states. But national capitals face a dilemma about how best to recycle more, as two distinct schemes offer two very different solutions.
Raw materials ‘megatrends’ point to looming supply risks in Europe
Markets for raw materials have recovered from the 2008 financial crash, fuelled by the continued digital transformation of the economy and the rapid deployment of green technologies. Is the world on track for a repeat of the resource boom seen in the early 21st century?
The global race for raw materials
The European Union first adopted a raw materials strategy in 2008, at a time when commodity prices were at an all-time high and fears were running high of a global scramble for natural resources. The financial crash that followed conveniently swept the issue under the carpet. But this may have only been temporary.