Flanders is pioneering wastewater innovation, transforming urban drainage into valuable bio-based fertilisers. However, obstacles such as economic viability and regulatory hurdles persist, warns Aquafin's Lennert Dockx. 

With over 100 million electric cars expected to hit the market in the coming years, a tidal wave of spent lithium-ion batteries is set to retire by 2030. Innovative repurposing strategies aim to close the loop and transform this environmental threat into valuable storage capacity. Yet, experts warn: “For a truly circular system, we need a stable regulatory framework and a shift in industry mindset.”

In 2019 only 9% of world plastics was recycled, and 50% still buried in landfills. With pollution growing dramatically, AI-powered robots are being tested to improve the sorting process and cut its carbon footprint. Experts stress the potential of the new technologies, but issue a call to industry players: “For this innovation to be effective, we need your support”.

"There is a real risk of circularity becoming a privilege for the rich,” warns Chris Patermann, father of the bioeconomy. In Spain and Italy, two projects are testing new solutions to tear down the barriers hindering the uptake of a sustainable approach and fostering social inclusion in poor areas.

The European construction industry is working towards producing high-quality materials from recycled waste, enhancing the sector’s sustainability and reducing its environmental impact

The prefix “bio” for plastics doesn’t mean that they are all easily degradable. Confusion over words often means people don’t recycle their waste properly

Innovations in waste management systems need new regulations for the management of sustainable landfills

A wider use of waste and an accurate evaluation of the context are crucial to improving the sustainability of one of the most important sources of renewable energy in Europe

Bacteria may be the key to produce useful bioplastics from the gasification of urban waste

14 years ago, the region of Lahti in Finland has implemented a model of integrated waste management. As a result the people of Lahti were able to increase their rate of recycling to more than 90%. 

Why there are challenges in exporting a viable bitumen recycling process throughout Europe

Recycled materials are often of lower quality than the materials from which they were derived. Now the cradle-to-cradle recycling concept has been applied to carpets to deliver high-quality recycled material. 

By being smarter about reusing our daily human waste, and turning it into a resource, it is now possible to reduce unsustainable fertiliser production

Plastic recycling is becoming ever more so sophisticated, but these technologies may not be rapidly adopted

Recycling the toxic fluoride by-products from the ceramic and enamel industry into high-quality reusable material reduces the process’ environmental impact, but their end of life disposal remains problematic.

New 3D textiles made of recyclable polyester fibres could contribute help cars be easier to recycle. But recycling technology has yet to progress in separating seat material from other car components.

Recycling of tyres is a potentially economically sustainable enterprise providing an ingredient to make a kind of plastic for ever recyclable. But Europeans first need to overcome barriers to adoption.

Multifunctional mobile devices like the smartphone contain small quantities of valuable materials, yet most are not recycled. Something needs to give.

Tyre recycling represents an untapped opportunity, that may prove a success if processing costs do not become prohibitive