European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform

This report, which contains best practices and policy recommendations, provides updated information relevant to all organisations and stakeholders, both in the public and private sector, who wish to learn more about material recycling.

The objective is to help stakeholders - throughout the whole value chain - work collaboratively to achieve APEAL’s vision of zero steel packaging to landfill by 2025.

Steel for packaging is already the most recycled primary packaging material in Europe (2019 recycling rate: 84%), bringing great savings in emissions, resource and energy use.

Steel’s unique inherent qualities give it a natural advantage. Its magnetic properties make it easy and economical to recycle. As a permanent material, it can also be recycled forever.

This best practices report, including policy recommendations, is relevant to all organisations and stakeholders, both in the public and private sector, wishing to learn more about a real and successful material recycling story. The objective is to help stakeholders throughout the value chain work collaboratively to achieve APEAL’s vision of zero steel packaging to landfill by 2025. Steel for packaging is the most recycled primary packaging material in Europe (recycling rate 2019: 84%), bringing great savings in emissions, resource and energy use. Steel’s unique inherent qualities give a natural advantage. Magnetic properties make it easy and economical to recycle steel as there is no need for a specific sorting process. As a permanent material, steel can also be recycled forever.

There is an intense debate about how to close the gap between the current climate policy and the aim of the Paris Agreement to achieve close to net-zero emissions by mid-century. The materials and chemicals that heavy industry produces are essential inputs to major value chains: transportation, infrastructure, construction, consumer goods, agriculture.

Material Economics' study Industrial Transformation 2050 - Pathways to Net-Zero Emissions from EU Heavy Industry starts with a broad mapping of options to eliminate fossil CO₂-emissions from production, including many emerging innovations in production processes. It also integrates them with the potential for a more circular economy: making a better use of the materials already produced and so reducing the need for new production.

In this project, a subset of Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) partners have developed an approach with Bel Group for setting Science-Based Targets (SBTs) for nature in a single dairy farming landscape. A proof of concept for determining ecological thresholds has been developed that can be used as the basis for setting science-based targets for nature within a Dutch dairy landscape.

Project partners have worked with the Initial Guidance of the SBTN, and used the Biodiversity Monitor for the Dairy Farming Sector (Biodiversity Monitor) (an instrument developed through a collaboration of FrieslandCampina, Rabobank and the Dutch chapter of the WWF) as the basis for target and Key Performance Indicator (KPI) development.

This edition draws on five years of the Circularity Gap Report analysis to show the power of the circular economy to equitably fulfil our global needs and wants, but with radically fewer materials and emissions.

The throwaway global economy is fuelling the climate crisis with more than half a trillion tonnes of virgin materials consumed since the 2015 Paris Agreement, reveals the Circularity Gap Report 2022 from impact organisation Circle Economy.

Circular economy solutions can have a huge impact on climate change because 70% of greenhouse gas emissions are related to production and use of products – from the buildings we live in and the transport we use, to the food we eat and the clothes we wear.

This edition draws on five years of the Circularity Gap Report analysis to show the power of the circular economy to equitably fulfil our global needs and wants, but with radically fewer materials and emissions.

The throwaway global economy is fuelling the climate crisis with more than half a trillion tonnes of virgin materials consumed since the 2015 Paris Agreement, reveals the Circularity Gap Report 2022 from impact organisation Circle Economy.

Circular economy solutions can have a huge impact on climate change because 70% of greenhouse gas emissions are related to production and use of products – from the buildings we live in and the transport we use, to the food we eat and the clothes we wear.

The Circularity Gap Report 2022 draws on five years of analysis to show the power of the circular economy to equitably fulfil our global needs and wants, with radically fewer materials and emissions.

The 2022 report by impact organisation Circle Economy reveals that the throwaway global economy is fuelling the climate crisis, with more than half a trillion tonnes of virgin materials consumed since the 2015 Paris Agreement was signed.

Circular economy solutions can have a huge impact on climate change. This is because 70% of greenhouse gas emissions are related to the production and use of products – from the buildings we live in and the transport we use to the food we eat and the clothes we wear.

This edition draws on five years of the Circularity Gap Report analysis to show the power of the circular economy to equitably fulfil our global needs and wants, but with radically fewer materials and emissions.

The throwaway global economy is fuelling the climate crisis with more than half a trillion tonnes of virgin materials consumed since the 2015 Paris Agreement, reveals the Circularity Gap Report 2022 from impact organisation Circle Economy.

Circular economy solutions can have a huge impact on climate change because 70% of greenhouse gas emissions are related to production and use of products – from the buildings we live in and the transport we use, to the food we eat and the clothes we wear.

It has been established that the circular economy has a high leverage effect and some progress in this field has been made, but the circular economy has yet to top the political agenda. A strategic approach to circularity is urgently needed and should be developed, managed and implemented in a cross-ministerial capacity in line with efforts at EU level and together with partner nations.

Against this backdrop, the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) recommends organising the transition to circularity via a new, cross-ministerial governance mechanism coordinated by the German Federal Chancellery. RNE’s statement covers a further 13 recommendations, ranging from the need for social safeguarding instruments to expanding education and research.

Awareness is increasing about the presence of microplastics in our environment and their negative impact on ecosystems, animals and people. The wearing/washing of textiles made from synthetic fibers is one recognised source of microplastics in the environment. Textiles and plastics are among the key value chains in the EU circular economy action plan.

It is possible to reduce or prevent the release of microplastics from textiles by implementing sustainable design and production processes and caretaking measures that control microplastic emissions during use, and by improving disposal and end-of-life processing.

This briefing aims to improve our understanding of microplastics released from textiles from a European perspective and identify pathways to reduce or prevent this release.