Are you an entrepreneur and/or a project leader in the field of circular economy? Is your project less than three years old and are you still looking to refine your business model? Do you want your project to have a positive impact? Do you need to better understand and identify the opportunities and threats? Submit your project to Circulab!
Every year, huge numbers of photovoltaic (PV) modules are being installed. This solar energy expansion greatly furthers the ecological transformation of the energy system. But to solve the climate crisis every aspect has to be taken into consideration. This is why this white paper wants to shine light on challenges currently occuring or to be expected in connection with used photovoltaic modules and their disposal in Germany.
To better implement the goals of a circular economy, this paper will retrace the steps in the lifecycle of a photovoltaic module and analyse problems and possible solutions along these stages. After a brief description of the occuring challenges, opportunities and solutions deemed to be effective and sensible in these matters are presented.
This hybrid event, Mazovia Circular Congress, part of Circular Week 2021, will take place on 15 October. It is aimed at representatives of public administration, local government, enterprises, managers dealing with sustainable development and CSR, start-ups and media. We also plan to organise a panel discussion for various stakeholder groups (entrepreneurs, non-governmental organisations, representatives of state administration and local government) on how to use circular economy solutions.
The extraction/processing of raw materials is associated with potentially significant environmental impacts, including contributing to approximately half of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally. In the EU, non-energy, non-agricultural raw materials account for 18 % of GHG emissions associated with EU consumption.
Given the EU's commitment to reducing its GHG emissions, and the European Green Deal's aspiration to achieve a climate-neutral continent by 2050, mitigating climate impacts from raw material production is central to the EU's climate agenda.
All activities associated with collecting waste materials for recycling lead to GHG emissions. Especially for metals, however, their contribution to emissions is only a fraction of the emissions saved by not using primary metals.
The design stage will determine up to 80% of a product’s environmental impact. Designing better is key to reduce this impact. But what do these principles mean in practice for textiles? Where are the gaps in current standards and benchmarks, and how can we account for the variability of textile products when deciding on specific ecodesign criteria?
ECOS, OVAM, EMF, EuroCommerce, the Policy Hub, the Leadership Group on Textile and ECESP invite you on 9 November at 10:00 CET to this #EUCircularTalks event to discuss and expand the current Ecodesign directive to include textiles and within the upcoming EU Textile Strategy. Speakers and experts will set the scene for the forthcoming SPI and provide the theoretical framework for applying eco-design principles to textile products. Business owners will present cases of how they used these ideas in practice.
By designing and enabling the use of Electric Vehicle (EV) batteries for multiple use-cycles, valuable materials are maintained, and a range of economic and environmental benefits can be unlocked.
Innovators from the automotive industry, Dutch and French public authorities, and the European Commission have collaborated to identify regulatory barriers to reusing EV batteries as energy storage devices and unlock solutions.
This case study by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation is part of a series of case studies that exemplify elements of the Universal circular economy policy goals (2021) in practice.
Through its eight modules, the CICLO platform aims to upgrade, free of cost, the opportunities for up-skilling and re-skilling of long-term unemployed and low-skilled workers, in the field of the evolving circular economy market:
The material could be included in educational services offered by Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers, Training Centres, Higher Education Institutions, NGOs, SMEs, public services relevant to EU labour force, etc.
The second annual Circular Nonwovens Forum "Shaping together the circular economy for nonwovens" creates a platform for in-depth engagement with stakeholders on the challenges and opportunities arising on the path towards the circular economy for nonwovens, with a view to collectively finding ways and means to accelerate this transition. The event has been converted into a hybrid webinar for 2021.
Have you ever wondered how a taxshift would impact your business? You’re invited to fill out the Circular Tax Survey!
Discover the ECESP Coordination Group's work plan 2021 which aims to advance the circular economy and bring the community together. The Group members will use their expertise and tackle issues in eight areas identified as being key for the transition to a more circular economy.
Event schedule change!
This webinar is the final event of the CIRC4Life project. We will look into the lessons learnt from research and demonstrations, and discuss the challenges and policies needed to further boost circular solutions for the electrical and electronic equipment sector and the agri-food value chain.
This call for feedback on technical screening criteria on circular economy is part of ongoing work by the Platform on sustainable finance, which was set up by the Commission to provide advice on the further development of the EU taxonomy. The Platform on Sustainable Finance is welcoming stakeholder feedback until 24 September 2021.
The Commission has opened a public consultation on the review of the Directive on the end-of-life vehicles (ELV). It is targeted especially at two stakeholder groups: 1) citizens with a general interest in the area of end-of-life vehicles; 2) stakeholders (economic operators, NGOs, public administrations…) who have specific knowledge and/or interest about end-of-life vehicles. Let's participate!
As part of the Circular Economy Action Plan, the European Commission is developing two key policies on transparency: the Substantiating Green Claims Initiative and the Empowering Consumers Initiative, which will require companies to substantiate claims they make about the environmental footprint of their products/services and will help consumers to play their role in a green transition.
In light of this, the Policy Hub is willing to organise on 14 September a webinar co-hosted with Delara Burkhardt, a Member of the European Parliament to discuss what is needed for an effective policy framework on transparency. At the same time, the event will mark the launch of the Policy Hub’s position paper on transparency reflecting on the key recommendations from the apparel and footwear industry.
Ccrave is a content and ecommerce platform all in one, with a focus on waste-based and zero-waste products in the home, fashion and lifestyle categories.
On 12 July 2021, EFSA launched a call for expression of interest in the context of a two-year project aimed at identifying potential emerging risks to food and feed safety in the transition to a circular economy. The project’s objective is to help ensure that food and feed safety and environmental health considerations are taken into account at an early stage of research or policy initiatives.
The World Bank has designed a survey to identify key challenges facing the public sector in the EU Member States when transitioning to a circular economy. The "Survey for the Capacity of the Public Sector in Mainstreaming Circular Economy" aims to understand these challenges and discover what capacities are required to address them.
ReNewTex is an innovation network aiming to help use synergies and gradually transform the carpet & rug industry from a linear to a circular business sector.
At present it is working as a moderated matchmaking platform where people can connect to further common ideas and needs through technological projects. After finding the topics, it supports companies in finding the right investment strategy and all the way unto the project start.
To kindle creativity ReNewTex hosts discussions about sustainability or on single topics to shape the discussion into projects.
ZENIT, the agency for innovation and European affairs of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia, moderates the talks, looking for new members and support in project planning and funding.
Resource extraction and processing are responsible for 90% of land-use related biodiversity loss. Nature conservation and restoration on their own will not be enough to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. The transition to a circular economy provides a pivotal opportunity to explore this issue. Join the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, L'Institut National de l'Economie Circulaire (INEC), the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the ECESP on 8 September at 3 p.m. CEST for the first hybrid #EUCircularTalks from the EU Pavilion at IUCN’s World Conservation Congress.
Join this online workshop, organised by the European Commission, focusing on the current and possible upcoming initiatives for research and development in the EU textile industry, as part of the consultative process for the development of the Strategy for Sustainable Textiles.
The European NONTOX Project aims to eliminate hazardous and unpleasant substances from plastic waste and thus convert non-recyclable plastics and recycling waste into new resources.
The EESC and CCMI believe that the present/future of critical raw materials resilience is of essential concern to EU's organised civil society. For this reason, and because the CEAP represents a step forward with a clear roadmap for initiatives and actions, the EESC recommends that the Parliament and the Council support this approach.
The EESC position concerns 6 main objectives:
The transition towards a circular economy needs to be supported by supranational, national and regional governments. This info session organised by REPLACE focuses on the role that the regions can play in this transition, flagging up the importance of interregional cooperation.
To mark the construction of its two multi-feedstock pilot plants (biorefineries), the BBI JU-funded Agrimax project is hosting an online event to showcase its ground-breaking new facilities in Spain and Italy.
The European Commission considers the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) as a regulatory measure to promote sustainable textiles and treating textile waste under the waste hierarchy. Register now for the #EUCircularTalks on 21 September at 13:00-15:00 (CEST). OVAM, European Environmental Bureau, EuRIC, Ecopreneur.eu, Eurocommerce, and the ECESP invite you to discuss ongoing developments around setting Extended Producer Responsibility schemes for textiles.
Join the online workshop on Traceability, the accuracy of information and market surveillance in the Textile Industry which will be held on 12 July 2021, from 10:00 to 13:00 CEST, as part of the consultative process for the development of the Strategy for Sustainable Textiles.
