Organic glues and adhesives by Menichetti
The Italian company Menichetti produces organic glues and adhesives intended for sustainable packaging. The raw material is obtained from leather and tanning industry by-products.
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LENA: the fashion library
LENA is the first online and offline fashion library in the Netherlands. It has a system for borrowing clothes and provides an extended wardrobe for every occasion. Their aim is to speed up the fashion industry's transition towards a circular system.
The Waste Transformers: Turning food waste into valuable resources on-site
The Waste Transformers transforms organic (food) waste in an anaerobic digester called a Waste Transformer housed in 20-foot shipping containers into clean energy, water and high-grade fertiliser whilst also upcycling the waste into new raw materials for paper, textiles or soaps. They do this all on-site where the waste is produced. No transport, no CO2.
Nic&Mic: Upcycling waste while supporting employment
Ocean Sole takes the world's most widely worn shoe, the flip flop, and turns it into art, and the Dutch company Nic&Mic sells it in the Benelux countries. Ocean Sole is Kenya-based and began with the desire to clean up beaches that were heavily polluted with plastic and flip flops. Ocean Sole has grown to employ 90 Kenyans.
EMMA Safety Footwear: Sustainable safety shoes
Back in 1931, EMMA was founded as a social enterprise for injured workers from the Dutch State Mines. Hence, social entrepreneurship is in the DNA of EMMA Safety Footwear. Today, EMMA still employs about 100 people who need some additional support in the labour market. Making sustainable safety shoes was, therefore, a logical next step in EMMA’s journey towards a positive footprint.
Biorizon: the profitable way to bio-aromatics
Biorizon has been co-creating technologies for the production of bio-aromatics at the Green Chemistry Campus in Bergen op Zoom since 2013. Together with industrial partners, Biorizon creates and develops innovative chemical processes for the production of renewable aromatics from residual biomass. Their aim is to enable commercial production of bio-aromatic building blocks by 2025.
SNEW Telecom – Circular telecoms and IT equipment with a social heart
SNEW has developed a circular system reusing the raw materials in existing equipment. It aims to give business telecoms and IT equipment a second life. Companies which hand over their old ICT equipment get either maintenance for their current equipment or money for the old equipment.
Arapaha: Circular goods made out of advanced bio-based materials
Arapaha is a design company which develops and manufactures sustainable, circular household and sports items and clothing. It focuses on circular processes and uses biobased composites. Goods purchased in their webshop can be returned when no longer needed so that the components can be reused.
CuRe: Low energy molecular polyester recycling
CuRe has discovered a smarter and scalable technology for creating a fully circular polyester chain. It rejuvenates any type of used polyester by removing the colour and converting it into clear pellets with the same properties as virgin grade polyester. In July 2020, a pilot plant in Emmen (Netherlands) was opened for rapid scale-up.
FIBI-buffer: a sustainable alternative for protecting products during transport
FIBI-buffer is an eco-friendly alternative to Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) or Polyurethane (PU) foam used to protect products during transport. It is a unique and patented product which offers high-quality protection, is universally applicable, is price competitive, can be reused again and again, and is biobased and 100% compostable.
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Emerging waste streams: Opportunities and challenges of the clean-energy transition from a circular economy perspective
Emerging waste streams: Opportunities and challenges of the clean energy transition from a circular economy perspective
Renewable energy technologies, such as wind turbines, solar photovoltaic panels and batteries, are essential for Europe’s transition to climate neutrality. Deployment, maintenance and replacement of this infrastructure requires significant resources, including many substances included in the EU list of critical raw materials.
Waste arising from end-of-life clean energy infrastructure is projected to grow up to 30-fold over the next 10 years, presenting significant opportunities to reduce consumption of scarce raw materials by recycling metals and other valuable resources back into production systems.
Circular economy approaches such as repair and upgrading of equipment and recycling of end-of-life infrastructure can underpin the sustainability credentials of EU renewable energy.
Improving the climate impact of raw material sourcing
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.
TOP 10 Circular Materials by mass - Market study
Top 10 Circular Materials by mass - Market study
Every year, about 100 billion tons of material are taken from the planet - but only 10 billion are circularized. The results of the TOP 10 study clearly highlight the differences between the systems: the waste culture and concepts are different in the Global North and the Global South, as are the objectives of the respective legislations.
In the Global North, the goal is to decouple waste generation from consumption. In the Global South, waste increases with per capita income; here, the old consumption patterns and images of the rich Global North are often emulated.
Scorecards are used in the study to assess individual materials and their circular maturity in the region. The overall score is shown in the summary per material.
Innovation Deal for a circular economy
Innovation Deal for a circular economy: unlocking opportunities through public-private collaboration
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.
France's Anti-waste and Circular Economy Law
France’s Anti-waste and Circular Economy Law: eliminating waste and promoting social inclusion
France’s Anti-waste and Circular Economy Law is a great example of cross-sectoral collaboration. Policymakers, municipalities, NGOs and businesses worked together with the public administration to identify a richer range of needs, solutions, and policy measures. As a result, the law is ambitious and contributes to a system-wide transition towards a circular economy.
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.
Wasted bread: New culture medium for growing starters from bakery waste in the fermented food industry
Through fermentation, bread scraps can produce chemical compounds for the pharmaceutical and food industries, fuels and enzymes. The starters (which kickstart the fermentation process) obtained by this project confirm the huge economic and technological potential of a growing substrate obtained from low-cost matrices.
The protocol includes homogenisation of the waste bread (leavened bakery products), with the addition of enzymes and final sterilisation.
The culture medium can be liquid (broth), solid (agar) or dehydrated. The substrate can be used for cultivating lactic bacteria, yeasts and moulds (for the food industry).
About 10% of the bread waste produced monthly can be used to yield a culture medium for bacterial starters.
Promotion of the circular economy in the Hotel Industry in Cyprus and Greece – Preliminary assessment of the current status of circular economy
Promotion of Circular Economy in the hotel industry in Cyprus and Greece
This report is published by the Cyprus Federation of Employers & Industrialists (OEB), the Institute of Greek Tourism Confederation (INSETE) and the public policy consultancy adelphi (Germany) as part of the European project Hotels4Climate financed by EUKI.
The report aims to assess the current state of circularity in the hotel industry in Cyprus and Greece by conducting national surveys in both countries targeting hotels in order to:
- identify the priority sectors within the main services offered by hotels, the business challenges and opportunities to move to circular economy,
- create successful, flexible and resilient circular business models, and
- identify a number of internal and external barriers that raise obstacles to the transition to circular economy.
Les Partenariats, socle de l'économie circulaire
Partnerships are a cornerstone of successful circular economy initiatives, shows EpE report
The circular economy is an alternative to the dominant economic model, which causes considerable damage to the environment as it is based on the linear use of resources.
The development of the circular economy has been hindered by a number of economic, technological and regulatory constraints.
EpE's natural resources commission has spent three years identifying what makes circular economy initiatives successful. An analysis of 27 circular economy initiatives carried out by companies shows that partnerships are one key to overcoming these constraints. A closer examination of these partnerships sheds light on various forms of governance.
Re-defining Value – The Manufacturing Revolution Remanufacturing, Refurbishment, Repair and Direct Reuse in the Circular Economy
The Manufacturing Revolution: Remanufacturing, Refurbishment, Repair and Direct Reuse in the Circular Economy
This report connects the potential for resource efficiency, via circular economy and the value-retention processes (VRPs), with a policy-relevant lens. It is one of the first to quantify the current-state and potential impacts associated with the inclusion of VRPs within industrial economic systems.
In order to do that the assessment applies the different VRPs to a series of products within three industrial sectors and quantifies benefits in relation to the original manufactured product, such as the material requirement, the energy used, the waste as well as the costs and the generation of jobs.
The report also highlights the systemic barriers that may inhibit progressive scale-up including regulatory, market, technology and infrastructure barriers, and how they could be overcome.
Policy options to eliminate additional marine plastic litter by 2050 under the G20 Osaka Blue Ocean vision
Policy Options to Eliminate Additional Marine Plastic Litter by 2050 under the Osaka Blue Ocean Vision
The International Resource Panel think piece provides policy options to reduce marine plastic litter and achieve the Osaka Blue Ocean Vision, which voluntarily commits G20 countries to “reduce additional pollution by marine plastic litter to zero by 2050 through a comprehensive life-cycle approach”.
The report shows the marine plastic litter trends relevant to 2050, summarizes the current plastic policy landscape and explores policy upstream and downstream interventions to reduce marine plastic litter and to transition to a circular plastic economy. They include, among others, actions to design out waste, incentivise reuse, and exploit market-based instruments.
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The European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) promotes recycling among local and European industrial members
The European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) represents the recycling industry at European level. Gathering the national recycling federations from EU/EEA Member States, EuRIC represents over 5 500 companies, from market leaders to SMEs, who recycle waste streams, i.e. household or industrial and commercial waste, end-of-life vehicles, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, packaging (paper and plastics), end-of-life tyres or textiles.
It serves as a platform for the cooperation and exchange of best practices, actively promotes recycling and contributes to European projects.
EuRIC’s event, the European Recycling Conference (ERC) discusses key questions with industry professionals and EU policy-makers.
Read about EuRIC's top five priorities from 2019-2024 here.
The Education for Zero Waste and Circular Economy platform
The EduZWaCE platform is one of the intellectual outputs of the project titled Education for Zero Waste and Circular Economy funded by the Greek National Agency in the frame of Erasmus+.
The platform is a virtual learning and collaboration environment for all interested stakeholders, using an interactive and collaborative online structure:
- Knowledge Hub: interactive resource centre gathering useful information for Vocational Education and Training teachers and professionals
- Online Training Course for EduZWaCE Manager and EduZWaCE Technician
- Partners Section for the partners in the EduZWaCE project
- Collaborative Section to inspire professionals from companies
- Diagnosis Tool for companies to investigate opportunities for circular economy and zero waste solutions.
ASPAPEL, the Spanish Association of Pulp and Paper Manufacturers, promotes a competitive and sustainable development of the sector by encouraging circular methods
ASPAPEL is a Spanish association for pulp and paper manufacturers. They work to promote sustainable and competitive development of their member companies, especially focusing on the improvement of industries by applying circular methods in the recycling of used paper processes.
Their key areas are:
- environment,
- energy,
- forestry,
- recycling,
- industrial relations,
- occupational risk prevention,
- public communications.
The association is governed by a General Assembly and a Management Board with assisting committees and working groups.
Chemical Recycling Europe: Closing the loop for the plastics industry
Chemical Recycling Europe is a platform that encourages its members to unite for the common goal of closing the loop for the plastics industry through technological innovation and participation within chemical recycling. The platform encourages the goal of recycling all plastic waste into its original components or as value-added materials.
The association was established in 2019 for the European chemical recycling industry to make a difference towards the public and European institutions.
Its members offer technologies to transform unrecyclable plastic waste into new raw materials. In this way, the transformation to reuse ensures the reduction of CO2 emissions and combat global warming and increased CO2 footprint of plastic products.
A social currency - turuta - to promote production and interchange locally
Turuta is a project of mutual exchange and enrichment. Starting in 2010 as an experimental project of a new microeconomy, it gave birth to the "turuta market", based on a social currency called turuta (a traditional military march played during Carnival parades). This is used to pay for local goods and services, promoting local production and interchange. Each partner in the turuta market has an online account.
It is a living project being developed by the members of the association ECOL3VNG (local ecological economic ecosystem at Vilanova i la Geltrú, Barcelona). The collective history of this ecosystem is being written through minute-taking (agreements of Board, commissions and assemblies, i.e. the "legislation") and account-taking of the exchanges between partners.
DigiCirc - Digital innovations for the Circular Economy
The EU-funded DigiCirc project aims at enabling the digitalisation of the Circular Economy by building upon the innovation potential of SMEs. It accelerates innovation by identifying cutting-edge circular economy solutions and by promoting business development and start-up growth.
DigiCirc will build and coordinate an innovative network of stakeholders that will set the foundation for an open space for innovation performed through the DigiCirc accelerators.
45 circular innovations, addressing sectoral challenges and generating new value chain, will be selected through open calls in three domains:
- Circular cities
- Bioeconomy
- Blue economy.
For more information on open calls (the first on Circular cities to be launched in November) and the accelerator programme click here.
Nordic Circular Hotspot
The Nordic Circular Hotspot aims to be the leading resource and collaborative learning hub on circular economy in the Nordics.
This Hotspot works to connect stakeholders in the Nordic region, such as local and regional governments, business, communities, knowledge institutions and academia, to (co-)develop and initiate practical circular solutions, business models, projects and initiatives. The aim is to be the go-to place in the region for everything circular in the region to faster accelerate the transition to a circular economy.
CirQuality OWL – a production site closes loops
The CirQuality OWL project is funded by the EU (ERDF) and the Federal State North-Rhine Westfalia (NRW) with the aim of fostering the circular economy in the area.
Seven regional partners from the different fields (from energy to technologies to food to universities and associations) teamed up to use the circular economy to get the region off the ground in an innovative, crisis-proof, resilient and sustainable way. Together they are jointly striving for the following goals:
- Discover Circular Economy (CE)
- Regional capacity building
- Qualifying stakeholders
- Providing strategic support to stakeholders
- Developing regional identity
- Transfer results
Circular Economy Forum Austria: a learning and dialog platform for enterprises aiming at an innovation ecosystem
Circular Economy Forum Austria is a learning and dialog platform, initiating and promoting the exchange and further development of knowledge, ideas and implementations and identifies potential synergies among companies, politics, science, research and design.
The Forum:
- operates and collaborates in a solution-oriented and innovative way;
- supports and facilitates comprehensive transformation by linking interdisciplinary know-how and ideas for innovation, decision makers and practitioners;
- promotes new business partnerships to increase the visibility of existing and up-coming circular innovation supporting the expansion of the Austrian circular eco-system;
- encourages and fosters collaborative projects and initiatives with contributions to value creation cycles.
Sporos Platform supports SMEs in Greece and Southeastern Europe
Launched in November 2019, Sporos aims to become the first platform for impact investment and collaboration that adds value to SMEs in Greece and Southeastern Europe, on the basis of the Circular Economy.
Sporos utilises mezzanine sustainable financing tools, combined with consultancy services and environmental, social and governance (ESG) and sustainable development goal (SDG) metrics.
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17 May 2022
This #EUCircularTalk on Measuring Circularity on 17 May 2022 aims to reach out to and hold an interactive dialogue with stakeholders outside the leadership group. This session will address the link between ISO work on international circular economy standards and circular procurement practices.
The national Norwegian GPP audit will be presented as an example of measuring green public procurement efforts and their impact.
05 Apr 2022
Book launch for "Social and Cultural Aspects of the Circular Economy: Towards Solidarity", edited By Viktor Pál.
During this open and free webinar on 5 April, the book chapter authors will be sharing some of the insights set out in chapter 9 on "Assessing through a gender-inclusion lens the social impact of circular strategies in the apparel value chain: The Dutch case".
06 Apr 2022
At this side event of the UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, to take place on 6 April at 17:15 CEST, government officials and other stakeholders will discuss how to facilitate coordination between government institutions and share good practices on administrative requirements for policy making in the circular economy context.
15 Jun 2022
After two years of cancellations due to COVID-19, EuRIC is delighted to announce that the European Recycling Conference is back and will take place on 14-15 June 2022 at IFEMA in Madrid.
The 4th conference will offer unique networking opportunities, brief participants on the latest regulatory and business developments and be part of the International Recycling and Recovery Trade Fair in Madrid which attracts over 10 000 visitors and 200 exhibition stands. The event will bring together top-level executives from companies, federation leaders and officials from EU institutions.
28 Apr 2022
This interactive webinar with experts, organised by HiCircular, will take participants through essential steps in the transition towards a more circular way of doing business.
07 Apr 2022
RREUSE is excited to invite you to its forthcoming webinar discussing a burning question: Who should finance re-use policies?
Taking place on 7 April, the event aims to provide an opportunity for the exchange of good practices between members of the RREUSE network, policymakers, local authority representatives, and waste management and prevention experts. After a showcase of good practices from the RREUSE network, the audience will be invited to brainstorm on the most efficient way for re-use policies to be financed.
27 Jun 2022 to 29 Jun 2022
The 3rd Symposium on Circular Economy and Sustainability will take place in Chania, Greece on 27-29 June 2022. Researchers, practitioners and entrepreneurs are invited to submit both empirical and theoretical papers that are broadly consistent with any of the topics covered by the Symposium.
05 Apr 2022
This EU Circular Talk aims to share insights and impressions from the collaboration of the German-based Packaging Club, learn about experiences in other European countries and regions, and discuss implications for the future with interested European stakeholders.
24 Mar 2022
The circular economy has the potential to tackle the main drivers of biodiversity loss, including land-use change, climate change, overexploitation, and pollution, by transforming how we produce, consume and manage materials. During this official side-event on 24 March 2022 at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity negotiations, the role that a circular economy can play in the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework through supporting sustainable use of biodiversity will be explored.
15 Mar 2022
Let’s fight food waste together: have your say on the open consultation for the Irish Government's Food Waste Prevention Roadmap.
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15 Jun 2021
The Conference on the Future of Europe is collecting ideas on how to use resources more efficiently in a circular economy. As well as sharing your own ideas, you can also find other ideas from across Europe.
11 Jun 2021
Discover the ECESP Coordination Group's work plan 2021 to advance the circular economy and bring the community together. The Group members will use their expertise and tackle issues in eight key areas identified as essential for the transition to a more circular economy.
10 Jun 2021
You are encouraged to participate in a survey that the European Food Safety Agency is launching to complement and prioritise the set of circular economy areas and practices which might pose risks to food/feed safety and the environment.
18 Jun 2021
The European Commission is organising a series of targeted stakeholder workshops to gather input on challenges and gaps as well as opportunities for the textile sector in the transition towards sustainability. The fourth workshop on 18 June 2021 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CET will focus on “product design for sustainability in the textile value chain”.
04 Jun 2021
On 7 June 2021, the Italian G20 Presidency and the EU are organising an online workshop on Circular Fashion to inform discussions in the G20. The workshop will explore the G20’s role in promoting the circular economy in the fashion sector.
01 Jun 2021
On 31 May, it was announced that the European Commission issued guidance on the EU rules on single-use plastics and adopted an Implementing Decision on the monitoring and reporting of fishing gear. These rules aim to reduce marine litter from single-use plastic products and fishing gear and promote the transition to a circular economy.
31 May 2021
The European Commission is organising a series of targeted stakeholder workshops to gather input on challenges and gaps as well as opportunities for the sector towards sustainability.
The third workshop (15 June 2021) focuses on sustainable consumption and circular business models in the textile sector.
31 May 2021
From 31 May to 4 June, Vlaanderen Circulair will hold a Circular Building Action Week with eight open workshops, a plenary event and a circular market dialogue, entirely online. The theme of this edition is communication. Discover the offer!
01 Jun 2021
The online panel discussion organised by European Policy Centre (EPC), in partnership with Apple, on 1 June 2021 will bring together policy-makers, and representatives of industry and civil society to discuss the role of innovation and partnerships in achieving zero pollution, climate neutrality and a circular economy.
27 May 2021
The EPA is seeking proposals from the research community to help identify solutions to climate change and other emerging and complex environmental problems.The funding will be provided under the four EPA Research 2030 interconnected research hubs, including "Facilitating a green and circular economy".