Latest news with #CircularEconomyAct
Euronews
28-05-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Trash is cash: ‘urban mining' for strategic metals in your neighbourhood
The old smartphone hiding in your drawer probably holds tiny portions of lithium, cobalt, and rare-earth metals. It is estimated that 700 million old phones are lying around in Europe. The concept known as "urban mining" involves finding materials in existing products, as opposed to "primary" mining where ground resources are exploited. The EU has made it a priority to secure supply chains for the raw materials that are essential for green and digital technologies. Dozens of them have been classified as "critical" and "strategic" by the European Commission. However, 90% of these elements are currently imported from abroad. According to EU data, around 1% of the valuable materials consumed in the EU come from recycling. The Critical Raw Materials Act, adopted in 2024, has set a target of reaching 25% by 2030. The Commission's objectives is to boost the recycling of electric waste, one of the fastest-growing waste streams. In each member state, organisations are responsible for collecting and transporting e-waste to the continent's 2,700 processing facilities. The recycling facilities are expected to meet a growing share of the demand from European foundries, which traditionally source their supplies from other continents, such as Asia. Several challenges persist: from the profitability of extracting the smallest parts of materials, to "electronic hibernation": According to a study, each European family has on average 74 electronic devices, 13 of which are unused but hoarded for various reasons, data privacy concerns being one of them. The EU Commission is due to present a new Circular Economy Act in 2026 to foster the competitiveness of circular models in various sectors such as construction and demolition. This accounts for 40% of the total waste weight in the EU, mainly traditional raw materials such as concrete, aluminum, steel, and glass, which, again, are often imported. While much of the demolished concrete is considered recycled, it is actually crushed for use as an aggregate base, for example in road construction. More and more technologies are enabling recycling rather than downcycling. Emerging techniques are transforming old blocks into high-quality concrete. Furthermore, many leftover materials such as plastics and wood are often not recovered and are sent to incineration or landfill. New sorting techniques are helping to increase the recycling rate. Another trend is the reuse of materials. Elements such as concrete blocks, windows, and bricks can be dismantled for reuse. A more modular design of buildings can also allow for greater circularity. Some countries have already adopted an approach aimed at requiring inventories of the materials present in buildings before any demolition. Like the reuse and repair of electronics, building renovation remains a better solution than demolition in terms of environmental impact, according to experts. According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), 20-25% of the life cycle emissions of the current EU building stock are embedded in building materials. Circular economy-based approaches to renovation can help reduce embedded greenhouse gas emissions. 'We have a lot of policy already, what we need is to get the economics right', European Commissioner for the Environment Jessika Roswall told Euronews. Roswall is the architect of the EU Commission's future Circular Economy Act, which is to succeed the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) adopted five years ago. The initiative should include updating existing rules to foster 'circular competitiveness' and boost the EU's recycling rate. In 2022, only 12% of products consumed came from recycling. The plan could include a revision of the WEEE (Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive, which governs the rules and targets for the collection and treatment of e-waste, from small batteries to photovoltaic panels. In almost 20 years, the WEEE Directive has led to a tenfold increase in the amount of e-waste recovered and properly treated in the EU, but not all member states have achieved the targets set. Quantities of WEEE are still not collected, improperly treated or illegally exported. The EU wants to increase the proportion of recovered materials in order to reduce the proportion of virgin materials imported for new electrical and electronic equipment. The Circular Economy Act should focus on the recovery of critical raw materials. This strategy is presented as a means of strengthening the EU's economic security against a backdrop of international trade tensions. 'The circularity numbers are too low. This geopolitical situation must be the time when we actually go circular', Commissoner Roswall told Euronews. In 2024, the EU adopted the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRM Act), which is intended to strengthen the EU's security of supply of a series of metals and other components essential to the green and digital transitions. The European Union has drawn up a regularly updated list of materials considered 'critical', such as rare-earth metals, copper or cobalt, and another of materials considered 'strategic', such as bismuth and magnesium metal. The EU's objective is to achieve a recycling rate of 25% of CRMs, compared with around 1% today. This requires investment in the necessary infrastructure as part of the Clean Industrial Deal presented last year. The circular economy should also apply to other sectors of the economy, such as construction, textiles and the automotive industry. The Act in preparation is set to provide for the revision of the Waste Framework Directive and promote the creation of a 'common market for waste'. Despite efforts at harmonisation, the existing fragmentation between national requirements, as in the case of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems, raises problems of competition and costs. An intra-EU waste market is wanted by Brussels, which conversely recently tightened the rules against the export of waste outside the EU. 'We need to change our mindset and see waste as an asset', Roswall added, specifying that she also considered water as waste. The EU recently strengthened its legislation on urban wastewater. It plans to maximise the reuse of water for irrigation in the continent's largest treatment stations. Alongside recycling, the EU is also encouraging the extension of product lifetimes. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) entered into force in 2024, and is aimed at creating economic opportunities in remanufacturing, recycling or repair. The European Commission has put forward the concept of a 'right to repair', in the form of incentives to make repairing products easier and more attractive, in order to reduce waste. A directive aimed at 'Empowering consumers for the green transition' was also adopted to offer consumers better information on the products durability. According to a 2020 survey, 77% of Europeans said they would rather repair their goods, but had to buy new ones because of the lack of repair services.
Euronews
28-05-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Circular Economy Act: what are the European Commission's tools to get the economics right?
'We have a lot of policy already, what we need is to get the economics right', European Commissioner for the Environment Jessika Roswall told Euronews. Roswall is the architect of the EU Commission's future Circular Economy Act, which is to succeed the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) adopted five years ago. The initiative should include updating existing rules to foster 'circular competitiveness' and boost the EU's recycling rate. In 2022, only 12% of products consumed came from recycling. The plan could include a revision of the WEEE (Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive, which governs the rules and targets for the collection and treatment of e-waste, from small batteries to photovoltaic panels. In almost 20 years, the WEEE Directive has led to a tenfold increase in the amount of e-waste recovered and properly treated in the EU, but not all member states have achieved the targets set. Quantities of WEEE are still not collected, improperly treated or illegally exported. The EU wants to increase the proportion of recovered materials in order to reduce the proportion of virgin materials imported for new electrical and electronic equipment. The Circular Economy Act should focus on the recovery of critical raw materials. This strategy is presented as a means of strengthening the EU's economic security against a backdrop of international trade tensions. 'The circularity numbers are too low. This geopolitical situation must be the time when we actually go circular', Commissoner Roswall told Euronews. In 2024, the EU adopted the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRM Act), which is intended to strengthen the EU's security of supply of a series of metals and other components essential to the green and digital transitions. The European Union has drawn up a regularly updated list of materials considered 'critical', such as rare-earth metals, copper or cobalt, and another of materials considered 'strategic', such as bismuth and magnesium metal. The EU's objective is to achieve a recycling rate of 25% of CRMs, compared with around 1% today. This requires investment in the necessary infrastructure as part of the Clean Industrial Deal presented last year. The circular economy should also apply to other sectors of the economy, such as construction, textiles and the automotive industry. The Act in preparation is set to provide for the revision of the Waste Framework Directive and promote the creation of a 'common market for waste'. Despite efforts at harmonisation, the existing fragmentation between national requirements, as in the case of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems, raises problems of competition and costs. An intra-EU waste market is wanted by Brussels, which conversely recently tightened the rules against the export of waste outside the EU. 'We need to change our mindset and see waste as an asset', Roswall added, specifying that she also considered water as waste. The EU recently strengthened its legislation on urban wastewater. It plans to maximise the reuse of water for irrigation in the continent's largest treatment stations. Alongside recycling, the EU is also encouraging the extension of product lifetimes. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) entered into force in 2024, and is aimed at creating economic opportunities in remanufacturing, recycling or repair. The European Commission has put forward the concept of a 'right to repair', in the form of incentives to make repairing products easier and more attractive, in order to reduce waste. A directive aimed at 'Empowering consumers for the green transition' was also adopted to offer consumers better information on the products durability. According to a 2020 survey, 77% of Europeans said they would rather repair their goods, but had to buy new ones because of the lack of repair services.
Fashion United
23-04-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
Tom Tailor partners with Dutch repair platform Mended
Almost a year ago, in May 2024, Mended, the Dutch online platform for clothing alterations and repairs, expanded into Germany. Initially, this was through a partnership with Cologne-based sustainable brand Armedangels. This partnership proved so successful, generating 100 repair orders within 15 minutes of launch, that Mended is now collaborating with Hamburg-based clothing retailer Tom Tailor. The partnership is part of Tom Tailor's 'BE-Part' sustainability strategy and its loyalty programme. It responds to the growing demand for repair services, driven on the company side by new EU regulations such as the 'Right to Repair", the Circular Economy Act, and the Circular Economy Action Plan, and on the consumer side by the demand for practical, sustainable solutions. According to Mended, this makes repair 'not a trend, but a necessity.' 'We are not known for just fixing clothes — but how we engage customers and reposition repair as a desirable choice. Our partnership with Tom Tailor is a major milestone and shows that repair is becoming the new standard for fashion companies,' comments Mended co-founder Agnes Weber in a press release on Wednesday. How does the collaboration work for customers? Customers book their repair online via Tom Tailor's repair portal and pay a fee starting at 7.99 euros plus shipping. This service is available to all customers from today; loyalty members receive additional benefits such as up to 20 percent off on their first repair. After booking, customers receive a QR code which they can use to drop off their item at a local post point. All repairs are then carried out by Mended's tailors within Germany, without cross-border shipping. The repaired garment is then delivered directly to the customer's home within ten days. '72 percent of Mended users are first-time repairers. This repair number is growing steadily as brands are increasingly pushing repair across their marketing and loyalty channels,' reports Mended. Furthermore, according to studies, 64 percent of consumers want repair services directly from the brands they shop with – not only for environmental reasons, but also for the service aspect. Repair should become standard 'We are testing today what could be standard tomorrow. Repair goes beyond sustainability but can also play a key role in our loyalty programme,' confirms Maximilian Zippel, head of consumer engagement D2C at Tom Tailor, in the announcement. 'With Tom Tailor's large and loyal customer base, this partnership has the power to reposition repair as a modern and desirable choice for many. It is a big step in putting repair where it belongs — in the spotlight,' adds Weber. Mended also wants to change how consumers think about repair. While it was common a generation or two ago to mend clothes at home or take difficult cases to the trusted hands of a tailor, which were still plentiful, repairing and mending today has a rather old-fashioned feel. 'We need to move away from this dusty image and create new, appealing talking points,' says Weber. 'Shopping is an experience, but repair was not - so we changed that.' This also includes the repaired garments being packaged and delivered 'with a bow on top' to replicate the unboxing experience of new purchases. Tom Tailor x Mended. Credits: Tom Tailor About Mended Mended was founded in 2022 in the Netherlands by Agnes Weber and Daan Maasson. The company has recorded thousands of successfully completed repairs to date and won the Newcomer of the Year 2025 award. The company describes itself as 'a circular service platform that makes extending the life of clothing as attractive as buying new' and offers repairs, alterations and resale of clothing, as well as branding and marketing. Sustainable apparel brands such as Kings of Indigo, Mud Jeans and Armedangels are already working with Mended. In addition to the B2B service for fashion brands, the company also offers a B2C service and carries out repairs for consumers, albeit on a smaller scale. 'We mainly do this to collect data,' explains Weber. 'It gives us insights into which brands consumers want to have repaired, and we can also use this information to approach potential clients.'
Euronews
17-03-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Brussels event set to kick off debate on forthcoming Circular Economy Act
The first Circular Economy Strategy came out in 2015, and was updated in 2020 at the start of president Ursula von der Leyen's first administration. For her second term, von der Leyen has chosen to ratchet things up a notch, and has tasked her new environment commissioner Jessika Roswall with producing a fully fledged Circular Economy Act to codify in law the EU's approach to reducing its drain on global resources. With current consumption trends suggesting that by 2050 humanity will be draining the world's resources at a rate that would take three planets to sustain, the case for action is clear. But what does the Commission plan to cover in the forthcoming law? The two strategies to date have seen a raft of measures to increase circularity, not least targets for the recyclability and sorting of waste and extended producer responsibility in areas such as fast fashion. We've had a couple of hints. In her mission letter to Roswall, von der Leyen said the Act should 'create market demand for secondary materials and establish a single market for waste, notably in relation to critical raw materials'. In a speech last week, the Swedish commissioner pointed to 'untapped potential' in waste streams and need to invest in reuse, recycling and new extraction technologies. No surprise, then, that the business community is keenly watching the signals coming from the EU executive, and has started to set out its own vision of the path Europe should take. The debate will come to the European Parliament building in Brussels on 18 March, when Italian MEP Massimiliano Salini – a vice-chair of the European People's Party – will host a discussion with colleagues and representatives from companies across Europe. Lara Ponti, vice-president of the Italian trade association Confindustria – which represents over 150,000 manufacturing and service companies across Italy – will present a report looking at how Europe can marry the key objectives of sustainability and competitiveness in circular economy policy. Also due to speak are Antonio Decaro, chair of the European Parliament's environment committee, which will play a key role in negotiations on the new Circular Economy Act, and Aurel Ciobanu Dordea, Director for Circular Economy at the European Commission's environment directorate will be offering insights into thinking within the EU executive. Completing the line-up are Confindustria President Emanuele Orsini and Italy's Minister of Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin. ITB Berlin 2025 brought together 6,000 exhibitors from 170 countries and highlighted key developments in global tourism. Patricia Yates, CEO of Visit Britain, presented film tourism as a way to attract visitors. Marga Nograles, CEO of the Philippine Tourism Board, discussed sustainable tourism initiatives, while Made Ayu Marthini, Indonesia's Deputy Minister of Tourism, highlighted the role of local communities. Sayaka Usui of JNTO spoke about promoting disaster-affected regions in Japan. Meanwhile, Florian Sengstschmid, CEO of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, introduced 'slow food travel' as part of cultural tourism. Discussions also focused on adventure tourism in Oman and long-term tourism strategies in Saudi Arabia.
