Recycling industry news
Our top news picks:
- Waste Dive: Chemical recycler Resynergi receives $18M for decentralized facility plan
- Recycling Magazine: Weakening ELV circularity targets
- Reuters: European EV battery material startups make recycling breakthroughs
- Recycling Today: GIC launches automotive plastics circularity pilot
- ESG Today: IKEA Parent Company Releases Net Zero Transition Plan
Chemical recycler Resynergi receives $18M for decentralized facility plan
Resynergi’s strategy is to colocate its modular chemical recycling facilities with material recovery facilities (MRFs) to cut down on transportation and processing costs. The pyrolysis technology converts plastic waste into pyrolysis oil which can be used to produce new plastics or fuel. The company plans to build its first commercial site in California where it previously ran a pilot.
✅ Our take:
There’s been an uptick in recycling investments of late— great news! While mechanical recycling can and should be used to recycle the majority of plastic waste (because it has lower costs and greenhouse gas emissions), chemical recycling is needed to deal with hard-to-recycle plastics (e.g., plastic film). Circular’s platform allows tracking and tracing of materials across the value chain, providing transparency regarding origin, recycling process, and emissions.
Weakening ELV circularity targets
The European Parliament approved a report suggesting modifications to End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) regulations, including reducing the required percentage of recycled plastic in new vehicles from 25% to 20%, as detailed by Recycling Magazine. The report also recommended lowering the closed-loop mandate, which specified that 25% of recycled plastic should come specifically from plastic recovered from ELVs to only 15%.
✅ Our take:
While the proposed modifications may feel like a blow to the Circular economy and risk hindering the decarbonization journey in the automotive industry, the European auto industry will welcome the stepwise approach to support both innovation and competitiveness. Moreover, it may encourage greater adoption and action across the auto sector, including leaders and laggards.
European EV battery material startups make recycling breakthroughs
The race is on to secure electric vehicle (EV) battery materials, with startups making strides in battery recycling. The British startup Altilium also recently announced that its batteries made with recycled materials deliver the same or better performance while reducing emissions by as much as 70% at a 20% lower cost.
✅ Our take:
EV battery recycling is essential for the automotive sector’s net-zero transition as battery materials both face supply-demand gaps to 2030 and represent a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Accessing these next gen materials will be a major challenge, with transparency, cost efficiency, and traceability into the supply chain of these materials all the more critical. That’s where Circular.co can help.
GIC launches automotive plastics circularity pilot
The Global Impact Coalition (GIC), a consortium of seven chemical and recycling companies, recently announced a pilot to increase closed-loop plastic recycling in the automotive industry. The initiative aims to demonstrate the economic viability of achieving ELV recycling targets.
✅ Our take:
We are optimistic about the initiative serving as a proof point for the circular economy. While the pilot currently focuses on plastics, addressing the broader spectrum of ELV materials—especially battery materials, but also metals and other non-metals—will be key to achieving industry decarbonization targets.
IKEA parent company releases net zero transition plan
Ikea’s parent company, Ingka Group, released its net-zero transition plan this month. The strategy aims to reduce emissions by 50% across the value chain of the Group’s 400 Ikea stores by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. According to the plan, product and packaging materials represent the most significant source of emissions (45%). Among the key actions to address these emissions is increasing the use of recycled content and innovative / low emissions materials.
✅ Our take:
We’re thrilled to see IKEA’s continued commitment to sourcing sustainable and next generation materials. Together with other leading companies—like Schneider which published its impact report this month, delivering an increase in green material content in its products from 7% to 38% between 2021 and 2024—we feel confident that the private sector will drive to meet customer demand for sustainable solutions.
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Circular news
What has Circular.co been up to?
In February, we revealed our updated platform and website—check out the new and improved Circular.co. Find out more about how we’re expanding our offerings, enhancing capabilities for buyers, and sharing our take on the industry.
It’s conference season! In March, we’re heading to the Plastics Recycling Conference (PRC) in National Harbor, MD, then it’s off to the Plastics Recycling Show Europe (PRSE) in Amsterdam during the first week of April and Circularity at the end of April. Come visit Circular’s booths: #1145 at PRC and #Q35 at PRSE. We’d be thrilled to share experiences and trade ideas with you.
About Circular
Circular.co is an AI sourcing platform for sustainable and next-gen materials. Circular’s AI-powered platform runs on the world’s largest recycled materials model, allowing buyers to instantly access new suppliers, analyze pricing, get custom quotes, transact, and manage quality, saving time and cost. Global brands use Circular.co to make data-driven decisions and efficiently find the right material from the right suppliers at the right price. Book a demo here or visit circular.co.