Circular economy research and industrial waste recycling advancements

Developments in circular economy practices are highlighting new methods for converting industrial waste into valuable raw materials. In Switzerland, Leuthold Mechanik AG (HLM) has implemented a briquetting line using RUF systems to process aluminum stamping grids from coffee capsule production into valuable briquettes, turning production residue into a new revenue stream.

In academic research, Dr. Samane Maroufi from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney recently presented findings at the Ravensburg-Weingarten University of Applied Sciences regarding sustainable production technologies. Her research at the SMaRT Centre focuses on ‘microrecycling,’ which involves using difficult-to-recycle waste as feedstock for new materials. Key areas of study include high-temperature metallurgy, steel production, and the recovery of critical elements from electronic waste, old magnets, and spent batteries.