EU study projects waste recycling could meet over half of critical material demand by 2050
A United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) study projects that, under advanced circular‑economy scenarios, European waste‑recovery systems could supply 4.1 – 5.7 million tonnes of critical materials each year, covering up to 56 % of the continent’s primary demand for lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper and aluminium by 2050. The report outlines three recovery scenarios – 33 %, 47 % and 56 % substitution – and estimates that avoided CO₂ emissions could range from 81 to 273 million tonnes per year, far exceeding the 71‑80 million tonnes generated by the recycling processes themselves. The analysis stresses the need for sustained investment in sorting and refining technologies, EU‑wide regulatory harmonisation and product design for disassembly.
In Spain, the Association of Asturian Social‑Economy Enterprises (ASATA) released a study, supported by the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy, on applying circular‑economy principles to construction and deconstruction. The study highlights opportunities created by Spain’s 2022 waste‑and‑soil law, promotes sustainable deconstruction as a niche business, and calls for training and entrepreneurship to generate jobs within the circular‑construction sector.
A Brazilian guide explains the concept of waste valorisation, describing how firms can transform discarded plastics, organics, wood, metals, construction debris and hazardous liquids into secondary raw materials, energy or new products. It lists economic benefits – reduced landfill costs, new revenue streams, lower greenhouse‑gas emissions and compliance with environmental regulations – and outlines required equipment such as sorting systems, shredders and anaerobic digesters.
Separately, a Brazilian campaign led by Itaipu Binacional and the federal government seeks to raise recycling rates, which currently sit below 5 % of waste generated. The initiative stresses the social importance of waste pickers (catadores), the need to close open‑air dumps, and the role of selective collection in generating income for vulnerable families while protecting the environment.