Circular economy - News

The Commission welcomes the provisional political agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council aiming to make all batteries placed on the EU market more sustainable, circular and safe.

Issue 589: Can clothing be more sustainable? A new study identifies the top causes of garment failure and suggests possible solutions, informed by industry professionals.

The EU Ecolabel steadily continues its growth of awarded licenses and product diversification with the inauguration of two new product groups.

Transition to a low-carbon economy will create additional demand for many raw materials, production of which will have a range of environmental impacts.

Today EU public authorities and practitioners from the waste-recycling industry gather to discuss how to divert biowaste from landfills and use it to produce bio-energy and compost.

The shipping industry needs to decarbonise in order to meet global climate targets. This study compares the suitability of five low-carbon fuels to power all ships carrying bulk cargo in Europe. The results show that technologies support this transition but would increase total ownership costs.

Encouraging businesses to adopt more sustainable practices is a key element in EU environment policy. This study looks at a range of factors that influence the uptake of such measures by small- to medium-sized enterprises across the EU.

Reusing materials from existing buildings (or ‘urban mining’) has been proposed as a means to reduce demolition waste, raw material consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. This study models the opportunities for urban mining in the Netherlands under practical constraints, up to the year 2050.

District heating can provide an efficient solution to heating urban buildings, while waste-water treatment plants represent a potential source of renewable energy.