What we recycle

Plastics

Plastics are composed of polymers i.e., compounds made of many small molecules.

Ferrous metals

Ferrous metals, primarily composed of iron, include materials like steel and cast iron, which are commonly found in construction, manufacturing, and transportation.

Non-Ferrous metals

Non-ferrous metals, such as aluminum, copper, lead, zinc, and titanium, do not contain iron and are valued for their resistance to corrosion and high conductivity.

Paper

Recycled paper is a versatile material that can replace or supplement virgin pulp to create new products like packaging, newspapers, and insulation.

Textiles

Textiles, including both synthetic fibers like polyester and natural fibers like cotton, are integral to daily life, with global production nearly tripling since 1975.

Tyres

Tyres contain multiple valuable materials such as rubber (75%), steel (15%) and textile fibres (10%).

Construction & Demolition

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste includes materials like concrete, bricks, wood, metals, glass, plastics, and hazardous substances such as asbestos.

End-of-life Vehicles

End-of-life Vehicles (ELVs) contain valuable materials like metals (steel, aluminum), plastics, rubber, and glass, as well as batteries.

E-waste

E-waste, otherwise referred to as waste electronical and electronic equipment (WEEE), is mainly composed of non-ferrous metals (nickel, copper, lead, etc.

Ships

End-of-life ships are decommissioned vessels that contain valuable materials like steel, metals, and electronics, along with hazardous substances such as asbestos, oils, and toxic chemicals.

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Recycling Europe hails Commission pivot on aluminium scrap exports, calls for constructive dialogue

Brussels, 10 September 2026 – Recycling Europe welcomes the European Commission’s decision to step back from the proposed trade measure that could restrict exports of recycled aluminium (scrap). The decision provides an opportunity for a constructive discussion on how to strengthen the competitiveness of the entire European aluminium value chain. We are relieved to see […]

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Presse release : AMI Compounding & Recycling Expo prepares to welcome the plastics industry to Frankfurt later this month

FRANKFURT, GER – 10 September 2026 – The plastics compounding and recycling industries will gather at Messe Frankfurt, Germany, on 23-24 September 2026 for the AMI Compounding & Recycling Expo, a free-to-attend event bringing together technology suppliers, materials companies, recyclers, processors, brand owners and industry experts from across the plastics value chain. The event combines a major exhibition with […]

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FAQ: End of Waste criteria & End-of-Life Tyre (ELT) Rubber

A strong circular economy in Europe, where waste is treated within EU borders, depends on a well-functioning single market for both waste and recycled materials. This need is reinforced by recent high‑level analyses: both the Draghi report and the Letta report underline that creating a genuine single market for waste and recycled materials is essential […]

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Joint Letter: Strategic Recommendations for a Resilient and Circular Plastic Value Chain in Europe

The European plastic value chain is facing a deepening industrial recession that threatens its role in delivering circularity, strategic autonomy, and green innovation. Soaring energy costs, legal uncertainty, regulatory fragmentation and intensifying global competition are steadily eroding the sector’s resilience and undermining its capacity to invest, innovate, and compete. Recent data confirm the severity of […]

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Ukraine’s UTRA joins Recycling Europe’s Textiles Branch

Brussels, 7 September 2026 – Recycling Europe is pleased to welcome the Ukrainian Textile Recycling Association (UTRA) as the newest member of its Textiles branch, further strengthening the European network working to advance textile circularity. UTRA represents Ukraine’s textile collection, sorting, reuse, and recycling sector, bringing together stakeholders working to advance a modern circular textile […]

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Joint Statement: Making PPWR plastic recycled content targets deliver for Europe’s circular economy – A ‘Made in Europe’ approach and robust mirror measures 

The European plastics recycling industry is facing an unprecedented crisis, with numerous plant closures, declining demand, unfair international competition and growing imports of allegedly ‘recyclates’ whose recycled content cannot always be effectively verified. At the same time, the recent Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) sets in its Article 7 mandatory recycled content (RC) targets for plastics packaging by 2030, and foresees the implementation of a mirror clause to […]

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The world’s number one event for long steel products is in Belgrade!

The SteelOrbis Fall 2026 Conference & 95th IREPAS Meeting will bring together leading representatives of the global long steel industry in Belgrade on September 27-29, 2026. SteelOrbis and IREPAS will hold their second gathering of 2026 at the Metropol Palace Belgrade. In addition to providing valuable insights into the latest developments in the markets, the […]

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BOPP films continue to advance despite a constantly changing regional landscape

BOPP films remain an integral part of global delivery of goods, and investment in capacity indicates continued confidence in its future July 2026 — AMI Market Intelligence has released the new edition of its authoritative report offering a deep dive into the global BOPP films market, providing industry stakeholders and investors with a comprehensive analysis […]

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Putting recycled materials at the centre of the Critical Raw Materials Centre: Recycling Europe’s response to the European Commission’s Call for Evidence

Introduction Securing access to Critical Raw Materials (CRM) is crucial to strengthening Europe’s resilience and competitiveness. The creation of the CRM-Centre (CRM-C) is therefore a step in the right direction. This new EU body could help create demand for recycled materials, a much-needed element to scale recycling capacities in Europe. But for this, the CRM-C […]

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