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.

Who we are

Publication hub

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Joint Position Paper ‘From flat to circular: Rethinking glass in construction’

Executive Summary Flat glass plays a vital role in the EU’s transition towards a circular and decarbonised economy. With approximately 10 million tonnes of flat glass placed on the market annually – 80% of which is used in the building sector[1] – its end-of-life management presents both a challenge and an opportunity. While the environmental […]

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Export tariffs threaten EU circularity: EU aluminium recyclers oppose restrictions, urge value chain cooperation

EuRIC, the voice of European recyclers, strongly opposes the potential introduction of export tariffs on recycled aluminium, which is frequently mischaracterised as “scrap.” Contrary to concerns raised by aluminium producers about excessive exports, official data shows a year-on-year decline in export volumes, with shipments to the United States accounting for just 0.4% of total EU […]

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EU Recyclers’ position on the simplification of administrative burden in environmental legislation

The European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) welcomes the initiative on the simplification of administrative burden in environmental legislation and underlines the need for making EU legislation more efficient and effective while safeguarding ambitious environmental objectives. To foster a circular and competitive EU industry, EuRIC highlights that: Although we fully support its initial purpose, we believe […]

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

Dear President von der Leyen, The European plastic value chain is facing a deepening industrial recession that threatens its role in delivering circularity, strategic autonomy, and green innovation. Immediate and decisive policy intervention is imperative to halt this decline. In parallel, medium to long-term recovery and resilience must be secured through the ambitious implementation of […]

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EuRIC position on the new rules for calculating, verifying and reporting on recycled plastic content under the SUPD

EuRIC – the European Recycling Industries’ Confederation – believes that developing robust and fair calculation methods for the recycled content is of paramount importance to ensure a level playing field for all recycling technologies. This is particularly relevant at a time when the mechanical recycling industry is experiencing a serious crisis with numerous bankruptcies across […]

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NGO-Business Coalition’s answer to the latest draft Implementing Act laying down rules for the calculation of recycled plastic content under the SUPD

The undersigned organisations, representing civil society, business organisations and companies active along the waste management value chain, highlight that rules for calculating recycled content in plastics using a mass balance approach under the Single Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) will in influence market dynamics and shape the industry for decades to come. As the first regulation […]

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Bridging circularity and decarbonisation through an ambitious EU Green Public Procurement (GPP) framework

Executive Summary Public procurement represents a powerful yet underutilised tool in the EU’s transition towards a climate-neutral, circular economy. Accounting for approximately 14% of the EU GDP – over €2.4 trillion annually, public procurement holds significant potential to influence market demand, shift production patterns, and accelerate the uptake of recycled materials and circular products, thereby […]

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Harmonised End-of-Waste criteria: A key step to strengthening Europe’s tyre recycling market

Harmonised End-of-Waste criteria: A key step to strengthening Europe’s tyre recycling market EURIC[i] and ETRMA[ii] call for the development of EU-wide End of Waste (EoW) criteria for the End-of-Life Tyres (ELT)-derived Rubber Waste Stream. The rubber supply chain is ready for the next step in the advancement and uptake of the recycling of ELT-derived materials. […]

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No true ‘green steel’ labelling without circularity at its core

EuRIC, the voice of Europe’s recycling industries, welcomes the EU’s initiative to define and label “green steel” as outlined in the Steel and Metals Action Plan, in an effort to support the decarbonisation of this industry and strengthen its competitiveness. As discussions evolve and methodologies are assessed, EuRIC stresses the need for a methodology that […]

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