Recycling Supports the Transition to Sustainability

Recycling is worldwide gaining ground as more and more countries promote the circular economy. A recent example is India. The government of the world’s most populous country is convinced that India – with a new legal framework regarding solid waste management and a strategy aiming at a well-functioning circular economy – will be able to achieve economic resilience, environmental sustainability and social security. As a result, the country seeks to harness the economic advantages of recycling. Those interested can find more information about this topic on page 3 and beyond.

This is not the only evidence that recycling plays an important role for the transition to more sustainability. Regarding the construction industry, for instance, an increasing number of initiatives is devoted to circular economy and low-carbon solutions. At Marmomac (23-26 September, 2025, Veronafiere, Italy), an important world fair dedicated to the entire stone production chain, the exhibition platform “Stone Next” presented for example a new system for low-carbon circular architecture: Stone 3D Printing, developed by Swiss ETH Zürich. Made with 80 percent recycled stone and a low-impact binder, it would combine material circularity with digital precision, the information said.

Another example is the now officially launched Horizon Europe project “Bios Mater”, co-funded by the Circular Bio-Based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) and the European Union. The initiative aims to transform the construction sector by introducing advanced bio-based materials, applying circular eco­nomy principles, and implementing Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD) solutions to ensure health, safety and environmental responsibility throughout the building lifecycle. Four bio-based products will be tested in a dedicated “DEMOpark” under real conditions to prove their performance, scalability, and environmental impact. The project brings together 22 partners from ten countries.

Further advancements in technology could also be beneficial for the recycling industry. According to global business market research and consulting firm Verified Market Reports, the global mattress recycling service market is projected to reach 2.5 billion US-Dollar by 2033. The increasing demand for sustainable disposal methods and recycling initiatives is expected to drive an annual growth rate of 4.8 percent from 2022 to 2030. However, mattress recycling is implemented globally, but not in every country (page 32 onwards).

As far as plastics recycling is concerned, the European plastics market has recently become increasingly challenging. According to the German company Source One GmbH, the solution can be a holistic approach, described on page 10. Moreover, the American company PureCycle Technologies LLC has big plans regarding its patented dissolution technology for polypropylene recycling (page 14).

We hope you get a lot of new and useful information from reading this current magazine.

Yours, Brigitte Weber