#Recycling / Circular Economy

2025-04-17

EuRIC and FEAD point at ELV regulation to protect recycling and boost circularity

Creating a circular automotive sector requires more than just commitments; it demands a robust regulatory framework that promotes fair, transparent practices and ensures the uptake of recycled materials.

EuRIC and FEAD believe the upcoming End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation (ELVR) is the right opportunity to set the right safeguards that prevent practices which hinder competition, circularity, and recyclers’ efforts to recover materials – thereby supporting Europe’s competitiveness and futureproofing recycling and circularity. To achieve this, EuRIC and FEAD urge policymakers to:

Establish independent oversight to monitor the operations of producers and their Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) to prevent potential market distortions and conflicts of interest.

Recognise that Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes are not the silver bullet. Where EPR schemes are already in place, the entire recycling value chain, from Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATFs) to mechanical recyclers (equipped with shredding and post-shredding technologies), must be included in the governance to ensure effective and transparent recycling practices.

Ensure that manufacturers cover the full costs of ELV recycling, including dismantling and treatment, with recyclers keeping ownership of the valuable parts and materials recovered.

While transparency and fair practices are critical to protect recyclers and waste operators, true circularity in automotive is still a long way off. To secure investments in high-quality recycling and the uptake of recycled materials that boost circularity, EuRIC and FEAD strongly call for:

Maintaining the 25% recycled content target for plastics in ELVs, as proposed by the Commission. This target is both realistic and verified, and should be based on post-consumer waste, excluding pre-consumer waste and biobased plastics, which could strongly undermine its effectiveness.

Introducing a mandatory recycled content target for steel in automotive, as steel remains the leading material in vehicle production. This target would drive investment and improve the quality of steel recovered from ELVs.

The recent announcement of Commission decision against car manufacturers and ACEA shows the need for change. To protect recyclers’ efforts, boost circularity, and guarantee the use of recycled materials, the EU must act decisively. The upcoming End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation (ELVR) is a key opportunity to set the rules for fairness, transparency, and long-term circularity in the automotive sector.

The European Recycling Conference 2025 heads to Hamburg

The European Recycling Conference (ERC) is coming to Hamburg, Germany, on 1 October 2025. This year’s edition, co-organised with EuRIC’s German members BDSV, bvse, and VDM, will explore the topic of “Building a competitive market for recycled materials”, and their critical role in delivering on the EU’s Competitiveness Compass and Clean Industrial Deal objectives.

Carbios and Wankai postpone startup of China’s first PET biorecycling plant to 2028

The industrial deployment of enzymatic PET recycling in Asia is progressing, but at a slower pace than initially planned. French recycling technology company Carbios and its Chinese partner Wankai New Materials have announced that the commissioning of their planned PET biorecycling facility in Haining, Zhejiang Province, has been postponed and is now expected in the first half of 2028.

Closing the Footwear Loop reveals challenges and opportunities for circular footwear

The footwear industry faces one of the most complex circularity challenges in the fashion sector. A new Phase 1 report from the Fashion for Good initiative Closing the Footwear Loop, developed together with Circle Economy, provides new insights into the composition, condition and recycling potential of post-consumer footwear waste.

TM WEFT, 270" – More width, more design freedom for the fashion world

KARL MAYER is expanding its successful TM WEFT series with an innovative model that opens up new possibilities, particularly in the fashion & apparel sectors. With a working width of 270", this new machine with weft-insertion not only offers significantly higher output than its narrower counterparts but is also specifically tailored to the demands of dynamic clothing market – particularly in China and Türkiye. A well-thought-out upgrade also ensures even greater design versatility.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.