Circular economy
Closing cycles instead of consuming resources
The more people there are on earth, the more raw materials are used to manufacture consumer goods, everyday items and lots more. For a long time, these elaborately produced products turned into waste upon reaching the end of their lifespan. It is far better to preserve the value of products and raw materials as long as possible and to minimize waste, i.e. to initiate material cycles instead of "consuming" resources. That is the circular economy. The mechanical and plant engineering sector is indispensable in this endeavor.
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Twin transformation in mechanical and plant engineering: How digitalization and sustainability together enable new business models and make the industry fit for the future.
The new Clean Industrial Deal seeks to answer the industry calls for competitiveness as the successor of the EU Green Deal?
VDMA Members from Austria and Bavaria met in Salzburg to discuss the implemtation of the European Union's new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)
With the introduction of the new Ecodesign Regulation and the creation of a Digital Product Passport (DPP), the EU Commission has implemented key elements of the EU Green Deal.
Associations of the plastics industry and waste management industry continue to work together
Customer requirements and their implementation are no longer defined only within one's own company, but must be developed in a joint value chain with cross-company teams, so that a holistic, resource-efficient value cycle is created.
Carelessly discarded packaging pollutes oceans and landscapes worldwide. The images of environmental pollution are well known and the need for action is great. Every individual bears responsibility.
Focus on the circular economy: countries around the world are enacting regulations on packaging and waste in order to reduce environmental pollution. The overview "Regulations on packaging and packaging waste" shows current and planned measures. Download now!
The workshop series of the Effizienz-Agentur NRW (efa) provides practical support for the NRW mechanical and plant engineering industry when entering into circular business models - this offers enormous potential even in times of crisis.
Many mechanical engineering companies supply the technologies needed for a circular economy. This makes it all the more important that the EU and the future German government seriously pursue a circular economy policy.
Carbon management is a central key to achieving climate targets and highlights the important role of mechanical and plant engineering in implementing appropriate solutions.
China wants to promote the development of domestic sorting technology. The expansion of the textile recycling industry is being promoted by the state, provinces and municipalities.
The ‘Circular Production NRW’ funding programme is supporting innovative projects for sustainable, resource-efficient and circular value creation in SMEs with 21 million euros.
Grants for the further development and scaling of bio-based processes - the new funding guideline for the establishment of an industrial bioeconomy in Germany makes it possible.
In order to implement the EU textile strategy, the EU Commission is focusing on actions to help the EU industry with the transformation. In addition, the industry is asked to shape the transformation path with commitments and best practices.
Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) technology offers a promising opportunity to reduce unavoidable CO₂ quantities. This involves not only capturing carbon dioxide, but also reusing it as a valuable raw material in industry.
The EU Battery Regulation aims to minimize the negative environmental impact of batteries. This has far-reaching consequences for the mechanical and plant engineering industry.
The "Produktives.NRW" competition call supports investments in critical technologies in the areas of digital innovations, environmentally friendly and resource-efficient technologies and biotechnology in NRW.
Mechanical engineering is indispensable for a European circular economy. The Circular Economy Act is an important building block, but it must not end in the minutiae of regulation.
The results report of the "Managing Sustainable Innovations" project provides a compact overview of the framework conditions and approaches that can be used to create more sustainable products.
With the new Ecodesign Regulation and the establishment of a digital product passport, the EU Commission has set an important milestone under the Green Deal. The mechanical engineering sector will already be affected by the new requirements in the short term.
QTK - quality, time, cost: this triangle of customer benefit dimensions has defined the economy for generations. Sustainability now adds another corner - the square QTKN.
The more material - for example metals or plastics - that is not part of the final product, the higher the total material consumption and the higher the total greenhouse gas emissions.
ProduktionNRW looks at different areas of the transformation megatrend. Practical examples from the mechanical and plant engineering sector are used to show how implementation can succeed and which success factors are important.
The Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia is providing funding for innovations in the circular economy with "Ressource.NRW". The submission deadline for the first round ends on April 1, 2024.
The EU research program "Made in Europe" not only offers a dialogue platform for topics related to Industry 4.0, but also an opportunity to participate in EU projects. One focus here is the circular economy.
The VDMA's guide to circular business models is now available for members. The aim of this guide is to provide an introduction to the topic of the circular economy.
The demand for alternative raw materials from chemical recycling processes is growing. The Chemical Recycling Corporate Forum has defined fields of action for the politics to create better framework conditions for the development of the industry.
Board and technology working groups have prioritized the topic of sustainability in the context of AM. What is really sustainable about AM? Which system boundaries are considered? Facts & data on BestPractice examples will provide an overview.
From bionics to biointelligence – Advances in biology and its fusion with technology and IT are opening up a whole new dimension for machine makers to solve the current challenges of our time. The Scenario Study shows how this can be achieved.
In the future, only safe, circular and sustainable products are to be allowed on the EU internal market. The central element for mechanical and plant engineering in this context is the revision and opening of the Ecodesign Directive and the establishment of a digital product passport.
Maintaining products, components and materials at their highest utility and value, extending life cycles and thus reducing waste and resource consumption, that is the goal of the circular economy. The way to achieve this is to apply the 10 "R strategies" of the circular economy.
VDMA and its members support the transition to a functioning circular economy. The textile machinery industry is an indispensable partner in this transition. The following list provides an overview of the products and services of VDMA members that make this possible.
The world has a waste problem. The EU is responding with a sustainability agenda that focuses on the reuse and repair of items. In addition to "Reduce" and "Reuse," "Recycle" is also on the action plan. In order to meet the required recyclate quotas, expanded or new technologies and processes are needed.
The old industrialised countries export their waste plastic packaging to third countries and emerging markets for disposal or recycling. However, these do not have appropriate infrastructure and technologies for sustainable recycling. As a result, considerable quantities of this waste ultimately end up in the sea via the major river systems of these countries.
The aim of the Plastics Strategy is to use plastics according to the criteria "Reuse - Repair - Recycle". In addition to the recycling aspects, economic advantages such as growth and employment in Europe are to be developed.
The aim of a recycling economy is not to dispose of the various materials as waste at the end of their useful life or service life, but to use them again as high-quality materials through intelligent processes. This saves energy and protects resources and the environment.
Today, more and more products are packed in plastic packaging of all kinds. But what happens after using the packaging. What quantities are generated in the EU28 and Germany and how are they recycled.
In June 2019, the European Parliament adopted Directive EU 2019/904. According to this directive, from 2021 onwards certain disposable plastic products may no longer be sold in the EU if affordable alternatives are available. The aim is to reduce consumption of the others.
This infographic is available for download.
How can we succeed in creating a circular economy for plastics? What opportunities does the packaging industry have? The initiatives for recycling management in the plastics packaging industry offer numerous impulses for improving the reuse of packaging.
What activities are undertaken to reduce plastic waste? One approach is the recycling and reuse of plastics, which is being pursued by some institutions.
Non-returnable or returnable packaging: why and for what purposes it is suitable and what to consider in the life cycle assessment.
There is a minimum standard for measuring the recyclability of packaging subject to system participation. It provides manufacturers with orientation as to what recycling-friendly packaging design must look like.
Europe is to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050: One initiative to achieve this is the digital product passport (DPP) and this is intended to map more transparency on sustainability information.
Here you will find an overview of further links
Expert interview with Dr. Horst-Christian Langowski: Many observations in the packaging industry focus on changing packaging concepts in order to realize improved recycling cycles. Instead of multi-layer films, mono films are now to be used, which are easier to recycle.
More laws than ever before are being prepared for the textile and clothing industry in the EU. They will fundamentally change how textiles and clothing are produced, marketed and recycled in the EU.
This infographic is available for download.
VDMA Plastics and Rubber Machinery Association draws a thoroughly positive balance of the world's leading trade fair K
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