The recycling market seems to be growing. Nowadays, there is a need for materials—the quantity of natural resources that we can use is limited.
European and US recycling practices differ tremendously, with the US lagging woefully behind when it comes to both plastic and renewables. Samuele Barrili, owner of MiM Marketing Interim Managers, helps waste management companies execute growth strategies. We spoke with him regarding the state of the recycling industry in both Europe and the US.
Growing need for recyclable materials: “The recycling market is expanding as demand for recyclable materials rises,” Barrili explains. “With global consumption increasing, lead times for delivery are growing every month. This is because the supply of natural resources is limited, affecting extraction, treatment, and distribution.”
Recycling approaches in Europe vs. the US: Europe and the U.S. have historically taken different approaches to recycling. “In Europe, the idea to change the market—to split the market into recyclable and non-recyclable—originated 40 years ago,” Barrili explains. European governments introduced laws and regulations around the recycling process in the 1990s. “Governments created rules and laws to help the recycling process, to educate people on how to recycle, on how to save their raw materials.”
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acknowledges that the U.S. has struggled with recycling infrastructure, with only 32% of waste being recycled, compared to more than 50% in some European countries. Barrili argues that the U.S. has lagged in implementing systemic change. “Even Biden did nothing in this direction. He suggested a way, but it was mainly around agreements like the Paris Agreement, the Kyoto Agreement—nothing in terms of operativity,” he says.
In Europe, the idea to change the market—to split the market into recyclable and non-recyclable—originated 40 years ago. Governments created rules and laws to help the recycling process, to educate people on how to recycle, on how to save their raw materials.
Innovative recycling solutions: A United Nations report estimates that 57.4 million metric tons of e-waste were generated in 2021, but only 17.4% was properly collected and recycled. As demand for electronic devices continues to rise, expanding e-waste recycling will be critical to reducing dependency on newly mined metals. Barrili highlights small companies that are pioneering unique recycling solutions, such as organic waste recycling and EV battery recycling. “E-waste is part of the urban mining process for one simple reason: inside our iPhones, laptops, and other devices, we have gold, platinum, silver, and many other valuable materials. That’s why e-waste recycling is growing,” Barrili explains.
Waste-to-energy: “The energy system in Europe is moving in the direction of waste-to-energy, in addition to the use of wind turbines and other plants,” Barrili notes. These plants incinerate non-recyclable waste to generate electricity, reducing landfill dependency.
“In the US, waste-to-energy plants are growing very fast because you don’t have the opportunity to use landfills. You need to direct the waste flow in other ways.” While WTE technology helps mitigate landfill reliance, it has its drawbacks. Barrili warns, “to create development and help countries grow, you need energy. The best way to start is from waste. But we are losing a lot of raw materials that we could use in other ways.”
