FEAD seeks ‘alliance’ between waste and manufacturing industries

The association, which includes the UK’s Environmental Services Association as a member, recently organised an in-person event titled “How to make the circular economy work?

FEAD labelled this as a new alliance between waste management and the manufacturing industries: “the event brought together experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to discuss ways in which EU institutions can enhance Member States’ performance in achieving circular economy targets.”

The event kicked off with a presentation by Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea, the European Commission’s director of circular economy, who shared the Early Warning Report on waste and provided an overview of the institution’s ongoing actions and plans for achieving circular economy goals. This was followed by a panel discussion featuring Victor Dries from OVAM, Belgium, and Herwart Wilms, Vice-President of FEAD, alongside the Commission official. They explored the necessary actions that the EU must take to foster the circular economy.

The focus then shifted to industry perspectives. Leonardo Forner from the Sirmax Group showcased a best practice example of “plastics upcycling for the automotive industry,” highlighting innovative approaches to recycling plastic waste. Almut Reichel introduced the European Environment Agency’s work on secondary raw material markets, emphasizing the importance of developing robust markets for recycled materials. A second panel discussion underscored the significance of establishing a synergy between waste management and manufacturing industries. MEP Sandro Gozi (Renew Europe, France), Cédric de Meeûs (President of Construction Products Europe), and David Lamy (FEAD Vice-President) actively participated in the discussion, sharing their insights.

‘Re-define’

Claudia Mensi, FEAD President said: “We need to re-define the way we see waste. Waste is a real, valuable resource. To address the shortcomings in the Member States’ performance, FEAD pledges a 75% recycling target of all waste in the EU by 2035. To achieve this, concerted and ambitious action is required to boost the uptake of secondary raw materials into the economy.

FEAD concluded the event by presenting its vision for the future of the waste management industry, emphasising the need for reflection, cooperation, and unwavering commitment to realising the circular economy.