Getting Wasted

China’s trash ban forces Europe to confront its waste problem

Beijing kills EU’s ‘out of sight, out of mind’ approach to its mountains of garbage.

Small old wind towers make for big new problems

Wind turbine blades have to be light and strong, which makes them very difficult to recycle.

Hope for circular economy jobs could be a waste

EU optimism over job creation potential of circular economy policies appears overblown.

Tires tread on the environment

The prospect of microscopic bits of tires making their way into the ocean has policymakers and tire companies concerned.

Europe’s ghost car fleet haunts recycling targets

The Commission is mulling an EU-wide system to prevent illegal car scrapping.

How to win the war on unrecyclable plastics

EU laws introduce mandatory separate collection of bio waste from 2023. The City of Milan and Novamont already made this a reality with biodegradable and compostable bioplastic solutions.

Presented by Novamont

Converting plastic to petrol fuels debate in Brussels

Old plastics could fuel cars, ships and planes, but green groups worry the practice would upend recycling goals.

Ranking how EU countries do with the circular economy

POLITICO’s circular economy index produces some unexpected results.

A love letter to plastics

In a museum on the outskirts of Brussels, plastic is still in style.

Using wastewater on farms sparks environmental and health worries

Wastewater can be used for irrigation though it may contain persistent chemicals and promote water overuse.

Greek island faces stinking summer waste crisis

The fight over a Corfu garbage dump has drawn in the Athens government, the European Commission and the European Court of Justice.