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At the forefront of recycling trends
Discover the current recycling trends in our business
Today, we all face a common challenge – to develop climate smart products and become fully circular. And as the global demand for more sustainable solutions increases and tougher environmental legislation is introduced, we have identified a number of important recycling trends – from a growing need to work together to a greater demand for more high-quality recycled raw material.
Circular partnerships are increasing
Today, there is a growing demand for circular business models. And the best way for your business to achieve circularity, is for us to work together. Circular material flows prevent waste, protect material values and reduce climate impact. They also ensure that more products are repaired, reused or designed to be recycled from the start.
By combining knowledge, experience and expertise, we can develop new solutions together. Solutions that will solve complex challenges and ensure that used products and materials become resources for new circular products. Other factors driving the need for closer partnerships are ambitious sustainability goals set by you – our customers. For example: more recycled materials in products as well as products where more materials can be recycled. Higher expectations regarding sustainability from consumers and the introduction of new legislation are also factors.
Circular partnerships are the key to success and we have the expertise and resources to work together with you throughout the value chain – from design, manufacturing and transport to collection, recycling and reuse.
Read more about our circular partnerships
Re-made to matter
Stena Recycling and Alfa Laval have teamed up to accelerate the transition towards a carbon neutral and circular future.
Sustainability brings success
When it comes to business, how do you measure success? Today, offering sustainable products and services is seen as essential to the long-term success of any business. Having a clear sustainability strategy in place is more attractive to investors who make their decisions based on where and how products are manufactured, which materials were used and what impact a product has on the climate.
But sustainability is not just attractive to investors. Brands that are perceived as being sustainable are becoming increasingly valued by consumers. In a recent survey carried out by Stena Recycling called ‘The Circular Voice’, 5,000 consumers in 5 countries were asked if sustainability affects their buying habits? 40% of those asked said that they would not buy products from brands that did not meet their expectations regarding sustainability.
At Stena Recycling, we believe the demand for sustainability presents a great opportunity for your business. We have the resources, experience and expertise to help you meet your sustainability goals and your customers’ expectations.
Download our Circular Voice survey
Increased competition for circular materials
Today, many businesses are already focused on reducing their climate impact. And more are joining them all the time. One of the most effective ways to reduce climate impact is to use recycled raw materials in production instead of the Earth’s natural resources. However, this will inevitably result in increased competition for certain circular materials.
At Stena Recycling, we already have the advanced processes in place to deliver a steady supply of high-quality recycled raw materials. We also have new technologies that allow us to recycle more complex materials in even greater volumes. We have invested heavily in the recycling of plastics from electronic waste and can recycle plastic film used for protection during transportation. Thanks to our investments in advanced aluminium recycling processes, we can now produce high-quality recycled aluminium that is so pure that it can replace virgin material, while saving up to 95% carbon emissions. We have also invested heavily in the recycling of lithium-ion batteries. Through our investments, we can now extract more material from complex products as well as increase recycling rates and the amount of products and components we can safely reuse.
So, whatever materials you deal with, whatever the volume, contact us to see how we can help you use more recycled raw materials in your production.
Our world is turning electric
Our world is turning electric. Fast. Batteries now power our everyday. And while this brings exciting new opportunities, it also brings new challenges. And one of the greatest challenges is finding safe, sustainable ways to take care of the lithium-ion batteries that are driving this electric revolution – batteries that contain valuable materials such as nickel, aluminium, cobalt and lithium.
To meet this challenge, we are currently establishing seven new battery centers across Europe, where industrial batteries will be safely collected, discharged and dismantled. At our new facilities, it will be possible to recycle 95% of a lithium-ion battery used in electric vehicles. Batteries from smart devices, power tools, domestic appliances and other electronic products can also be treated here.
With investment in new facilities and advanced recycling processes, and through close collaboration with innovative, like-minded partners, we can reclaim precious and finite resources. These resources can then be recycled and returned back into the loop as high-quality raw materials.
Digitalization and the drive for change
But it’s not just electrification that is driving change. Digitalization is also transforming the way we approach waste management – creating new possibilities for greater efficiency and control at every stage of the value chain.
When it comes to collection, digital tools can be used to store and analyse information that will optimize collection times – increasing efficiency while reducing transport costs and emissions. Automated processes will also lead to higher levels of efficiency when it comes to sorting and recycling, making it easier to recover more valuable materials and reducing the amount of raw materials mined.
As well as taking collecting, sorting and recycling to the next level, digitalization can create a smoother, more reliable process when it comes to accurate labelling and reporting – which will help ensure greater traceability throughout the value chain.
More waste recycled closer to the source
As well as using more recycled raw materials in production, recycling waste nearer to the source is an effective way of reducing climate impact. Ideally, waste should be moved as little as possible. Thanks to our extensive network of 160 facilities, a large proportion of our recycling and production of recycled raw materials can be carried out locally, close to where our customers’ waste originates.
International events have also contributed to more waste being recycled at home instead of being exported. For example, in recent years China has stopped the import of large amounts of waste from the West. To compensate for this, we have invested to ensure that we can now recycle more waste in our markets – close to the source of our customers’ waste and close to their need for circular raw materials. This not only reduces climate impact by reducing emissions, it also ensures greater traceability.
Discover services to suit your sustainability needs including collection, reuse and recycling
Did you know?
Today’s consumers expect more from manufacturers. In our survey, only 48% believed there are enough climate-smart products currently available.
Today’s consumers have high confidence in recycled raw materials. In our survey, 69% considered a product’s recyclability to be important.
In our survey, 65% of consumers are willing to alter their buying behaviour based on sustainability, while 40% would reject brands and products that are not sustainable.
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