Well-functioning markets for secondary raw materials (SRMs) are crucial to creating a circular economy in the EU that would help reduce the depletion of natural resources and the related environmental impacts, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA). The agency has analysed the markets for eight major secondary raw material streams in the EU and developed criteria for assessing whether these markets are functioning well. The report with its findings and recommendations "Investigating Europe's secondary raw material markets“ was published in late January.
The report shows that the criteria set down in the EEA's new assessment framework are only being met in the secondary raw material markets for aluminium, paper and glass. In contrast, "barriers" were found to exist in the five other material streams examined – wood, plastics, biowaste, aggregates from construction and demolition (C&D) waste, and textiles....
