It’s been a remarkably busy week! Let’s get stuck in.

Industry News

Collaborations and Partnerships 🤝:

The Return and Xplor Spot partner to turn dry cleaners into e-commerce return hubs. The alliance embeds The Return’s reverse-logistics network into Xplor Spot’s management software, enabling cleaners to accept and process retail returns. 450 locations are already live, adding income streams and boosting sustainability. Read more.

ASOS partners with TrusTrace to boost ESG and supply-chain visibility. The integration of TrusTrace’s AI-powered platform gives ASOS real-time traceability, centralised compliance, and analytics for ESG reporting. The move reinforces its “Fashion with Integrity” strategy amid fast-fashion scrutiny. Read more.

Renew Kings partners with Cyculus to optimise European device refurbishment. Renew Kings’ sophisticated screen restoration services will embed into Cyculus’ automated AI grading facility in Germany, delivering faster turnaround times and higher resale value. Read more.

Renow partners with Nordic marketplace CDON to streamline returns and resale. Renow will deploy its AI-powered grading and decentralised logistics network to process CDON’s returned items locally and relist them directly on the marketplace. The move creates a seamless recommerce channel for customers and merchants. Read more.

ReBound Returns partners with SEKO Logistics to expand US returns infrastructure. The global supply chain solutions specialist will manage ReBound’s domestic network, improving the speed and efficiency of returns processing. The deal strengthens data-driven infrastructure for retailers navigating rising volumes. Read more.

Iondrive partners with Colt Recycling to trial rare-earth recovery from e-waste. The project will test Iondrive’s Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES) process on North American feedstock supplied by Colt. The closed-loop method uses non-toxic chemistry to extract valuable metals in a sustainable way. Read more.

EVE Energy partners with Miracle Automation to build a global battery recycling ecosystem. The deal spans reverse logistics, regeneration, and collection infrastructure for end-of-life lithium-ion batteries. Miracle’s overseas sites will become official drop-off and processing hubs for EVE. Read more.

Balena Science and designer Kitty Shukman debut 3D-printed biodegradable slides. Made with BioCir, the fashion industry’s first fully compostable elastomer, the footwear is designed to break down completely in industrial composting. The collaboration shows how additive manufacturing can support circular design at scale. Read more.

Dow and Gruppo Fiori develop breakthrough process to recycle car seat foam. The partnership combines Dow’s expertise in materials science with Gruppo Fiori’s established automotive recycling ecosystem, enabling the extraction of polyurethane foam from end-of-life vehicles without disassembly. Read more.

Circular Connect announces a media partnership with Sustainable Logistics LIVE. Join us on September 24 for the UK’s only event focused on reducing Scope 3 emissions through smarter, greener logistics. Register here with code SLLCC2025 for an exclusive discount (expires on September 12 so be quick)!

Company Updates 🔎:

Amazon launches first-ever “Second Chance Deal Days” across Europe. Running from 3–9 September, customers can save up to 50% off RRP across tech, gaming, home, fitness, toys, and more. Over 30 million pre-owned items are included, all professionally inspected and resold via Amazon Resale or Renewed. Read more.

eBay launches Authenticity Guarantee for apparel in the UK. Fashion items from select brands will now be verified by experts before reaching buyers. The free service expands eBay’s authentication program beyond sneakers, watches, handbags, and jewellery, giving shoppers added trust in pre-loved fashion. Read more.

HP highlights circular progress in its 2024 Sustainable Impact Report. The company has cut product-use emissions 46% since 2019 and now powers all US operations with renewable electricity. It’s used over 4 billion pounds of recycled or renewable materials in products and packaging. Read more.

Altilium and JLR showcase UK’s first EV battery cells from recycled materials. Demonstrated at Cenex Expo, the NMC 811 pouch cells deliver identical performance to virgin-made cells. An independent LCA confirmed a 32% cut in carbon plus major reductions in particulates, ecotoxicity, and resource use. Read more.

Ascend Elements produces >99% pure recycled lithium carbonate in a US first. Using black mass from spent batteries, the company has proven that high-grade material can be recovered at commercial scale. The output is suitable for direct use in new EV batteries, reducing reliance on imported, mined lithium. Read more.

Samsara Eco launches Australia’s first enzymatic plastic recycling plant. The Jerrabomberra site can break down hard-to-recycle plastics like nylon and polyester into virgin-quality feedstock. It doubles as an R&D and enzyme hub, laying the groundwork for a much larger facility in Asia. Read more.

Continental invests in pyrolysis tech to recycle complex rubber waste. ContiTech has acquired exclusive patents and commissioned a pilot plant to turn hard-to-process rubber into purified pyrolysis oil. The output can replace crude in producing new rubber and plastics while also yielding carbon black and energy feedstocks. Read more.

ecoATM names ex-GameStop and Amazon executive Matt Furlong as new CEO. ecoATM has hired the seasoned leader to drive growth and innovation in the sustainable tech reuse business. Matt’s track record includes revitalizing GameStop and overseeing Amazon Australia operations. Read more.

Regional Updates 🌎️:

Europe’s plastics recycling industry faces imminent collapse, warns Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE). Almost 1 million tonnes of capacity has shut in two years, with 2025 closures already matching last year’s total. Cheap imports, weak demand for recyclates, and regulatory red tape are squeezing operators. PRE is urging urgent EU action to safeguard the sector’s future. Read more.

Scientists in Finland use cooking oil to extract silver from e-waste. Researchers at the Universities of Helsinki and Jyväskylä devised a green process using common fatty acids and hydrogen peroxide to dissolve silver from old printed circuit boards. This enables the reclamation of pure metallic silver without harsh chemicals. Read more.

Mexico to build its first Circular Economy Park through SEMARNAT–Walmart alliance. Located in Hidalgo and spanning 700 hectares, the hub will process organic and construction waste into new inputs for production cycles. Walmart will supply waste from over 3,000 stores and distribution centres. Read more.

India approves $170m plan to recover critical minerals from waste. The six-year scheme will recover resources from e-waste, batteries, and end-of-life vehicles to boost domestic supply. The initiative is expected to create ~70,000 jobs under the National Critical Mineral Mission. Read more.

Investment News

M&A 💰️:

FDM acquires CCS Insight to boost research and advisory strength. The deal, backed by Inflexion, combines FDM’s rich pricing and sales data with CCS Insight’s 30 years of analysis and advisory expertise. The move enhances coverage of global secondary device markets across 40+ countries. Read more.

Valicor Environmental Services acquires ECO-FIRST. Valicor has purchased West Virginia–based ECO-FIRST, boosting its environmentally responsible waste and wastewater treatment offerings, and reinforcing its growth strategy through strategic M&A. Read more.

Venture and Growth Capital 📈:

Xampla secures $14M Series A to scale plastic-free materials. Backed by Emerald, BGF, and Matterwave, the funding will commercialise its Morro™ plant-protein coatings and films. The tech aims to replace over 10 billion single-use plastic items across food, drink, and packaging. Read more.

The Recycling Partnership invests $4.25M in Houston based material recovery facility. The grant will retrofit FCC Environmental Services’ facility with TOMRA optical sorters to recover films and flexibles. The project aims to cut contamination, boost bale quality, and make FFP recycling scalable. Read more.

InPost takes minority stake in Bloq.it and buys 20,000 battery-powered parcel lockers. The agreement will deploy the new off-grid units across Europe, expanding the grab-and-go network. Italy, Portugal, and Spain will follow initial rollouts in France and the UK by the end of the year. Read more.

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Have a great one and we’ll meet again on Monday!

Cheers to circularity,

#TeamCircularConnect #ConnectingTheCircularEconomy