Before we get stuck in, if you’re based in England, join us for an evening of networking with our co-hosts Circular Supply Chain Network and All Things Circular!

📆 October 14 from 5:30pm
📍 Tariff & Dale, Manchester, England, M1 2FN
👉️ Register here 

Industry News

Collaborations and Partnerships 🤝:

UNIDO and Lenovo partner to advance circular electronics globally. The collaboration formalises a strategic alliance to promote sustainable industrialisation, responsible electronics management, and circular design across global value chains. Read more.

John Lewis partners with Remade in Britain to launch reclaimed wool knitwear. The collaboration has produced a new collection spun from post-consumer fibres, turning textile waste into fashion. Read more.

Glencore partners with Metallium to recover critical metals from e-waste. Using Metallium’s Flash Joule Heating process, the partnership will turn discarded electronics into high-value metals. Read more.

Epson launches circular leasing with BNP Paribas. The programme lets corporates and public sector users lease Epson products while the company retains ownership, ensuring devices are refurbished, reused, or recycled at end-of-lease. Read more.

Primark teams up with The Seam to trial in-store repairs. The Manchester Market Street store is making repair more accessible by offering walk-in and booked services for mending and alterations, with some fixes completed in just 20 minutes. Read more.

LG Chem partners with Vida Circular to boost sustainability in Mexico. The strategic alliance launched with environmental restoration work in Mexico City, aiming to drive circular economy initiatives such as conservation, waste reduction, and responsible materials use. Read more.

Carlsberg Britvic and DS Smith unveil new circular packaging. The companies have launched a recyclable, paper-based “liquid packaging board” with no plastic liner, targeting soft drinks, beer, and ready-to-drinks. Read more.

BASF, Porsche, and BEST successfully complete plastic recycling pilot. Their project converted complex waste from end-of-life vehicles via gasification into materials used in production, replacing fossil feedstocks. Read more.

Company Updates 🔎:

DHL launches ReTurn Network to transform reverse logistics. The new shared infrastructure is designed to streamline returns, cut costs, and increase efficiency across industries. Using intelligent processing through ReSKU®, the network enables scalable, sustainable returns management with up to 99% landfill diversion. Read more.

Cambrionix launches world’s fastest enterprise USB hub. The firm unveiled the ThunderSync5-C16 PD, a Thunderbolt 5-powered USB hub that slashes device testing times from hours to minutes. The hub processes up to 96 devices simultaneously with 7x faster data speeds and full remote management. Read more.

PTC releases new AI solutions for service lifecycle management. The company rolled out AI enhancements in ServiceMax and Servigistics, enabling multi-agent execution, smarter parts queries, and improved forecasting. Read more. 

Vestiaire Collective launches carbon credit programme to reward circularity. The resale platform is introducing carbon credits tied to buyer activity and circular actions, aiming to incentivise sustainability at each transaction. Read more.

Cora Environment commits $200 million to rethink waste and boost recycling. Formerly SembWaste, the Singapore-based waste manager unveiled a five-year roadmap backed by a $200 million investment to strengthen waste-to-resource capabilities and upgrade infrastructure. Read more.

Chestnut Biopolymers named finalist at London Packaging Week. Developed with RS Group and already deployed at scale, the plant-based, biodegradable electrical packaging that replaces traditional PP has been shortlisted in the Sustainable Packaging Supplier Gallery. Read more.

Electra plans $910 million clean iron plant in Canada. The Colorado startup, backed by Breakthrough Energy, Amazon and Rio Tinto, will use a low-heat, electricity-based process to produce iron without blast furnaces, cutting emissions and boosting domestic green steel supply chains. Read more.

TASA repurposes plant waste into compost for local communities. Peruvian fish oil producer TASA is converting its operational plant waste into organic fertiliser for use in public green spaces. The project is part of TASA’s drive toward “zero-waste” operations, with over 85% of its waste already redirected from landfills. Read more.

Sircel launches Australia’s first dedicated PCB recovery line. The circular technology firm has rolled out a facility in Sydney, using its proprietary SircelARRC™ tech to process printed circuit boards domestically instead of shipping them overseas. Read more.

Regional Updates 🌎️:

Global e-waste management market set to surpass $120 billion by 2030. Fuelled by rising consumer electronics use, stricter regulation, and expanding recycle and recovery infrastructure, the sector is poised for rapid growth. Read more.

UK skills shortages could hamper circular economy growth. A new Royal Society of Chemistry report warns that gaps in chemistry, materials, and recycling expertise threaten the UK’s transition to circularity. Read more.

Poland launches nationwide deposit return system. From October 1, beverage bottles and cans must carry a deposit label as the country introduces its first nationwide scheme designed to boost packaging recovery rates and cut waste. Read more.

UKFT launches National Textile Recycling Infrastructure Plan. The UK Fashion & Textile Association has revealed a 10-year roadmap to overhaul the country’s textile waste systems, aiming to build capacity for sorting, fibre-to-fibre recycling, and domestic infrastructure. Read more.

University of Delaware scientists turn plastic into fuel. Researchers have created a breakthrough catalyst that rapidly converts waste plastics into liquid fuels with greater efficiency and selectivity. The innovation offers a potential game-changer in tackling plastic pollution while creating sustainable fuels. Read more.

Investment News

M&A 💰️:

Tomra acquires CLYNK in $45 million deal to expand US bag-drop network. The move adds CLYNK’s deposit return system, used by ~500,000 customers, to Tomra’s portfolio across multiple states. Read more.

Biffa completes acquisition of PET bottle manufacturer Esterform. Biffa has merged its UK PET recycling operations with Esterform, a producer of PET preforms and bottles, forming an end-to-end circular PET packaging business. Read more.

Save Your Wardrobe acquires Les Raccommodeurs. The UK-based circular fashion platform has acquired French digital repair specialist Les Raccommodeurs to strengthen its aftersales infrastructure and expand its operations across Europe. Read more.

Re-uz UK acquires Event Cup Solutions in strategic move. The deal brings Event Cup Solutions’ wash centres and service network under Re-uz UK’s umbrella, expanding coverage across the UK events sector. Read more.

Venture and Growth Capital 📈:

IKEA-backed circular furniture specialist NORNORM raises €50 million. The Danish startup NORNORM secured the funding while maintaining profitability across its core markets. The capital will fuel expansion of its lease-and-reuse model for workplace furnishings. Read more.

Plantd raises $22 million to scale carbon-negative materials. The startup is using the funding to expand production of biobased and carbon-negative alternatives from waste feedstocks, transforming waste streams into next-gen materials. Read more.

Reveni raises €7.5 million to streamline e-commerce reverse logistics. The funding will help the startup build its platform that merges sales, returns, and logistics in one dashboard, simplifying returns, refunds, and cross-border complexities. Read more.

DEScycle secures €5 million EU grant to replace smelting in e-waste recycling. The company’s deep eutectic solvent technology recovers precious and critical metals without the high emissions of traditional smelting. The grant will accelerate deployment of this low-impact process across Europe. Read more.

FenX raises CHF 8.2 million to scale sustainable mineral foam insulation. The Swiss startup secured funding to expand production of its low-impact, mineral-based thermal insulation systems. The investment supports commercial rollout, R&D, and market expansion across Europe. Read more.

Wright State professors awarded $3 million to build AI-driven scrap metal system. A grant from the US National Science Foundation backs a “recyclofacturing” platform where AI designs parts and directs scrap metal fabrication. The prototype will link recyclers, designers, and plants in one seamless workflow. Read more.

Closed Loop Partners deploys $10 million loan to TemperPack. Closed Loop Catalytic Capital and Private Credit Group has extended a third loan to packaging innovator TemperPack to help scale its plant-based, fibre-based alternatives and reduce reliance on hard-to-recycle plastics. Read more.

Before we wrap up for the weekend, why not take part in our referral scheme and share Circular Connect with someone who will benefit from it?

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

Cheers to circularity,

#TeamCircularConnect #ConnectingTheCircularEconomy