Author: Arnes Biogradlija

Nigeria’s rapid urbanization and growing consumption patterns have brought economic opportunity alongside persistent environmental challenges. The country generates roughly 2.5 million tones of plastic waste annually, yet less than 10% is effectively recycled. Across West Africa, over 80% of plastic waste is mismanaged, creating significant risks for public health, biodiversity, and coastal economies. Amid these pressures, private-sector-driven initiatives are beginning to reshape the nation’s recycling ecosystem. The Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA), Nigeria’s first Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), exemplifies this approach. By promoting Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), FBRA ensures that producers and importers take active responsibility for post-consumer packaging.…

Ecolomondo Corporation’s entry into the European market through a joint venture with Spain’s Aresol Renovables marks a pivotal moment for tire recycling technologies in the EU. The agreement formalizes the creation of Ecolomondo EU, headquartered in Spain, which will oversee the construction of four end-of-life tire (ELT) pyrolysis plants using the company’s Thermal Decomposition Process (TDP) technology. The first facility, slated for Valencia, will serve as a benchmark for scaling similar projects across Europe. Europe currently generates around 3.6 million metric tons of end-of-life tires annually, with less than half of that fully recycled into materials with new market value.…

Seychelles has emerged as a global reference point for small island nations tackling plastic pollution, achieving a 90 percent collection rate for PET bottles and diverting more than 400 million units from landfills and natural environments. This success is documented in a new UNDP case study, Beating Plastic Pollution: Key Insights and Lessons from Seychelles’ Deposit-Refund Scheme, launched during the Africa Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA) 2025 Annual Meeting. Plastic pollution presents severe environmental, economic, and social challenges for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), where waste management infrastructure is often limited. Deposit-refund schemes (DRS), in which consumers pay a small deposit…

Jordan has launched a new initiative to tackle plastic pollution in its food and beverage sector, targeting the elimination of single-use plastics and the reduction of associated greenhouse gas emissions. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Jordan’s Ministry of Environment unveiled the “Circular Solutions to Plastic Pollution” project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which aims to cut 5,000 tons of plastic waste and 17,000 tons of GHG emissions over the next five years. Dr. Ayman Suleiman, Minister of Environment, highlighted that public–private partnerships are central to the country’s transition toward a circular economy, emphasizing the project’s role…

Georgia is set to accelerate its circular economy transition through a new EUR 4.4 million initiative funded by the European Union and implemented by a UN-led consortium. The two-year programme (2025–2027) brings together UNDP, UNIDO, the Environment Agency Austria (UBA), and Sweden’s trade association for waste management and recycling, Avfall Sverige, to strengthen national systems for resource efficiency and waste management. The initiative targets systemic gaps in Georgia’s circularity. Current figures highlight the scale of the challenge: the country generates roughly 23 million tonnes of waste annually, with domestic material consumption of 13.7 tonnes per capita—approaching the EU average—but achieves…

The countdown has begun: in just four months, Hyvolution Paris 2026 will open its doors for a special anniversary edition, celebrating 10 years of leadership in driving the hydrogen transition. Since its launch in 2016, Hyvolution has established itself as the international reference event for the hydrogen sector. A European pioneer, the event now brings together companies, experts, and institutions from over 60 countries, confirming its position as a global platform connecting hydrogen ecosystems. Since the start of its international development, the number of foreign visitors has tripled at each edition, while the number of represented countries has more than…

Siegwerk’s recent acquisition of Dutch specialty chemicals producer Allinova marks a strategic deepening of its technological base—particularly in water-based dispersions, wax emulsions, and polymer adhesives—key materials driving recyclable, compostable, and reusable packaging systems. The deal reinforces Siegwerk’s commitment to scale sustainable solutions through its Circular Economy Coatings (CEC) division. Founded in 2005 in Hengelo, the Netherlands, Allinova has built a reputation for formulating water-based dispersions and specialty additives that improve barrier and sealing performance—two of the biggest technical bottlenecks in recyclable paper and film packaging. Siegwerk’s acquisition strengthens its end-to-end offering, allowing converters and material suppliers to address recyclability challenges…

The Netherlands has recalibrated its circular economy ambitions, setting a new target to cut raw material use by 15 percent by 2035 compared with 2016 levels. The revised goal, part of the updated National Program for a Circular Economy unveiled by caretaker State Secretary for the Environment Thierry Aartsen (VVD), replaces the earlier commitment to halve the use of new abiotic materials—metals, minerals, and fossil-based inputs—by 2030. The update signals a shift from aspirational rhetoric to what Aartsen described as “more concrete, compact, and therefore more realistic” objectives. Yet it also exposes a growing tension between environmental ambition and economic…

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s delayed entry into the hydrogen economy could prove strategic rather than problematic, according to industry stakeholders who argue that the country can leverage international failures and regulatory missteps to build more efficient infrastructure from the outset. At the Sarajevo Energy and Climate Week (SECW 2025), Mersiha Babić, President of the Assembly of the Association for Green Hydrogen and Renewable Energy Sources, described the country’s position not as an attempt to catch up, but as capitalizing on observational learning. “We have the opportunity to carefully analyze the international experiences and regulations of other countries to build a solid…

Global renewable power capacity is projected to increase by 4,600 GW between 2025 and 2030—equivalent to adding the combined generation capacity of China, the European Union, and Japan to the world’s energy infrastructure—according to the International Energy Agency’s latest assessment. This expansion represents a doubling of deployment from the previous five-year period, yet falls 5% below projections issued just twelve months ago, primarily due to policy reversals in the United States and regulatory adjustments in China that have introduced significant market uncertainty. Solar photovoltaic installations will dominate this growth trajectory, accounting for nearly 80% of new renewable capacity additions through…