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Industry News
Collaborations and Partnerships:
AT&T and Compudopt expand their e-waste programme to over 200 retail collection points. Devices are securely erased, refurbished and redistributed, with a target of collecting more than 20,000 pounds of electronics. The model links consumer take-back with reuse and digital inclusion. Read more.
Company Updates:
ReturnPro’s latest report highlights a growing ‘proof gap’ between retailer sustainability claims and consumer trust. Shoppers are struggling to verify environmental claims, limiting conversion at the point of purchase. Demand is shifting towards clear, credible evidence over marketing-led messaging. Read more.
Vinted has completed an €880m secondary share deal, valuing the business at €8bn. The oversubscribed transaction includes new investors such as BlackRock, alongside existing backers increasing their positions. It reinforces investor confidence in scalable, profitable recommerce platforms. Read more.
eBay posts strong Q1 results alongside its $1.2bn agreement to acquire Depop. Revenue rose 19% and GMV reached $22.2bn, as the company continues to prioritise recommerce and C2C growth. The deal strengthens its position in second-hand fashion and expands reach with younger consumers. Read more.
Circular Services opens a $61m recycling facility serving the Dallas Metroplex. The 120,000 sq ft materials recovery facility will process single-stream recyclables from residential and commercial sources. It marks a major investment in regional recycling infrastructure as population growth accelerates. Read more.
Rocklink establishes an integrated battery and rare earth recycling hub in India. The facility combines lithium-ion battery processing (10,000 tonnes annually) with rare earth magnet recovery. It strengthens domestic capabilities in critical mineral recovery and circular supply chains. Read more.
Debrand highlights progress in diversion and reuse across fashion, despite recycling infrastructure lagging. Increased recovery and resale are driving near-term gains, while limited recycling capacity continues to constrain circularity. Scaling end-markets remains a key requirement for system-wide impact. Read more.
Refurbr outlines how refurbishment businesses scale cross-border sales without losing control of stock. The model focuses on regional inventory separation, order routing and VAT management across jurisdictions. It highlights growing operational complexity as refurbishment businesses expand. Read more.
Regional Developments:
Apple holds a 58% share of the global refurbished smartphone market, according to Counterpoint. Demand is being driven by consumers seeking premium devices at lower cost, with refurbished models offering savings of 30–50%. The shift reinforces resale as a core channel within the smartphone market. Read more.
Battery recycling innovation is accelerating globally as countries prioritise energy security and critical mineral supply. Patent activity has grown at around 42% annually since 2017, outpacing wider battery innovation. Focus is shifting towards domestic material recovery as EV adoption scales. Read more.
A flat 20p deposit has been set for all containers under the UK’s upcoming Deposit Return Scheme. The fee will apply to all in-scope plastic and metal drinks containers, refundable upon return. It provides a clear, standardised incentive as the UK prepares to launch the scheme in 2027. Read more.
Nearly half of US adults have considered buying refurbished tech, according to a new CNET survey. Cost savings are the primary driver, but concerns around quality, battery life and warranties remain barriers. The data points to growing demand, with trust still a limiting factor for scale. Read more.
Bangladesh is set to finalise a national circular textile strategy by 2026. The framework aims to embed circular practices across the value chain to protect competitiveness in global apparel markets. It is expected to support recycling scale-up, transparency and investment into textile waste systems. Read more.
Investment News
M&A:
Enwater acquires Ongoeul Carbon to expand into environmental materials. The deal adds production and waste resource recovery capabilities, moving Enwater beyond O&M services. It supports a circular model for regenerating spent activated carbon used across water and air treatment. Read more.
Venture and Growth Capital:
Altilium launches a strategic investment round to scale the UK’s EV battery circular economy. The funding will support expansion of its recycling facilities, including its ACT3 plant in Plymouth and a planned commercial-scale site in Teesside. It aims to strengthen domestic recovery of critical battery materials. Read more.
BMW i Ventures launches a $300m fund targeting AI and circularity across the automotive value chain. The fund will back startups across manufacturing, supply chain and materials, taking total assets under management beyond $1.1bn. It reinforces continued OEM-led investment into next-gen industrial and resource-efficient technologies. Read more.
The Bezos Earth Fund commits $34m to sustainable fashion technologies. Funding will support innovations across next-gen fibres, low-impact cotton, and alternatives to fossil-based textiles. The investment targets upstream material production, where most of fashion’s environmental impact sits. Read more.
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Have a great weekend and we’ll see you again on Monday.
Cheers to circularity,
#TeamCircularConnect #ConnectingTheCircularEconomy