Global Reverse Logistics Alliance launches, bringing the full reverse economy under one ecosystem. The alliance brings together returns, recommerce, recovery, sustainability and compliance, alongside the introduction of RL Expo as its flagship industry event. Read more.

Amazon and the US Department of Energy partner to explore recovery of critical materials from textile and electronic waste. The collaboration includes early-stage work on converting discarded clothing into battery-grade graphite alongside extraction of high-value minerals from end-of-life electronics. Read more.

Siemens partners with OSAI to improve precious metal extraction from electronic waste through automation and digitalisation. The collaboration applies Industry 4.0 technologies to increase recovery rates, efficiency and traceability across e-waste recycling operations. Read more.

ReElement Technologies partners with Mitsubishi Materials to strengthen critical minerals recovery across allied supply chains. The collaboration combines ReElement’s refining capabilities with Mitsubishi’s global metals expertise, targeting rare earths and battery materials from both recycled and primary sources. Read more.

Vodafone and WWF collect one million unused phones through a global take-back initiative. The programme has generated £1m for conservation projects across Europe and Africa while promoting reuse, trade-in and recycling across multiple markets. Read more.

FutureDial deepens partnership with K.K. MTN to advance smart device refurbishment in Japan. The collaboration will establish a joint solution centre and expand use of automation to improve processing speed, accuracy and overall operational performance. Read more.

PepsiCo partners with Eastman to turn hard-to-recycle waste into food-grade packaging. The collaboration uses advanced recycling to break down materials like carpets and textiles into virgin-quality plastic, enabling increased recycled content in beverage bottles. Read more.

ThredUp releases its 2026 Resale Report showing secondhand is taking meaningful share from traditional retail. The data highlights sustained double-digit growth, with resale accelerating faster than the wider apparel market as value-driven consumers reshape buying behaviour. Read more.

Toyota produces its first vehicle using circular manufacturing processes at its Burnaston plant. The model incorporates recycled materials recovered from end-of-life vehicles through its Circular Factory, marking progress towards closed-loop production in automotive manufacturing. Read more.

Virtus Group targets Poland’s legacy industrial waste as a new source of critical raw materials. The company is focusing on post-mining heaps and industrial byproducts to recover metals like copper and zinc, unlocking value from previously overlooked waste streams. Read more.

DEScycle develops new process to enable decentralised recovery of critical and precious metals. The approach uses salt-based chemistry to extract metals from complex waste streams, supporting smaller, localised processing beyond traditional smelters. Read more.

Amazon expands returns network with 1,500 FedEx locations as convenience becomes a key battleground in reverse logistics. The move takes its total network beyond 10,000 sites, with 80% of customers now within five miles of a return point. Read more.

Global data centre ITAD market set to nearly double from $14bn to over $25bn by 2035. Growth is being driven by expanding data centre capacity, shorter hardware lifecycles and increasing demand for secure decommissioning and value recovery from retired equipment. Read more.

European Commission issues new guidance to decarbonise buildings, placing lifecycle emissions and materials at the centre of regulation. The framework pushes member states to measure and limit whole-life carbon, accelerating demand for low-carbon materials and more circular construction practices. Read more.

OLX data points to strong growth in Poland’s used smartphone market as recommerce demand accelerates. The platform recorded over 15,000 transactions in a single month, highlighting rising consumer appetite for affordable devices and growing acceptance of secondhand electronics. Read more.

UK fashion’s circular transition risks slowing as a widening skills gap limits industry capability. A new report highlights declining technical education and fragmented training pathways, creating a disconnect between regulatory pressure and the workforce needed to deliver circular models. Read more.

Scottish researchers convert plastic waste into Parkinson’s drug using engineered bacteria in breakthrough study. The process transforms PET into L-DOPA, demonstrating how waste materials can be repurposed into high-value pharmaceuticals through biological pathways. Read more.

Reconomy continues US expansion with ninth acquisition. The deal brings Waste Disposal Solutions into the group, strengthening outsourced waste and recycling capabilities across construction, logistics and manufacturing sectors. Read more.

Circulate Capital raises $220m at first close of its Asia Fund II, exceeding expectations and signalling strong investor demand. The fund has already surpassed 70% of its $300m target and will deploy capital into recycling and circular infrastructure across South and Southeast Asia. Read more.

Reju secures €135m to build industrial-scale textile recycling hub in the Netherlands. The project will process hard-to-recycle polyester textiles into new raw materials, targeting around 50% lower emissions versus virgin production and supporting circular textile supply chains. Read more.

Want to generate new partnerships or inbound opportunities in 2026?

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Have a great weekend and we’ll see you again on Monday.

Cheers to circularity,

#TeamCircularConnect #ConnectingTheCircularEconomy