Page 28 from: Recycling International September/October 2025
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EVENTS
Pollutec 2025:
innovation on the move
Preparations for the 47th edition of the Pollutec expo in Lyon, France, from 7-10
October are in full swing. Europe’s must-see event for recycling professionals is
expected to draw more than 50 000 visitors and 2 000 exhibitors.
France, which hosts the annual
Pollutec expo, is not alone in facing
opportunity and an urgent need for
growth. Tech providers and recyclers
agree: creativity is abundant but
greater investment and faster scaling
up are essential.
FRENCH RECYCLING
France’s municipal waste recycling
rate stands at 48% when the target
for non-hazardous, non-mineral waste
this year is 65%. Plastics remain weak,
at 28%, well below the European
average of 41%. Packaging recycling
is 48%, driven by metals.
Around 95% of aluminium used in
building and transport is recycled,
with steel and aluminium cans also
performing strongly. Copper is a chal-
lenge: France consumes 257 000
tonnes annually, but only 30% is recy-
cled locally. Of the 218 000 tonnes of
copper waste collected, just 66 000
tonnes are processed in France,
meaning a lot of material is exported.
Meanwhile, end-of-life electronics
collection was 42.7% in 2022 with
France being among the top ten
e-scrap generators globally.
FORWARD-THINKING
Product launches are always a high-
light and the 47th edition of the show
in Lyon in October is no exception.
Finnish supplier TANA Oy will show-
case its Hammerhead shredder, suc-
cessor to the Shark. Tagged ‘same
look, different bite’, it handles higher-
volume streams, including green,
household, C&D, and commercial and
industrial waste.
French start-up Mecaware presents its
patented CO2-based, acid- and sul-
phate-free process for extracting lithi-
um, cobalt and nickel from batteries.
French start-up Lixo shows how smart
sorting can transform collection. It
has signed a EUR 188 million, seven-
year contract with Veolia to install
more than 10 analysis units on collec-
tion trucks in the Lille region. Modular
and adaptable, Lixo works on all vehi-
cles and detects black/grey bags,
expanded polystyrene, oversize card-
board, textiles, green waste, glass,
medical waste, wood, bulky items,
plastic bottles, metal packaging and
gas or nitrous oxide cylinders in real
time.
ELECTRIC TOUCH
On display in the Bpifrance zone,
Mecaware’s technology offers a scal-
able, cleaner route for Europe’s grow-
ing battery waste streams. French
pioneer MTB adds weight with its
upgraded Zero Waste battery line,
first piloted in 2019. It now processes
used lithium-ion batteries and giga-
factory scrap, achieving over 95%
active material recovery, anticipating
2031 EU battery regulation targets.
Material handler specialist Terex
Fuchs will promote its F120 MH
Electric, a fully electric handler brand-
ed a ‘statement to a zero-waste soci-
ety’, enabling up to 35% energy sav-
ings. The company also showcases its
G-Series. The MHL340 ranks among
the top international recycling and
scrap handlers, while the MHL350 is
fast and precise. This portfolio expan-
sion redefines operator comfort and
efficiency.
AWARDS & PANELS
Smart thinking will also shine in the
Pollutec Innovation Awards with 12
winners being announced on 9
October.
The wider programme includes a
panel on scaling up sustainable oper-
ations, covering eco-design, longer
product life cycles, reuse, and materi-
al flow mapping. Experts will explore:
• technical, economic, and regulatory
levers for circular models
• the role of regional ecosystems,
governance and cross-sector syner-
gies
• lessons from pioneers such as
Siemens, already applying circular
strategies
GREENER CREDITS
Novelties at the show reflect France’s
anti-waste law and expanding EPR
schemes. Event organiser EuroExpo
also highlights Pollutec’s role as a pol-
icy hub. The Green Days B2B meet-
ings, run with Enterprise Europe
Network, foster international collabo-
ration. EU programmes such as LIFE
present funding opportunities.
Pollutec itself has also improved its
footprint. The 2024 edition achieved
a 69% recycling rate, largely by
removing 35 000 m² of carpeting, and
reusing exhibition materials.
Fotobijschrift
KADERKOP
??A U T H O R Kirstin Linnenkoper
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