CDE to host major waste-recycling symposium in Brussels

Upcoming CIRCLE 2025 conference set to bring industry leaders and recycling experts together and rethink zero-waste agenda

THIS October in Brussels, the beating heart of policymaking in the EU, CDE will be hosting CIRCLE 2025 – a waste-recycling symposium where like-minded and forward-thinking leaders from across the industry – including materials processors, technology experts, legislators, and more – will gather to share insights, analyse trends, and discuss opportunities to rethink the industry’s waste burden.

The event comes as an evolution of CDE’s Circular Driven Economy Symposium, which was last hosted in London pre-COVID and attended by delegates from around the world, including research bodies, academic institutions, representatives from the European Commission, and multinational construction and manufacturing firms.

'Natural resources are rapidly depleting. This is widely known and accepted,’ said Eunan Kelly, CDE’s head of business development for Europe. ‘A conscious effort is absolutely needed to manage these resources wisely. CDE is leading the charge in this field, particularly in Europe, where the legislative landscape is swiftly evolving, but rising to an industry-wide challenge requires a collective effort to close the gap.’

While also reducing carbon emissions, CDE wet-processing plants have helped recover and channel back into the construction industry over 230 million tonnes of material over the last decade, equivalent to building the Great Wall of China twice. 

CDE’s sustainable solutions are closing the gap in circularity and can be found in operations around the world in a range of applications, such as construction and demolition waste, excavation waste, contaminated soils, road sweepings, hydro excavation waste, and trommel fines, playing an essential role in the road to net zero.

‘Our solutions are already an essential part of the waste-recycling ecosystem throughout Europe, which is driving the industry forward, but there’s still work to be done, knowledge to be shared, and benefits to be had for both the public and private sectors globally,’ said Mr Kelly. ‘The symposium will provide a collaborative space to co-author a sustainable way forward for waste management and accelerate the pace of change in Europe and further afield.’

Mr Kelly added that pursuing a more circular economy is not necessarily about replacing every grain of raw material.

He continued: ‘Recycled and recovered materials won’t ever offset all the demand, but, where we can, we should be supplementing raw materials with recycled products that can achieve the same results. For years, overburden, scalpings, and crushed rock fines – by-products of the quarrying process, often miscategorised as waste – have been stockpiled, while construction, demolition and excavation wastes have been landfilled. 

'The market needs solutions that can drive down operational costs while creating new and sustainable revenue streams. Right now, many countries across Europe rely on imports of critical raw materials. The extraction and processing of these materials can be costly, both in economic and environmental terms. Factor into this broader climate commitments, and we have a real confluence of challenges.’

CDE say CIRCLE 2025 will bring together the best minds to help unravel the complexities of these competing priorities and industry challenges to shape the future of mineral waste-recycling.

More details and speakers will be revealed over the coming months. For more information about the event or to register, visit: cdegroup.com/circle2025.