As Europe intensifies its efforts to hit ambitious recycling targets by the end of the year, scientists are tackling five particularly stubborn waste streams: smartphone glass, magnets, food waste, nappies, and cigarette butts. Despite growing awareness and participation in recycling across the continent, experts say these everyday items remain difficult to process and often end up in landfills or incinerators.
According to the latest EU data, each person in the bloc generated roughly half a tonne of waste in 2023. Only about 48% of that was recycled—well short of the EU’s targets of 55% for municipal waste and 65% for packaging waste. With many member states, including Greece, Hungary, and Poland, at risk of missing these goals, researchers are stepping in with innovative solutions.
Smartphone Glass: A Laser-Focused Fix
Unlike glass jars or bottles, chemically-treated glass in smartphones and LCD screens resists standard recycling due to its high durability. In Spain, researchers at the University of Vigo are developing a prototype laser-based system under the EU-funded Everglass project. Unlike conventional kilns, this laser can adjust temperatures quickly, enabling it to melt and potentially repurpose various glass types—including medical vials used during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Magnets: Dismantling a Growing Problem
Neodymium magnets, widely used in wind turbines, electric vehicles, and e-scooters, present another recycling conundrum. These powerful magnets are made from critical raw materials sourced from geopolitically sensitive regions. The EU-funded Harmony project, led in part by the University of Florence, is exploring safer and more efficient ways to dismantle and recycle these components, hoping to build a self-sustaining European magnet recycling industry.
Food Waste: Turning Leftovers into Fertiliser
The hospitality sector contributes 11% of the EU’s staggering 59 million tonnes of annual food waste. Researchers at Spain’s AZTI research centre are working on the LANDFEED project to convert food waste from restaurants into bio-based fertilisers. Using a method called “solid state fermentation,” the team grows microorganisms that digest food waste and produce bioactive compounds beneficial for crops. However, the variability of food waste and the emerging nature of treatment technology make the task complex.
Nappies: A Disposable Dilemma
Disposable nappies, used by billions annually, are a nightmare for landfills, with decomposition times ranging from 150 to 500 years. The super-absorbent polymers that make them effective also make them hard to recycle. Diaper Recycling Europe is working on processes to dry, shred, and separate materials for recycling, but high costs and processing complexity keep most nappies headed for incinerators.
Cigarette Butts: From Litter to 3D Printing
Cigarette butts, which release over 7,000 harmful chemicals into the environment, remain among the most common—and challenging—litter types. Italian start-up Re-Cig has installed more than 4,500 collection bins across the country. The company recycles the waste by extracting cellulose acetate, a plastic polymer that can be used in 3D printing. Re-Cig now collaborates with over 350 companies and 80 public institutions.
As the EU pushes toward a circular economy, these innovative efforts show promise—but also highlight how far there is to go in recycling the products of modern life.
