European and international trade in recoverable waste and secondary raw materials. Current and prospective overview

Summary

The European Union is the world's leading exporter of non-hazardous waste for recycling. In terms of the circular economy model advocated by the EU, these outgoing flows may represent a limitation of resources and therefore a brake on the development of the circular economy. However, since 2018, the structure of the international recyclable waste market has changed significantly, with certain major players such as China having introduced import barriers. It should be noted that these changes follow a 10-year period in which trade in waste for recycling and other PRMs doubled worldwide. This study quantifies and analyses trade in plastics, paper and cardboard, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, textiles, wood and RDF between 2000 and 2016. This analysis is followed by a forecast of these exchanges up to 2040, for each of the flows studied. This forward-looking exercise benefited from the expertise of leading international players. For each flow and scenario, the work provides a qualitative description of how the quantities and quality of waste traded, the destination of the trade and prices will change between now and 2040.