06/12/24 (Agence Europe) – “With a circularity rate of 11.8% in 2023, Europe consumes a higher proportion of recycled materials than other world regions, although improvements have been limited in recent years”, noted the European Environment Agency (EEA) in an analysis of the state of the circular economy on Thursday 5 December. Despite progress, material flows are still primarily linear, with the average European still using around 14 tonnes of materials and generating 5 tonnes of waste per year, levels that are “among the highest in the world and beyond sustainable limits”. In another report, the EEA stresses the need to improve the quality of recycling and increase recycling volumes. In addition to avoiding mixed collection systems, the European agency is encouraging the use of recycled materials to manufacture new products. (FS)