Recycling is a hot topic nowadays. Recycling is a process to change waste into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials and to reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials. Other advantages of recycling are to reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (as a result of incineration of waste) and water pollution (from landfilling).

The conventional recyclable materials are: paper, glass, metals, some types of plastics, textiles and (partly) electronics. However, as materials and products become increasingly more complex in design and functionalities, recycling becomes more difficult and the need for further research increases.

The topics in this research theme relevant within the SIM context can be related but are not limited to:

• Research to improve recyclability of (advanced and complex) materials and products (e.g. photovoltaics, composites, nano materials,…)
• Substitutions for critical raw materials
• Extraction and separation techniques for complex and hybrid materials