Markets
Recycling markets, material by material
From plastics and metals to batteries and textiles — eighteen material streams, each with its own equipment, regulations and recovery economics.
Every market page brings together the latest news and case studies, the field experts who answer your questions, and the newsletter editions on that material.
Latest across all markets
Browse by market
Aerosol Recycling
Aerosol cans present a distinct challenge during disposal and recycling due to their pressurized nature and the presence of residual propellants and chemical contents. If not handled correctly, these materials can pose serious safety risks, including explosions, fires, and the release of hazardous substances. Historically, inadequate disposal practices led to workplace accidents, equipment damage, and environmental contamination, highlighting the need for safer and more controlled processing methods.
5 articles · 0 field experts
Latest in this market
Loading…
Field experts
Newsletter editions
Aluminum Recycling
Aluminum is one of the world’s most widely used and highly recycled metals, valued for its durability, versatility, and sustainability. Aluminum recycling involves the collection, sorting, and reprocessing of aluminum scrap so it can be reused in new products without compromising material quality.
33 articles · 6 field experts
Latest in this market
Loading…
Field experts
Newsletter editions
Battery Recycling
Battery recycling is the process of safely collecting and reprocessing used batteries to recover valuable materials and prevent environmental harm. Batteries contain metals like lead, lithium, nickel, and cobalt, which are non-renewable resources and can be toxic if not managed properly. Recycling helps extract these materials for reuse, reducing the need for new mining and minimizing the risk of soil and water contamination.
12 articles · 3 field experts
Latest in this market
Loading…
Field experts
Newsletter editions
Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling
Construction and demolition (C&D) recycling involves the systematic recovery, separation, and processing of materials generated during the construction, renovation, and demolition of buildings, infrastructure, and civil works. These activities produce large volumes of waste, including concrete, wood, metals, masonry, asphalt, insulation, plastics, and other reusable or recyclable materials that would otherwise be disposed of in landfills.
25 articles · 5 field experts
Latest in this market
Loading…
Field experts
Newsletter editions
E-Waste Recycling
E-waste recycling, also known as electronic waste recycling, focuses on recovering valuable materials from discarded electronic devices. These devices include computers, smartphones, household appliances, and industrial electronics. During recycling, processors extract materials such as plastics, glass, copper, aluminum, and iron. Reusing these materials reduces the need for new raw material production and lowers overall energy use.
39 articles · 7 field experts
Latest in this market
Loading…
Field experts
Newsletter editions
End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Recycling
End-of-life vehicles (ELV) recycling is a structured and regulated process that focuses on the dismantling, treatment, and recycling of vehicles that have reached the end of their operational life. These vehicles no longer meet safety, environmental, or economic requirements for continued use. ELV recycling aims to recover valuable materials while ensuring safe and responsible disposal of hazardous components.
5 articles · 2 field experts
Latest in this market
Loading…
Field experts
Newsletter editions
Food Waste Recycling
Food waste recycling plays a crucial role in tackling the global challenge of excessive food disposal. Each year, large volumes of food scraps and leftovers end up as waste, placing pressure on landfills and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Recycling it offers a practical and sustainable solution by turning organic waste into valuable resources.
10 articles · 2 field experts
Latest in this market
Loading…
Field experts
Newsletter editions
Glass Recycling
Glass is a durable and versatile material made primarily from natural resources such as sand, soda ash, and limestone. Its transparency, strength, and chemical stability make it suitable for a wide range of applications, including packaging, construction, and household products. Because it can be reused without loss of quality, glass recycling plays a key role in sustainable manufacturing systems.
25 articles · 3 field experts
Latest in this market
Loading…
Field experts
Newsletter editions
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Processing
Municipal solid waste (MSW), also known as trash or garbage, is non-hazardous refuse generated by households, institutions, hospitals, and businesses. It comprises waste, compostable, and recyclable materials, with the municipality overseeing its disposal.
9 articles · 7 field experts
Latest in this market
Loading…
Field experts
Newsletter editions
Paper Recycling
Paper recycling can be defined as the environmentally friendly process of recovering and processing scrap and waste paper to create new paper products. Rigorous scientific research has demonstrated that manufacturing paper with recycled content has significant environmental and economic benefits.
25 articles · 10 field experts
Latest in this market
Loading…
Field experts
Newsletter editions
Plastic Recycling
Plastic recycling is the process of recovering waste or scrap plastic and reprocessing these materials into other functional and practical products. Because almost all plastic is non-biodegradable, it must be recycled as part of the global efforts to reduce plastic and other solid waste in the environment.
267 articles · 11 field experts
Latest in this market
Loading…
Field experts
Newsletter editions
Recycle Cardboard
Cardboard (also referred to as corrugated cardboard) is a high-quality recyclable material made of paper. Cardboard is the highest value grade of paper, as its durability means long paper fibers. The most common forms are corrugated cardboard and grey paperboard, used for boxes and other packaging material. Cardboard recycling is the reprocessing and reuse of thick sheets or stiff multilayered papers that have been used or regarded as waste.
15 articles · 10 field experts
Latest in this market
Loading…
Field experts
Newsletter editions
Rubber Recycling
Rubber recycling refers to processing irreparably damaged or worn-down (natural or synthetic) rubber products for new use to prevent rubber waste from ending up in a landfill. The process of reclaiming and repurposing rubber requires less energy compared to producing new rubber (puts less pressure on natural rubber, conserves space in landfills, and reduces environmental pollution).
3 articles · 8 field experts
Latest in this market
Loading…
Field experts
Newsletter editions
Solar Panel Recycling
Solar panel (PV module) recycling recovers glass, aluminium, silicon and silver from end-of-life photovoltaic panels — a fast-growing waste stream as the first wave of installed capacity reaches end of life.
3 articles · 0 field experts
Latest in this market
Loading…
Field experts
Newsletter editions
Tire Recycling
Tire recycling can be described as the process of recycling waste tires / end of life tires (ELT) that are no longer acceptable for the use on vehicles as a result of irreparable damage or wear. Tire recycling technology is utilized for this process.
17 articles · 5 field experts
Latest in this market
Loading…
Field experts
Newsletter editions
Latest videos
All videos
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a ‘market’ on RecyclingInside?
A market is a material stream — plastics, metals, batteries, textiles and so on — with its own page bundling the latest news, case studies, field experts and newsletter editions on that material.
How is a market different from the Equipment Guide?
A market is the editorial side of a material stream: news, case studies, field experts and newsletter editions. The Equipment Guide is the directory side: equipment types and the manufacturers that build them. Markets don’t link to a single Equipment Guide category the way Technology Zones do — use the Manufacturers Directory A–Z or ask a field expert instead.
How do I find equipment manufacturers for a specific material?
Browse the Manufacturers Directory A–Z, or ask a field expert on the market page — they can point you to suppliers that specialise in that material stream.
How often is new content added to a market?
New articles, case studies and expert answers are added continuously; each market page also lists the newsletter editions that have covered it.