{"id":2157284,"date":"2026-09-22T13:00:38","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T10:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2157284"},"modified":"2026-09-22T13:00:38","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T10:00:38","slug":"rethinking-waste-the-journey-towards-a-circular-economy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2157284","title":{"rendered":"Rethinking Waste: The journey towards a circular economy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/87\/75\/36\/1200x675_cmsv2_108371bd-ddc6-50fb-b8f2-ce1338dfede0-9877536.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2927780-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2927780\" data-cid=\"9923468\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927780-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/34\/68\/189x106_cmsv2_f61e2187-7019-59c6-bbb5-cd84ea6e0a38-9923468.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Albania is one of the fastest growing destinations in Europe\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Destinations<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    How Albania became one of Europe\u2019s fastest-growing destinations\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927563-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2927563\" data-cid=\"9922268\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927563-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/22\/68\/189x106_cmsv2_4e4186e6-5e17-532b-932b-990f1cd576d8-9922268.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Solar installations on 340 hectares surround the village of Hjolderup west of Aabenraa, southern Denmark on February 2023. The village of Hjolderup consists of 12 houses.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Brussels seeks power to order electricity demand cuts in energy crisis\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927744-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2927744\" data-cid=\"9923495\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927744-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/33\/21\/189x106_cmsv2_88937646-3545-55b5-b22d-bfc0576dbe6b-9923321.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Aerial view of a farm worker ploughing the soil with his tractor\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Business<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Farmers&#8217; groups urge Planas for urgent aid as war in Iran drives up costs\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927766-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2927766\" data-cid=\"9923380\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927766-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/33\/80\/189x106_cmsv2_6968d697-4d28-56d3-8de5-a665b79b2874-9923380.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"British Prime Minister Andy Burnham at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, England, on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    British PM Burnham declines to rule out rejoining EU\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927780-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2927780\" data-cid=\"9923468\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927780-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/34\/68\/189x106_cmsv2_f61e2187-7019-59c6-bbb5-cd84ea6e0a38-9923468.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Albania is one of the fastest growing destinations in Europe\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Destinations<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    How Albania became one of Europe\u2019s fastest-growing destinations\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927563-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2927563\" data-cid=\"9922268\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927563-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/22\/68\/189x106_cmsv2_4e4186e6-5e17-532b-932b-990f1cd576d8-9922268.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Solar installations on 340 hectares surround the village of Hjolderup west of Aabenraa, southern Denmark on February 2023. The village of Hjolderup consists of 12 houses.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Brussels seeks power to order electricity demand cuts in energy crisis\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927744-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2927744\" data-cid=\"9923495\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927744-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/33\/21\/189x106_cmsv2_88937646-3545-55b5-b22d-bfc0576dbe6b-9923321.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Aerial view of a farm worker ploughing the soil with his tractor\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Business<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Farmers&#8217; groups urge Planas for urgent aid as war in Iran drives up costs\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927766-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2927766\" data-cid=\"9923380\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927766-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/33\/80\/189x106_cmsv2_6968d697-4d28-56d3-8de5-a665b79b2874-9923380.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"British Prime Minister Andy Burnham at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, England, on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    British PM Burnham declines to rule out rejoining EU\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Earth<\/p>\n<p>                          Earth Series<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Rethinking Waste: The journey towards a circular economy<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-sp\"><span class=\"c-sp__label\">In partnership with<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/campaigns\/918\/300x48_cmsv2_78229405-e7ee-5bbd-898a-026d554cc15e-918.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"48\" alt=\"Center for the Production of Content for Mass Media under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan\" class=\"c-sp__logo\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-controller=\"video-player\" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"js-playercontrols u-height-full u-position-absolute u-width-full is-autoplaying\" data-translations=\"{&quot;error&quot;:&quot;This video could not be played.&quot;,&quot;geoblocked&quot;:&quot;Sorry, this content is not available in your country&quot;,&quot;slow&quot;:&quot;This is taking longer than usual&quot;}\">\n<div class=\"js-loadtrigger js-loadtrigger__button c-loadtrigger__button\" role=\"status\"><span class=\"js-loadtrigger__label c-loadtrigger__label u-visually-hidden\">Loading the video<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/87\/75\/36\/1536x864_cmsv2_108371bd-ddc6-50fb-b8f2-ce1338dfede0-9877536.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"\u00a9\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              \u00a9<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">euronews<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0euronews\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspToby Gregory&amp;nbsp&amp;&amp;nbspRuxshona Raxmatullayeva\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1790082038\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-09-22 15:00:38 +02:00\">22\/09\/2026 &#8211; 15:00 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup-overlay js-c-article-share-comment-popup-overlay u-display-none\">\n<div id=\"js-c-article-share-comment-popup\" class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup js-c-article-share-comment-popup\">\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__header 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alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__embed_container u-display-none\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__embed__tooltip\"><br \/>\n                            Copy\/paste the article video embed link below:<br \/>\n                        <\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__embed u-display-flex\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/icon-copy-to-clipboard.svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Copy to clipboard\" class=\"u-cursor-pointer js-c-article-share-comment-copy\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__embed--success-copied u-display-none js-c-article-share-comment-video-embed-success-link-copied\"><br \/>\n                                Copied<br \/>\n                            <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        From advanced sorting in Sharjah to new waste infrastructure in Uzbekistan, efforts to recover materials and generate energy are changing what happens to rubbish.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content c-article-content--earth js-article-content\">\n<p>Every year, the world produces more than 2 bn tonnes of municipal waste \u2014 much of it disappearing from view the moment it is thrown into a bin. But that is where the story of waste really begins.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A discarded plastic bottle might be recycled into something new. Food waste can become compost or biogas. Material that cannot be recycled may be burned to generate electricity. And what cannot be recovered may ultimately end up in landfill. The more materials that can be recovered and put back to use along the way, the less waste reaches the end of that journey.<\/p>\n<p>That is the principle behind a circular economy: keeping resources in use for as long as possible, first by using less, then by reusing and recycling materials rather than simply throwing them away.<\/p>\n<h2>Separating what still has value<\/h2>\n<p>At BEEAH\u2019s waste management complex in Sharjah, municipal waste moves through a sorting line. Machines separate plastics, metals, paper and cardboard, turning what arrived together as rubbish into materials that can potentially be used again.<\/p>\n<p>Plastics can be processed into new packaging and consumer goods, while paper and cardboard can re-enter the manufacturing cycle.<\/p>\n<p>But not everything can be recovered. In Sharjah, some residual waste goes to a waste-to-energy plant, where it is burned to generate electricity rather than being sent directly to landfill.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRecycling preserves material. Waste-to-energy addresses what remains, ensuring residual waste still creates value,\u201d says Alya Al Obeidli, Lead Engineer at Emirates Waste to Energy.<\/p>\n<p>Recycling keeps materials in use; waste-to-energy comes later, recovering energy from material that cannot be recycled. Whatever cannot be recovered ultimately leaves the circle and ends up in landfill.<\/p>\n<p>It is this entire journey that Uzbekistan is now trying to reshape.<\/p>\n<h2>Rethinking where Uzbekistan\u2019s waste goes<\/h2>\n<p>Uzbekistan generates roughly 15 ml tonnes of household waste annually. Government figures suggest that only around 5% to 6% is currently recycled or processed by specialist companies.<\/p>\n<p>For much of the rest, landfill remains the end of the journey.<\/p>\n<p>A new 24-hectare landfill outside Tashkent receives roughly 1,500 to 2,500 tonnes of waste a day, depending on the period and season, according to Shahzod Safarov, Chief Specialist of the Agency for Waste Management of Uzbekistan.<\/p>\n<p>For decades, the capital\u2019s rubbish was deposited at an older landfill nearby. At the newer facility, waste is compacted and covered with soil, while protective layers underneath are intended to prevent contaminated liquid from seeping into the ground.<\/p>\n<p>But buried waste can continue to have an environmental impact. As organic material decomposes without oxygen, it produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere was a very large build-up of methane gas at the old landfill site,\u201d says Rafael Bekmullin, Director of the Waste Recycling and Disposal Branch. \u201cNow, there\u2019s actually a project underway there to extract that gas and generate electricity from it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Officials say 47 landfills have been closed and rehabilitated over the past several years, while Uzbekistan aims to halve the number of landfills by 2030.<\/p>\n<p>But closing landfills does not make the waste disappear. If less rubbish is buried, it needs somewhere else to go.<\/p>\n<h2>Turning waste into electricity<\/h2>\n<p>One part of the answer is taking shape outside Samarkand.<\/p>\n<p>A new waste-to-energy plant is being built to process around 1,500 tonnes of household waste a day and is expected to generate around 240 ml kilowatt-hours of electricity annually once operational.<\/p>\n<p>Aziza Nazarova, Head of the Investment Department at Uzbekistan\u2019s Agency for Waste Management, says the longer-term aim is to separate waste into different streams: recyclable materials returning to production, organic waste going towards compost or biogas, and residual waste to waste-to-energy plants.<\/p>\n<p>The order matters. Waste-to-energy can reduce the volume going to landfill, but recovering recyclable materials first keeps more of them in circulation.<\/p>\n<p>And that brings the journey back to where it began: the bin.<\/p>\n<h2>The circle begins at home<\/h2>\n<p>In Angren, east of Tashkent, private waste company Zero Waste distributed 10,000 bags to residents in a pilot encouraging households to separate their rubbish.<\/p>\n<p>According to Sobir Mashrabov, the company\u2019s regional representative, only around 1% were returned with the waste separated.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWithout sorting the waste, nothing is achievable,\u201d Mashrabov says.<\/p>\n<p>For him, infrastructure alone cannot solve the problem. Separating waste, he argues, has to become an everyday habit, taught from kindergarten and school through to university.<\/p>\n<p>The experiment brings the waste journey full circle. Once plastic, paper, food and everything else are thrown together, recovering useful materials becomes harder. Separating them earlier creates more opportunities for recyclable materials to return to production rather than move towards incineration or landfill.<\/p>\n<p>Sharjah and Uzbekistan are tackling different stages of that journey, from sorting and recycling to landfill management and energy recovery.<\/p>\n<p>But all this infrastructure deals with what society has already decided to throw away.<\/p>\n<p>A circular economy begins earlier \u2014 by using fewer resources, keeping products in use for longer and recovering valuable materials before they become waste.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label 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            Earth Series<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Protecting threatened wildlife<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__quote\">In partnership with <strong>Center for the Production of Content for Mass Media under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Environmental protection<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Recycling<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  waste<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Planet Earth<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Ecology<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Uzbekistan<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" 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width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;Planetary boundaries&#8217; necessary for life breached, scientists warn<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2927439-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2927439\" data-cid=\"9921570\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927439-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/15\/70\/320x180_cmsv2_0506bc28-7045-51ed-99e1-e7f861708a35-9921570.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Steam leaves a cooling tower of the Lichterfelde gas-fired power plant in Berlin, Germany, on March 30, 2022.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div 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data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-most-viewed\">\n<h2 class=\"c-most-viewed__title qa-section-title\">Most read<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__list\">\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">1<\/span><\/p>\n<article 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class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2918302-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2918302\" data-cid=\"9877509\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2918302-label-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/87\/75\/09\/480x270_cmsv2_03aabbc1-efb6-5ce7-aa64-dbf17e295c6c-9877509.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\u00a9\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Earth Series<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Protecting threatened wildlife<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__quote\">In partnership with <strong>Center for the Production of Content for Mass Media under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927407-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2927407\" data-cid=\"9921405\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927407-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/14\/05\/320x180_cmsv2_340550ba-88d5-5015-a929-4a935caa2290-9921405.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Deforestation is seen near the city of Santarem in the Brazilian state of Para, Dec. 2, 2004.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;Planetary boundaries&#8217; necessary for life breached, scientists warn<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927439-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2927439\" data-cid=\"9921570\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927439-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/15\/70\/320x180_cmsv2_0506bc28-7045-51ed-99e1-e7f861708a35-9921570.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Steam leaves a cooling tower of the Lichterfelde gas-fired power plant in Berlin, Germany, on March 30, 2022.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Europe\u2019s waste heat alone could power Paris for 48 years<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927649-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2927649\" data-cid=\"9922689\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2927649-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/92\/26\/89\/320x180_cmsv2_30cca1b4-5d21-5e7f-870a-a5a23e1c19b0-9922689.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A black robin pictured in New Zealand, 20 October, 2013\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    New Zealanders pick endangered black robin as Bird of the Year<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926205-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926205\" data-cid=\"9918679\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926205-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/57\/69\/320x180_cmsv2_e7246f2a-8f81-547f-9673-f6d4cf6b0b8b-9915769.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Potato planting on Naxos\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Naxos potatoes: A centuries-old traditional crop is under threat<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926778-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926778\" data-cid=\"9918782\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926778-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/87\/82\/320x180_cmsv2_9ac0eed6-4f2e-5f69-a233-433ff5c36600-9918782.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A firefighter moves beehives away from flames while battling a wildfire in San Martin de Valdeiglesias, west of Madrid, Spain, July 26, 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Europe\u2019s babies face 84% more &#8216;fire weather&#8217; than their grandparents<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927407-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2927407\" data-cid=\"9921405\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;Planetary boundaries&#8217; necessary for life breached, scientists warn<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926205-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926205\" data-cid=\"9918679\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Naxos potatoes: A centuries-old traditional crop is under threat<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2927439-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2927439\" data-cid=\"9921570\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Europe\u2019s waste heat alone could power Paris for 48 years<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926778-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926778\" data-cid=\"9918782\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Europe\u2019s babies face 84% more &#8216;fire weather&#8217; than their grandparents<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926841-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926841\" data-cid=\"9919018\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    In Argentina, solar power from the Andes keeps this train running<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">Every year, the world produces more than 2 bn tonnes of municipal waste \u2014 much of it disappearing from view the moment it is thrown into a bin. But that is where the story of waste really begins.A discarded plastic bottle might be recycled into something new. Food waste can become compost or biogas. Material that cannot be recycled may be burned to generate electricity. And what cannot be recovered may ultimately end up in landfill. The more materials that can be recovered and put back to use along the way, the less waste reaches the end of that journey.That is the principle behind a circular economy: keeping resources in use for as long as possible, first by using less, then by reusing and recycling materials rather than simply throwing them away.Separating what still has valueAt BEEAH\u2019s waste management complex in Sharjah, municipal waste moves through a sorting line. Machines separate plastics, metals, paper and cardboard, turning what arrived together as rubbish into materials that can potentially be used again.Plastics can be processed into new packaging and consumer goods, while paper and cardboard can re-enter the manufacturing cycle.But not everything can be recovered. In Sharjah, some residual waste goes to a waste-to-energy plant, where it is burned to generate electricity rather than being sent directly to landfill.\u201cRecycling preserves material. Waste-to-energy addresses what remains, ensuring residual waste still creates value,\u201d says Alya Al Obeidli, Lead Engineer at Emirates Waste to Energy.Recycling keeps materials in use; waste-to-energy comes later, recovering energy from material that cannot be recycled. Whatever cannot be recovered ultimately leaves the circle and ends up in landfill.It is this entire journey that Uzbekistan is now trying to reshape.Rethinking where Uzbekistan\u2019s waste goesUzbekistan generates roughly 15 ml tonnes of household waste annually. Government figures suggest that only around 5% to 6% is currently recycled or processed by specialist companies.For much of the rest, landfill remains the end of the journey.A new 24-hectare landfill outside Tashkent receives roughly 1,500 to 2,500 tonnes of waste a day, depending on the period and season, according to Shahzod Safarov, Chief Specialist of the Agency for Waste Management of Uzbekistan.For decades, the capital\u2019s rubbish was deposited at an older landfill nearby. At the newer facility, waste is compacted and covered with soil, while protective layers underneath are intended to prevent contaminated liquid from seeping into the ground.But buried waste can continue to have an environmental impact. As organic material decomposes without oxygen, it produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.\u201cThere was a very large build-up of methane gas at the old landfill site,\u201d says Rafael Bekmullin, Director of the Waste Recycling and Disposal Branch. \u201cNow, there\u2019s actually a project underway there to extract that gas and generate electricity from it.\u201dOfficials say 47 landfills have been closed and rehabilitated over the past several years, while Uzbekistan aims to halve the number of landfills by 2030.But closing landfills does not make the waste disappear. If less rubbish is buried, it needs somewhere else to go.Turning waste into electricityOne part of the answer is taking shape outside Samarkand.A new waste-to-energy plant is being built to process around 1,500 tonnes of household waste a day and is expected to generate around 240 ml kilowatt-hours of electricity annually once operational.Aziza Nazarova, Head of the Investment Department at Uzbekistan\u2019s Agency for Waste Management, says the longer-term aim is to separate waste into different streams: recyclable materials returning to production, organic waste going towards compost or biogas, and residual waste to waste-to-energy plants.The order matters. Waste-to-energy can reduce the volume going to landfill, but recovering recyclable materials first keeps more of them in circulation.And that brings the journey back to where it began: the bin.The circle begins at homeIn Angren, east of Tashkent, private waste company Zero Waste distributed 10,000 bags to residents in a pilot encouraging households to separate their rubbish.According to Sobir Mashrabov, the company\u2019s regional representative, only around 1% were returned with the waste separated.\u201cWithout sorting the waste, nothing is achievable,\u201d Mashrabov says.For him, infrastructure alone cannot solve the problem. Separating waste, he argues, has to become an everyday habit, taught from kindergarten and school through to university.The experiment brings the waste journey full circle. Once plastic, paper, food and everything else are thrown together, recovering useful materials becomes harder. Separating them earlier creates more opportunities for recyclable materials to return to production rather than move towards incineration or landfill.Sharjah and Uzbekistan are tackling different stages of that journey, from sorting and recycling to landfill management and energy recovery.But all this infrastructure deals with what society has already decided to throw away.A circular economy begins earlier \u2014 by using fewer resources, keeping products in use for longer and recovering valuable materials before they become waste.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/09\/22\/rethinking-waste-the-journey-towards-a-circular-economy&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/87\/75\/36\/1200x675_cmsv2_108371bd-ddc6-50fb-b8f2-ce1338dfede0-9877536.jpg&#8221;] Destinations How Albania became one of Europe\u2019s fastest-growing destinations Europe News Brussels seeks power to order electricity demand cuts in energy crisis Business Farmers&#8217; groups urge Planas for urgent aid as war in Iran drives up costs Europe News British PM Burnham declines to rule out rejoining EU Destinations How Albania became [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-2157284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2157284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2157284"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2157284\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2157284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2157284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2157284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}