Patented Recycling technologies for a Circular Economy: waste management is coming home

We live in a wasteful world, driven by the linear economics of take, make and dispose. In this traditional model, raw materials are harvested, manufactured into products and then used until they are eventually disposed of as waste. The World Bank announced in late 2018 that global annual waste production is predicted to rise to 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050, up from 2 billion in 2016, without urgent remedial action.

Our latest article delves into the patented recycling technologies helping create a Circular Economy. Cipher conducted in-depth analysis of this patent landscape that uncovered the following key points:

• China Academic institutions lead the world in patents related to recycling technologies,
• The US only holds 4% of granted patents in the Circular economy, yet is the largest waste generator per person,
• The competitive landscape is dominated by research organisations,
• Plastic and metal recycling technologies form almost half of all patents in the Circular economy area of innovation.

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