Raw Materials and Circular Societies Lighthouse (EIT RawMaterials)

Challenge: Raw, processed and advanced materials, from primary and secondary sources, are the backbone of the economy, and a radical shift is required from linear to circular thinking. End-of-life products must be considered as a resource for another cycle, while losses and stocks of unused materials must be minimized and valorized along the value chain. In addition, the interactions between materials must be considered to define the best circular solution from a systemic standpoint. Awareness of the benefits of closing material loops must be raised in society. The successful transition to the circular economy at the global scale, depend on the reliable and sustainable supply and management of raw materials.

Approach: EIT RawMaterials will support activities that optimize the efficient discovery, characterization, processing and flow of materials to move towards ‘zero waste’, a core target of circular economy. The LH will integrate results, knowledge and data into a digital map of resource locations and their flows within cities and between cities and the surrounding environment (‘smart materials grid’). This LH is aligned with the EU Circular Economy Package and the EU Zero Waste strategy to achieve a Circular Society, and provides a focal point for cross-KIC collaboration.