The transition to a circular economy is a cornerstone of a sustainable future. Recognizing its importance, the EU introduced the Circular Economy Action Plan in 2020 to reduce reliance on natural resources and support the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Aligned with this vision, the Dutch Nationaal Programma Circulaire Economie 2023–2030 has established clear targets for 2030. In response, the high-tech sector (HTSM) is actively transforming products and production processes to meet these evolving circular standards.
Materials lie at the heart of this transition, driving innovation across multiple domains. Advanced material solutions minimize resource consumption, while designs emphasizing durability and reparability extend product lifespans. Modular approaches and disassembly-friendly designs facilitate refurbishment and remanufacturing, while cutting-edge separation technologies and enhanced recycling processes ensure efficient material recovery and the preservation of high-quality recycled materials.
This thematic meeting will focus on the challenges and opportunities of the circular transition within the metals sector. Participants will gain insights into broader strategic perspectives and delve into the latest advancements in recycling, re-use, and circular material design.
Speakers
Pieter C. Kuiper (ARN) – Circularity in metals from automotive viewpoint
Ir P.C. (Pieter) Kuiper has been active in vehicle recycling since 2006. Within ARN Auto Recycling Nederland B.V. He is responsible for the recycling figures and the post-shredder processing of car materials. Within the Groeifonds Program ‘Groeien met Groen Staal’ he is Lead of the ‘Recovery’ Theme, in which all research and development on recycling is combined. ARN Auto Recycling Netherlands B.V. is the non-profit organisation that organizes the Extended Producer Responsibility for all passenger and small commercial vehicles in the Netherlands.
Kevin Rosssi (TU Delft) – Artificial Intelligence for metals circularity, from the atom to the planet
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing our ability to model and understand complex systems dynamics. In this talk, Kevin will discuss two examples of how AI enables breakthroughs in metals circularity modeling, from the atomic to the global scale. At the atomic level, AI allows us to model complex interfacial reactions, such as metal dissolution and recovery, with unprecedented accuracy. This capability provides a foundation to improve the efficiency of extraction processes and recovery methods. On a larger scale, Kevin will show how AI is transforming systems analysis by predicting how specific policies might influence the behaviour of agents, e.g., within metal value-chains. These advancements illustrate how AI is driving strategic decisions toward a more circular economy for metals.
Venue
Het Vakwerkhuis
Professor Snijdersstraat 2
2628 RA Delft