SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: August 31-September 4, 2026

September 04, 2026

Gold Holds Advance on Waller Remarks

Gold traded near $4,500 an ounce on Friday after rising for two consecutive sessions, as dovish comments from Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller led markets to scale back expectations for a September rate hike. Waller said he would favor keeping rates unchanged if price pressures continue to ease. Traders now see roughly a 50% probability of a September rate hike, down from about 63% a day earlier. Investors are also awaiting Friday’s payrolls report and next week’s inflation data for additional clues on the Fed’s policy outlook. The US dollar and Treasury yields fell sharply following Waller’s remarks, supporting bullion. Meanwhile, oil prices were on track for a strong weekly gain amid ongoing hostilities in the Middle East and heightened uncertainty over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, keeping inflationary risks in focus. (Source: Trading Economics)

Silver Holds Gain on Waller Remarks

Silver traded near $67 an ounce on Friday after rising for two consecutive sessions, as dovish comments from Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller led markets to scale back expectations for a September rate hike. Waller said he would favor keeping rates unchanged if price pressures continue to ease. Traders now see roughly a 50% probability of a September rate hike, down from about 63% a day earlier. Investors are also awaiting Friday’s payrolls report and next week’s inflation data for additional clues on the Fed’s policy outlook. The US dollar and Treasury yields fell sharply following Waller’s remarks, supporting precious metals. Meanwhile, oil prices were on track for a strong weekly gain amid ongoing hostilities in the Middle East and heightened uncertainty over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, keeping inflationary risks in focus. (Source: Trading Economics)

Copper Holds Gains as Supply Risks Persist

Copper futures traded around $6.57 per pound on Friday, holding recent gains as ongoing supply-side challenges continued to support prices. Analysts highlighted a recent export ban from Congo, along with weaker output from major producers Chile and Peru and disruptions linked to El-Nino. Chile’s copper production fell 9.4% year-on-year in July due to severe weather and mine maintenance. China’s refined copper production also declined 3% to 1.1 million tons in June. Meanwhile, tariff uncertainty continues to encourage shipments into the US, pushing Comex inventories to record highs while tightening supplies elsewhere. On the demand side, renewed hostilities between the US and Iran raised concerns that elevated energy prices could weigh on global economic activity and metals demand. (Source: Trading Economics)

Platinum Trades Above $1,800

Platinum futures traded above $1,800 an ounce after climbing from a two-week low, as a weaker US dollar boosted demand for precious metals. The rally followed dovish comments from Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller, who said he would favor keeping interest rates unchanged if inflation continues to ease, prompting investors to scale back bets on a Fed hike this month. Traders now await US jobs data for further clues on the Federal Reserve’s rate outlook. Still, renewed fighting in the Gulf and higher oil prices kept inflation concerns in focus, potentially complicating the Fed’s policy path. Meanwhile, platinum’s industrial demand is expected to rise 9% this year to 2.24 million ounces, according to the World Platinum Investment Council. Valterra Platinum highlighted China’s rapidly expanding hydrogen-truck sector as a potential new demand catalyst, estimating around 6 million ounces of additional global demand if hydrogen trucks reach a 20% share of the global fleet. (Source: Trading Economics)

US Strategic Metals, Ionic Rare Earths Plan U.S. Magnet Recycling Plant

US Strategic Metals (USSM) and Ionic Rare Earths USA plan to establish a 50-50 joint venture to develop rare earth permanent magnet recycling facilities at USSM’s permitted site near Fredericktown, Missouri. The partners intend to invest $100 million in initial facilities to recycle neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) and samarium-cobalt (SmCo) magnets and magnet scrap. USSM will provide $95 million, while the partners will contribute $5 million in equity. The venture will also evaluate recovery of additional heavy rare earths. Ionic Rare Earths’ Belfast subsidiary, Ionic Technologies, is expected to provide a non-exclusive technology license, while Ionic USA will lead technical, operational and commercial activities, including feedstock procurement. The proposed facilities will form part of USSM’s 1,750-acre critical minerals campus. The companies aim to finalize definitive agreements by the end of 2026, although the proposed joint venture remains subject to further agreements and conditions. (Source: US Strategic Metals)

Ericsson Recycles Nearly 5,000 Tonnes of E-Waste in Saudi Arabia

Ericsson has enabled the collection and recycling of nearly 5,000 tonnes of end-of-life telecom equipment in Saudi Arabia since launching its E-Waste Management Program in the country in 2008. More than 1,160 tonnes of network equipment have been recycled through the program over the past two years. The initiative covers the collection, decommissioning, transportation and recycling of telecom equipment, with materials recovered for use as secondary raw materials in other manufacturing industries. Ericsson-approved recyclers handle the equipment in accordance with local licensing requirements and international environmental, health and safety standards, with the aim of maximizing material recovery and reducing landfill disposal. The program supports Saudi Arabia’s circular economy ambitions under the Saudi Green Initiative and Vision 2030. Launched globally in 2005, the initiative now operates in 180 countries and contributes to Ericsson’s goal of achieving net zero across its value chain by 2040. (Source: Ericsson)

Continental Develops Tire Concept with 43% Recycled Materials

Continental has developed a concept tire containing around 43% recycled materials as part of the EU-funded ZEvRA project, demonstrating the potential to increase circularity in tire production while maintaining performance standards. The tire incorporates recycled materials including rubber from end-of-life tires, recovered carbon black (rCB), recycled PET-derived polyester, recycled tall oil and recycled sand. It achieved the highest rating under the EU rolling resistance label. The two-year ZEvRA project aims to improve the circularity of electric vehicles across the value chain. Continental said the project also highlights the need for standardized definitions, reliable regulatory frameworks and scalable recycling technologies to support wider use of recycled materials. Including renewable and mass-balance-certified materials, more than 80% of the concept tire’s materials come from recycled, renewable or certified sources. Continental aims to increase the share of purchased renewable and recycled production materials in its tire portfolio from 28% in 2025 to at least 40% by 2030. (Source: Continental)

Ecobat Completes Sale of Lithium Recycling Business

Ecobat has completed the sale of its lithium recycling business, marking the company’s full exit from lithium-ion battery recycling and allowing it to focus on its North American lead recycling operations. The transaction covers Ecobat’s lithium-ion battery recycling assets and operations in Casa Grande, Arizona. It follows the earlier sales of the company’s lithium operations in Darlaston, United Kingdom, and Hettstedt, Germany. Ecobat President and CEO Tom Slabe said the completed divestment will enable the company to direct its resources toward its core North American lead recycling business while continuing to pursue opportunities to create shareholder value. Slabe also thanked employees who helped develop the lithium recycling business and said the company expects the operations to continue under new ownership. The transaction concludes a series of divestments as Ecobat reshapes its business around lead recycling in North America. (Source: Ecobat)

China Hongqiao Wins Circular Economy Award for Recycled Aluminum Efforts

China Hongqiao Group has received the Circular Economy Leadership Award at the 2026 Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards in Singapore, marking its third consecutive year receiving the recognition. Organized by Enterprise Asia, the award recognizes the company’s efforts to develop recycled aluminum and advance circular economy practices. China Hongqiao has built an integrated aluminum value chain spanning mining, alumina refining, primary aluminum production, advanced materials and recycled aluminum. The company said recycled aluminum can reduce energy consumption by nearly 95% and greenhouse gas emissions by more than 85% compared with conventional electrolytic aluminum production. Its recycled aluminum strategy is intended to reduce reliance on primary raw material extraction while lowering energy use and emissions. The company is also pursuing its “25·55” Climate Action Target, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality across its operations by 2055. (Source: EQS News)

Sweden Develops Circular Roadmap for End-of-Life Solar Panels

Sweden may need to manage up to 150,000 tonnes of end-of-life solar panels annually by around 2060, prompting industry and research partners to develop the country’s first circular roadmap for solar panels. Led by Axfoundation and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the roadmap aims to keep panels and valuable materials in use for longer. Research indicates that some panels removed from service remain functional, while others could be repaired or reused rather than immediately treated as waste. The roadmap identifies three priorities: extending the lifetime of functioning panels through maintenance, repair and reuse; developing specialized recycling to recover valuable materials; and strengthening extended producer responsibility (EPR), traceability and data collection. The initiative also calls for greater investment in recycling infrastructure and policies that make reuse and high-value material recovery more economically viable as solar panel waste volumes increase. (Source: Axfoundation)

Envalior and SECARA Partner on Circular PA6 for Automotive Applications

Envalior and recycling technology company SECARA have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop circular PA6 from end-of-life vehicle plastics for automotive applications. The collaboration will test SECARA’s catalytic depolymerization technology, which converts mixed plastic waste into high-purity caprolactam that can be directly used in Envalior’s existing PA6 production process without major infrastructure changes. The companies aim to help automakers meet upcoming requirements under the EU End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation (ELVR), which will require at least 15% recycled plastic in new vehicles six years after entry into force, rising to 25% after 10 years. At least 20% of the recycled content must come from closed-loop sources. The initial focus is on producing virgin-quality, PCR-derived caprolactam for PA6. The partners said the approach could enable scalable closed-loop recycling while maintaining material performance and supporting automotive supply-chain decarbonization. (Source: Envalior)

U.S. Paper Recycling Rates Hold Steady in 2025

The U.S. paper recycling rate remained stable in 2025, with 61%–65% of paper and 70%–75% of cardboard available for recovery being recycled, according to the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA). About 45 million tons of paper were recycled in the U.S. during the year, equivalent to roughly 123,000 tons per day, including more than 33 million tons of cardboard. Nearly half of the recovered paper was used to produce containerboard for cardboard packaging. U.S. paper and paperboard production declined in 2025, reducing the volume of recovered paper available for recycling. Mills used 31.4 million tons of recycled paper to manufacture new products, down 1.3 million tons from 2024. AF&PA said the stable recycling rate demonstrates the resilience of the U.S. paper recycling system despite changing market conditions. (Source: AF&PA)

Ghana to Enforce Styrofoam Food Container Ban From January 2027

Ghana’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) will enforce a nationwide ban on styrofoam food containers from Jan. 1, 2027, as the first phase of a broader strategy to reduce single-use plastics. EPA CEO Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse said the ban follows a presidential directive based on scientific evidence concerning the environmental and public health risks of styrofoam, which is non-biodegradable and contributes to blocked drains and pollution. EPA monitoring at major markets, including Kejetia and Makola, found traders already stocking alternatives such as paper packaging, recycled aluminum foil, recyclable plastic containers and materials made from agricultural by-products. Deputy EPA CEO Professor Michael Ayamga-Adongo warned importers that styrofoam consignments arriving after the deadline will be confiscated and offenders could face legal action. The EPA has ruled out extending the deadline and urged businesses to switch to alternative packaging. (Source: Sustainable Packaging Middle East & Africa)

Alberta to Ban Solar Panels From Landfills, Introduce $14 Recycling Fee

Alberta will ban solar panels from landfills and introduce a C$14 recycling fee per panel from Oct. 1, as the province prepares for a projected increase in end-of-life solar waste. Environment Minister Grant Hunter said the policy will protect municipalities and taxpayers from future disposal costs. The government estimates that most panels currently installed in Alberta could reach the end of their service lives by 2045, generating nearly 73,000 tonnes of material. The fee has drawn criticism from renewable energy groups, which argue it is significantly higher than actual recycling costs. Solar Alberta estimated that recycling a typical panel costs about C$5, while the C$14 fee could add roughly 10% to the cost of a panel. Industry groups also warned that the measure could increase costs for solar businesses and slow sector growth. The government said the fee could fall if recyclers achieve lower processing costs and economies of scale. (Source: Yahoo Finance)