Welcome to EURELCO

In 2014, 38 groups including businesses, universities, and public agencies from 13 European Union member states came together to form the European Enhanced Landfill Mining Consortium, more often known as Eurelco. An estimated 90% of Europe’s 150,000–500,000 landfill sites are “unsanitary” and predate the 1999 European Union Landfill Directive.

European Enhanced Landfill Mining Consortium

Enhanced landfill mining presents several problems from a variety of angles; this consortium seeks to establish a network that will investigate these issues and provide solutions. Urban solid waste landfills and metal-containing mono landfills made of leftovers from industrial processes or extractive waste are both affected by ELFM.

Enhanced Landfill Mining (ELFM) clarifies how valuable minerals might be safely recovered from present and future landfill waste for energy and material use by addressing social and environmental aspects. The aim of this initiative is to value Europe’s landfills by recovering materials, energy, and land while avoiding costly cleanup and thereby mitigating future health and environmental issues.

According to the European Union Training Network for Resource Recovery Through Enhanced Dump Mining (ELFM), over 90% of the 150,000 to 500,000 dump sites in Europe are classified as “non sanitary” landfills that were established prior to the implementation of the EU Landfill Directive in 1999.

European Enhanced Landfill Mining Consortium Activities

The European Enhanced Landfill Mining Consortium is an open network that supports the essential innovation of Enhanced Landfill Mining (ELFM) within the context of a resource-efficient, circular, low-carbon economy. It operates based on the quadruple helix model.

Members of EURELCO include 58 organizations from 13 EU Member States. EURELCO is a network designed to:

• Maps and provides information on the present level and future possibilities of EU Member States’ Enhanced Landfill Mining (ELFM) programs and initiatives;
• keeps track and stimulates the innovation in science and technology for exploration, excavation, separation/recovery, and transformation/upcycling in view of improved resource utilization efficiency; further elaborates Enhanced Landfill Mining and integrates it with both traditional recycling/urban mining and other landfill mining concepts such temporary storage places, bioreactors and sustainable landfilling;
• produces policy suggestions for enhanced law frameworks (updated EU Waste Hierarchy) and economic incentives by the predicted public benefits of ELFM using studies of national and EU Landfill and Waste/Material Management legislation;
• From a local and regional to a global perspective, develops and implements scientifically based methods for evaluating ELFM in terms of social, environmental, and economic impacts; conducts ELFM research, demonstration, and coordination projects; distributes the technological and non-technical aspects of ELFM to a diversity of audiences.

Landfill Mining is the next big Thing in Recycling

The use of landfills for the disposal of waste has been in existence for more than a century. According to the European Enhanced Landfill Mining Consortium (EURELCO), there are a minimum of 500,000 such sites in Europe alone, as per their estimations.

Semi-urban areas abound with many garbage disposal sites, which raises questions among professionals. Fortunately, most active landfills in Europe are modern, environmentally friendly “sanitary” landfills using creative gas capture methods.

These dumps will neither emit any greenhouse gasses nor contaminate the surroundings in any way. Although there has been some progress, a significant portion of the population, up to 90%, continues to live in unhygienic conditions. These dumps lack sufficient protections since they were constructed prior to the implementation of the European Union’s Landfill Directive of 1999.

EURELCO A Collaborative Network

Established to encourage cooperation among European stakeholders—including academic institutions, businesses, legislators, and non-governmental organizations—EURELCO aims By use of research, creativity, and policy lobbying, the consortium seeks to advance ELFM.

The principal goals of the network consist in:

• EURELCO backs the creation of fresh technologies and techniques meant to improve landfill mining’s efficiency and effectiveness. These include developments in material retrieval, sorting techniques, and safe and effective handling of dangerous goods.
• EURELCO aims to enhance public awareness of the benefits of ELFM by emphasizing its ability to address environmental issues, provide job opportunities, and stimulate economic growth. Through this collaboration, individuals are actively involved in supporting ELFM activities, and it also assists in the utilisation of appropriate waste management procedures.

ELFM Challenges & Future Directions

Despite encountering several challenges, the ELFM (Extremely Low Frequency Magnetic) technology has significant potential. ELFM projects may face substantial financial difficulties that might threaten their long-term financial viability during times of low commodity prices or high extraction and processing expenses.

To solve these issues, we need to keep focussing on new technologies and ways of doing things. As cleaning and handling of garbage gets better and new, cutting-edge technologies for material recovery come out, they can make ELFM projects more economically viable and lower their costs.

EURELCO Objectives & Mission

EURELCO’s primary objective is to advocate for and implement enhanced landfill mining as a viable and economically viable method for managing Europe’s waste heritage. The objectives of the partnership include:

• EURELCO aims to extract valuable resources such as metals, polymers, and other recyclable materials from landfills. This facilitates the establishment of a circular economy and reduces reliance on primary resources.
• Enhanced landfill mining also prioritises mitigating the impact of landfills on the environment. This include the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, cessation of soil and water pollution, and rehabilitation of damaged land.
• EURELCO is committed to promoting progress in the study and development of ELFM technology and methodology. The consortium facilitates the sharing of knowledge among its members to improve current methods for environmental remediation and resource reclamation.
• The company’s objective is to exert influence on European policies and regulatory systems with the goal of advancing legislation and financing for operations related to Extended Life and Fast Reactor Materials (ELFM).