On the way to ‘zero waste’ management: Recovery potential of elements, including rare earth elements, from fine fraction of waste

Abstract Existing schemes of solid waste handling have been improved implementing advanced systems for recovery and reuse of various materials. Nowadays, the ‘zero waste’ concept is becoming more topical through the reduction of disposed waste. Recovery of metals, nutrients and other materials that can be returned to the material cycles still remain as a challenge for future. Landfill mining (LFM) is one of the approaches that can deal with former dumpsites, and derived materials may become important for circular economy within the concept ‘beyond the zero waste’. Perspectives of material recovery can include recycling of critical industrial metals, including rare earth elements (REEs). The…