Plastic has become an integral part of our lives. Addressing the global environmental concerns of plastics requires a comprehensive analysis along the whole supply chain. Here, we provide a global trade-linked material flow analysis of plastics for the year 2022. Globally, 436.66 million tonnes (Mt) of plastics were traded in 2022, with final products alone accounting for 111 Mt. Our findings suggest that plastics are subject to geographical concentration, with feedstocks concentrated in oil-resource rich countries and processing in countries with large manufacturing capacity. Furthermore, there is a significant shift in waste disposal: incineration is emerging as a prominent waste disposal method (34%), landfill is decreasing substantially (40%), while the global recycling rate remained stagnant (9%). Income disparities among countries diminish in the context of plastic waste imports, reshaping the global plastics trade patterns. Uncovering the complex plastic supply chain is crucial for reducing pollution and promoting sustainable plastic management.

Rare earth elements (REEs) are used in a wide range of products. The global demand for REEs is growing at a rate of 3.7–8.6% annually. Yttrium (Y), europium (Eu), cerium (Ce), lanthanum (La), and terbium (Tb) are used in the phosphors for fluorescent lamps (FLs). The authors review the challenges and techniques associated with the recycling and recovery of REEs in phosphors from waste FLs. The recovery rate and grade of resultant products and the processing costs are the primary factors to be considered regarding trichromatic phosphors enrichment and monochrome phosphor separation. Currently, most researchers have focused on the recovery of Y and Eu from red phosphor using hydrometallurgy methods, and on the difficulties of leaching Ce, La, Tb, and Eu in green and blue phosphors. The final recovery rate of Y and Eu can reach more than 80%, but a higher rate is desirable, considering the total value of the REEs in FLs. Studies on improving the leaching behavior of phosphors have been conducted; however, they present problems such as energy and agents consumption, and generation of viscous solution of silicate. Some pyrometallurgy and electrometallurgy approaches are also discussed.

Lithium was selectively and environmentally friendly extracted from spent LiFePO₄batteriesviamechanochemical solid-phase oxidation process.