‍Global material consumption is growing faster than the population and is generating more waste than recycling systems can handle. Today, only 6.9% of the 106 billion tonnes of materials used worldwide are from recycled sources, representing a 2.2% drop since 2015. These are the key findings of the The Circularity Gap Report 2025, published by Circle Economy Fundation in collaboration with Deloitte and presented on 13 May at the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF), held in Brazil.

For the first time, the report analyses how materials flow through, accumulate in, and exit the global economy, and how these movements either support or hinder a circular model. Based on eleven circularity indicators, the analysis highlights pathways to boost circularity—such as sustainable agriculture and infrastructure development—and demonstrates the significant untapped potential to do so.

While the use of recycled materials increased by 200 million tonnes between 2018 and 2021, overall material use has grown much faster. To address this, the report urges us to reduce dependence on virgin materials, prioritise recycled inputs, increase resource efficiency along value chains, and design products that are durable, repairable, and modular, so they last longer.

However, The Circularity Gap Report 2025 also makes it clear that recycling alone is not enough: “Even if we recycled all technically recyclable materials, the global circularity rate would only rise from 6.9% to 25%.” Achieving that is nearly impossible, due to the difficulty and/or cost of recycling certain materials. This is why, in addition to strengthening recycling efforts, the report calls for measures to reduce material consumption, highlighting that: “This represents an opportunity for business leaders across sectors to improve recycling systems and minimise waste generation by embracing circular design principles, investing in infrastructure and technology to improve separate collection, and exploring high-value applications for waste.”

As for the origin of recycled materials, most come from industrial and demolition waste, while household waste plays a much smaller role—only 3.8% of recycled materials come from domestic sources.

A systemic shift is needed

The report concludes that a systemic shift is essential, which includes: “Unlocking the circular potential of assets such as buildings and infrastructure, managing biomass sustainably, and preventing perfectly renewable materials from ending up in landfills.” It also recommends setting global circularity targets to reduce material use and energy demand while increasing recycling rates. As Deloitte puts it: “Making a mindset shift and proactively adopting circularity can help organisations unlock new value and market opportunities, reduce costs, and build long-term value chain resilience.”

Per altra banda, el The Circularity Gap Report 2025 proposa establir uns objectius globals de circularitat per reduir l’ús de materials i la demanda energètica i, al mateix temps, incrementar els índexs de reciclatge. En afirmacions de Deloitte, fer un canvi de xip i adoptar proactivament una mentalitat de circularitat «pot ajudar les organitzacions a desbloquejar nou valor i oportunitats de mercat, reduir costos i construir resiliència a llarg termini a la cadena de valor».