Current news at the Center of Expertise for Circular Economy

At the Faculty of Mathematics and Science of the University of Jyväskylä, safety is studied broadly from the perspectives of multiple disciplines.

Senior Lecturer Siiri Perämäki’s research is focused on the recovery of critical raw materials, particularly rare earth elements. Her work aims to recycle metals, which promotes both environmental protection and the green transition.

A solid-phase extraction process enables the eco-friendly recovery of critical raw materials from NdFeB magnets. Over 96% of the rare earth elements in the permanent magnets were recovered, and the purity of the rare earth fraction was over 99%.

The REEVIVE project contributes significantly to the sustainable and secure supply of REEs by identifying and recovering them from underutilized secondary sources. The project aims to find cost-effective alternatives in the form of recycled REEs.

The Department of Chemistry has investigated the recycling of rare earth metals from industrial waste and side streams using both 3D filter technology and compounds that can be used in the recovery process as well as in the upcycling of new materials.

The aim of the Heleä project is to produce information on ash quality for ash producers, forest owners, and other stakeholders. A sub-report on the project has now been published.

Researchers in the Department of Biological and Environmental Science have studied the biodegradability of biodegradable plastics in lakes and the Baltic Sea as part of the PlastLIFE project.

Researchers from the University of Jyväskylä and the Natural Resources Institute Finland find out how does addition of ash affect the biogas production in anaerobic digestion of biowaste and how are the fertilizing properties of the digestate affected.

The dissertation research demonstrates how nature-inspired materials and additive manufacturing can come together to deliver scalable, eco-friendly solutions for safe drinking water in arsenic-affected regions. Jessy Joseph defends on 15.8.2025.

Weeefiner Oy, led by our chemistry alumni Mikko Hänninen and Elmeri Lahtinen, provides circular economy solutions for companies in water purification and recovery of critical raw materials.

The new international master’s degree programme of the University of Jyväskylä, Chemistry and Analytics for Circular Economy (CACE), educates future experts who can significantly contribute to the solving of societal problems.

The University of Jyväskylä is involved in an extensive cooperation project to promote the circular economy of plastics. Everyone can participate in the A million trash bags campaign.