July 2025 in Review: Key Environment, Health Protection, and Safety Standards Published

Looking back at July 2025, the Environment, Health Protection, and Safety sector experienced a notable period of standards publication aimed at advancing resource efficiency, recycling practices, and circularity across multiple industrial domains. This roundup covers five new CEN and EN standards, each contributing to critical industry goals such as the recovery of valuable nutrients from sludge, optimizing plastic component recyclability in road vehicles, and establishing robust quality frameworks for the use of recyclates in manufacturing. With regulatory ambitions heightened across Europe and globally, these standards offer guidance not only for achieving compliance but also for integrating sustainability into the core of industrial operations. For professionals and organizations seeking to maintain a competitive and compliant operational edge, this comprehensive review is an indispensable reference.

Monthly Overview: July 2025

July 2025 was characterized by an increased momentum in standardization activities targeting resource recovery, waste minimization, and material circularity within the Environment, Health Protection, and Safety sector. Unlike some previous cycles that focused on incremental updates, this month’s portfolio featured highly strategic standards: from the technical roadmap for recovering inorganic nutrients from urban wastewater sludge, to the release of cross-sectoral frameworks for using recycled polymers in both general and automotive applications.

The publication of these five standards illustrates a maturing regulatory landscape—one where the shift from linear to circular resource flows is now being operationalized through precise, technically supported guidance. The emphasis on both end-of-life vehicle plastics and broad-platform plastic recyclates reflects the priority environmental challenges that manufacturers and municipalities face under upcoming EU directives and international sustainability frameworks. This month’s output aligns with growing policy and market focus on harmonized product criteria, recyclate traceability, and performance transparency.

Standards Published This Month

CEN ISO/TR 22707:2025 – Sludge Recovery, Recycling, Treatment and Disposal – Processes and Technologies for Inorganic Substance and Nutrient Recovery

Sludge recovery, recycling, treatment and disposal – Information on the processes and technologies for inorganic substance and nutrient recovery (ISO/TR 22707:2023)

CEN ISO/TR 22707:2025 provides an extensive technical overview of processes and technologies used to recover inorganic substances and essential nutrients—such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium—from sludge derived from urban wastewater collection and treatment systems. The document specifically excludes hazardous industrial and dredged sludge, focusing attention on matrices most relevant to municipal and similar industrial water management.

Covering strategies such as struvite crystallization, hydroxyapatite recovery, and innovative treatments for phosphorus extraction from incineration ash and sewage sludge slag, this technical report equips operators and engineers with practical, illustrated techniques and decision frameworks. Guidance is offered on operating conditions, expected yields, and the environmental benefits of nutrient recovery, supporting both regulatory compliance and resource valorization in line with circular economy goals.

The document is particularly relevant for municipal utilities, wastewater treatment technology vendors, and policy makers designing nutrient recovery incentives. It also offers environmental managers and compliance bodies a harmonized reference supporting cross-border best practices.

Key highlights:

• Comprehensive review of nutrient and inorganic recovery processes from urban sludge
• Focus on phosphorus recovery technologies, including struvite and hydroxyapatite
• Practical case studies illustrating real-world technology deployment and outcomes

Access the full standard:View CEN ISO/TR 22707:2025 on iTeh Standards

CEN/TS 18084:2025 – Road Vehicles – Post Shredder Technology Recycling – Design Recommendations for Plastic Products

Road vehicles – Post Shredder Technology recycling – Design recommendations for plastic products

CEN/TS 18084:2025 delineates detailed recommendations for the design of polymeric products in road vehicles, optimizing their suitability for post-shredder recycling streams. This technical specification addresses a key challenge: while end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) are subject to increasingly stringent recyclability quotas (85% reusable/recyclable, 95% recoverable), the technical complexity of modern automotive plastics has led to lagging performance in plastics recycling rates. By codifying design-for-recycling principles—such as the use of single polymers, minimizing incompatible bonding, and material labeling—into an actionable reference, the document bridges the gap between regulatory intent and industrial design practice.

Explicitly excluding elastomers and the dismantling/removal of vehicle components, the standard is aimed at automotive engineers, component suppliers, and recyclers. It supports alignment with current and future EU ELV regulations and circularity requirements, providing both high-level recommendations and granular guidance on designing for separation, density-based sorting, and end-use recycling technology compatibility.

Key highlights:

• Practical design recommendations to maximize post-shredding plastic recyclability
• Guidance on material compatibility, labeling, and separation
• Alignment with EU ELV and Type 3R directives and recyclability targets

Access the full standard:View CEN/TS 18084:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN 18064-1:2025 – Plastics – Quality Recommendations and Basis for Specifications for Application of Plastic Recyclates in Products – Part 1: General Aspects

Plastics – Quality recommendations and basis for specifications for application of plastic recyclates in products – Part 1: General aspects

EN 18064-1:2025 inaugurates a comprehensive standards series focused on the use of recycled plastics in diverse product families. This foundational document establishes the general designation system for plastic recyclates, applicable after the recycling operation and before compounding or final conversion. By defining how to categorize, sample, and determine the relevant properties of recyclate materials, the standard creates a consistent communication platform for converters, recyclers, and product manufacturers.

Key elements include guidance for first-contact negotiations between buyers and recyclers, methods for preparing and testing samples, and strategies for mapping recyclate attributes to application-specific performance requirements. Notably, it aligns closely with EN ISO 10350-1 and references relevant EU regulations and related polymer-specific standards, ensuring traceability and comparability.

Target users include material procurement teams, plastics manufacturers, and designers seeking to integrate recycled content while managing risk and performance. The standard is intended as a non-prescriptive framework, enabling tailor-made quality and supply agreements within the boundaries of harmonized European guidance.

Key highlights:

• Universal designation and classification approach for plastic recyclates
• Procedures for sampling, testing, and determining relevant recyclate properties
• Foundation for subsequent material-specific recyclate standards (e.g., for PE, PP)

Access the full standard:View EN 18064-1:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN 18064-2:2025 – Plastics – Quality Recommendations and Basis for Specifications for Application of Plastic Recyclates in Products – Part 2: Polyethylene (PE)

Plastics – Quality recommendations and basis for specifications for application of plastic recyclates in products – Part 2: Polyethylene (PE)

As the dedicated standard for polyethylene (PE) recyclates, EN 18064-2:2025 builds upon the general framework established in Part 1 to provide exhaustive guidance on PE-specific properties, application groupings, and characteristic ranges. The document details typical values and selection criteria for post-industrial and post-consumer PE recyclates, covering performance metrics required by various product families—such as containers, pipes, films, and molded parts.

It places special emphasis on harmonizing testing (EN ISO 17855-1, EN 15344) and designation methods, supporting direct comparison between recycled and virgin PE at the level of polymer designatory properties. This standard streamlines vendor/buyer dialogue by specifying the technical basis for recyclate suitability in new products, and helps organizations meet regulatory and market demands for evidence-based recycled content integration.

EN 18064-2 is imperative for procurement specialists, plastics processors, and sustainability-focused R&D teams in packaging, construction, consumer goods, and beyond.

Key highlights:

• PE-specific recyclate classification: typical values and application groupings
• Enables direct comparison with virgin PE via harmonized designation system
• Supports compliance with European circular plastics requirements

Access the full standard:View EN 18064-2:2025 on iTeh Standards

EN 18064-3:2025 – Plastics – Quality Recommendations and Basis for Specifications for Application of Plastic Recyclates in Products – Part 3: Polypropylene (PP)

Plastics – Quality recommendations and basis for specifications for application of plastic recyclates in products – Part 3: Polypropylene (PP)

EN 18064-3:2025 complements the plastics recyclates series with a focused approach to polypropylene (PP). This standard specifies property ranges and application groupings essential for selecting PP recyclates for use in defined product families, such as automotive parts, containers, and technical components. Like its PE counterpart, it demands characterization in line with EN ISO 19069-1/2 and EN 15345, ensuring consistent communication between suppliers and processors.

By defining both minimum property requirements and typical performance profiles relevant to product manufacturing methods, the standard closes critical knowledge gaps in sourcing suitable recyclate streams, boosting confidence in substituting virgin-grade materials.

Essential reading for plastics buyers, recyclers, and engineers in sectors seeking to increase recycled PP content while meeting quality and compliance objectives.

Key highlights:

• Systematic categorization of PP recyclates and their typical properties
• Application-specific guidance for selecting recycled PP
• Fosters traceability and end-product performance assurance

Access the full standard:View EN 18064-3:2025 on iTeh Standards

Common Themes and Industry Trends

Several major trends emerged from July 2025’s Environment, Health Protection, and Safety standards:

• Shift Toward Circular Resource Management: All five standards reflect a drive toward resource efficiency, circularity, and waste minimization—especially concerning plastics and nutrient streams.
• Standardization of Recyclate Quality and Traceability: The EN 18064 series demonstrates comprehensive efforts to harmonize the classification, designation, and communication of plastic recyclates for manufacturers and supply chains.
• Automotive Sector Leadership in Recycling: Technical recommendations for end-of-life vehicle plastic design emphasize the pivotal role of automotive engineering in environmental sustainability, foreshadowing similar requirements across other durable goods sectors.
• Advanced Recovery Technologies for Urban Waste: Nutrient and inorganic recovery from sludge is presented not only as a waste management solution but also as an agricultural and resource security imperative aligning with geopolitical realities enabled by technological progress.

These publications reinforce the broader trend of embedding environmental considerations into both product design and materials procurement, with clear linkages to EU policy, global sustainability frameworks, and increasing customer scrutiny.

Compliance and Implementation Considerations

For professionals tasked with compliance, the new standards offer both direction and opportunity:

• Immediate Prioritization: Organizations handling urban wastewater should prioritize reviewing CEN ISO/TR 22707:2025 to evaluate current and future pathways for nutrient and inorganic recovery.
• Design Reviews and Training: Automotive OEMs and suppliers need to ensure that product development teams are fully versed in CEN/TS 18084:2025 guidelines, potentially revising design protocols for new vehicle lines.
• Procurement Specification Updates: Plastic processors and purchasing managers should update supplier requirements to reference the EN 18064 standards, especially for documentation, material qualification, and performance dialogues with recyclate vendors.
• Phased Implementation and Gap Analysis: Many of these standards anticipate a transition period; organizations should conduct gap analyses to identify any compliance risks or areas needing investment.
• Available Resources: Leverage annexes, case studies, and referenced material standards in each document for implementation templates and testing procedures.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways from July 2025

July 2025 marked a step change in the standardization of environmental protection and circularity theory into practical industry guidance. With robust frameworks for nutrient recovery, design-for-recycling in automotive plastics, and precise quality documentation for polymer recyclates, professionals across sectors have new tools for embedding sustainability and compliance deep into product and process life cycles.

For compliance and sustainability managers, embracing these standards is not just about regulatory alignment—it’s about capitalizing on efficiencies, reducing risk, and fostering innovation in future-ready business models. To stay abreast of such transformative developments, professionals are encouraged to examine each standard in detail via iTeh Standards’ comprehensive resource platform.