NG Nordic's Ikaalinen facility achieves End-of-Waste Status for Copper and Aluminium Granulates

By meeting stringent quality and compliance requirements, these recycled metals are no longer classified as waste but as certified products that can be used as valuable secondary raw materials in new manufacturing processes. This achievement supports our ambition to increase resource circularity, maximize the value of recovered materials, and expand the role of recycled products in replacing virgin resources. 

Raising Standards for Circular Products 

Achieving End-of-Waste status requires robust quality management and confidence in the consistency of the final product. To meet these requirements, we have strengthened quality assurance throughout the value chain, including: 

• Enhanced inspection and acceptance procedures for incoming materials 
• Strengthened process controls and quality assurance systems 
• Continuous monitoring of product performance and compliance 
• Documented verification of final product quality 

These measures ensure that our copper and aluminium granules meet the criteria for being marketed and transported as products rather than waste materials. 

Benefits for Customers and the Circular Economy 

End-of-Waste status creates value for customers, industry, and the environment by making recycled materials easier to use and integrate into production processes. 

Benefits include: 

• Simplified transport and documentation requirements 
• Consistent and verified material quality 
• Greater flexibility in logistics and transportation 
• Reduced administrative burden across the supply chain 
• Increased availability of high-quality circular raw materials 

Most importantly, End-of-Waste status supports the EU's circular economy goals by enabling the full environmental value of recycling by allowing recovered metals to remain in productive use for longer, reducing dependence on virgin material extraction and supporting a more resource-efficient economy. 

Looking Ahead 

The approval of copper and aluminium granulates is an important milestone adding value to NG Nordic’s transparent metals concept, but it is only the beginning. We are already developing additional End-of-Waste products in collaboration with our downstream sales teams and customers. 

“By expanding our portfolio of circular products, we aim to create more value from recovered resources, increase material recovery, and further strengthen our contribution to the circular economy,” says Tero Holländer Commercial Director, Sustainable Materials, NG Nordic. 

End-of-Waste status is more than a regulatory achievement. It demonstrates how high-quality recycling, rigorous quality assurance, and collaboration across the value chain can transform waste into valuable resources for a more sustainable future.