Urban Mining Industry Workshop

Date: 24 March 2026

Time: 10:00-16:00

Location: The Royal Society of Edinburgh, EH2 2PQ

Registration: EVENTBRITE (waiting list)

How to secure UK’s Sovereignty through harvesting of secondary raw materials and components for the manufacturing of new products.

Turning urban resources into sustainable products: ICT, photonics, batteries, TV, appliances

KEYNOTE - Prof Paul Monks Chair of the British Geological Survey, Chair of the Henry Royce Institute, Former CSA (BEIS/DESNZ) and Professor at the University of Leicester

Urban mining is becoming a key enabler of sustainable, resilient supply chains: transforming waste streams into valuable resources. This Urban Mining Industry Workshop will bring together stakeholders from across industry, policy, and innovation to explore how emerging technologies, regulatory frameworks, and material applications are shaping the sustainable and national manufacturing capacities in the UK.

The workshop is designed as a collaborative forum to share insights, discuss challenges, and identify opportunities for scaling the use of recovered materials in new products.

Who Should Attend

This workshop is relevant for professionals and organisations involved in or impacted by urban mining and circular materials, including:

• Recycling companies and materials producers

• Technology providers and startups

• Manufacturers using or exploring recovered materials

• Policymakers and regulatory bodies

• Researchers, consultants, and sustainability leaders

AGENDA

9:30	Arrival and registration
10:00	Introduction from Jeff Kettle (REACT Principal Investigator) and Matthew Reeves (Innovate UK)
10:15	Keynote Speaker - Prof Paul MonksChair of the British Geological Survey, Chair of the Henry Royce Institute, Former CSA (BEIS/DESNZ) and Professor at the University of Leicester
11:00	Break with refreshments
11:30	Flash Presentations “Emerging technologies for Urban Mining”: Abesha Mahendran (HyProMag) Adam Taylor (CellMine) Andrew Carrick (Bioscope) CRM Supply Chain (REACT)
12:40	Lunch
13:40	Panel Discussion “Policy, Finance and Regulations – from e-waste to new products”: Andrew Gomarsall (n2s) Eva Marquis (University of Exeter) Fred White (DEScycle)James Horne (WEEE Forum) Scott Butler (Material Focus) Moderation: Charlie Simms (REACT, University of Edinburgh)
14:30	White Paper Workshop “Mapping the critical material landscape”
15.20	Way Forward - Closing remarks
15:30	Networking opportunity (with refreshments)