Circularity goal

Progress during the last year

We maintained our continuous work as well as to run projects at our manufacturing sites to reduce, reuse and recycle waste in the factories.

We continued to run projects to reduce, reuse and recycle waste at our sites. Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions continued to develop its digital assistant platform SAM™ in which all sites gather information about waste. Sandvik Machining Solutions started the development of tools using Bergla® tungsten carbide powder, made entirely of recycled material. They also increased the circularity rate in their powders generally and made progress with the reconditioning of solid carbide tools.

A new and patended technology for battery electric equipment contributing to a more sustainable mining industry won the 2023 Sandvik Sustainability Award in Memory of Sigrid Göransson.

Increased waste circularity

Our target* is to increase our waste circularity to 90 percent by 2030. In 2023, we achieved 71 percent waste circularity. The decrease is mainly due to acquired companies and we are still in line to achieve the 2030 target. Total waste decreased by 21 percent to 336 ktons.

The table and graph show the waste circularity in per cent for 2021–2023.

*This target was revised in 2021 to better reflect our efforts towards circularity and we will report on waste circularity rather than total waste from this point.

We have excluded tailings from our mine operations, since our ability to impact these volumes is limited. The target is adjusted for structural changes.

Environmental footprint

In our annual report, you can read about our environmental footprint and progress against the targets.

Go to the note for our environmental footprint in the annual report