Huelva, February 10, 2026. Leaders at Atlantic Copper met with representatives of several neighborhood associations in Huelva to update them on the progress of the CirCular Project. As part of the company’s ongoing meetings with key social organizations, the aim was to share information and address aspects of the new plant that could spark community interest.

 

The CirCular Project, which will be launched in the second quarter of this year following an investment of nearly 500 million euros, will give new life to metals contained in non-ferrous fractions taken from obsolete electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The EU considers these materials —copper, silver, gold, tin, palladium, platinum and nickel— to be essential in addressing the challenges of the energy and digital transition. The plant will have capacity to process 60,000 metric tons per year, strengthening Atlantic Copper’s role as a benchmark in Europe for e-waste recycling.

 

The company’s Communication & ESG Director, Marta Cerati, Operations Manager at the Secondary Smelter, Manuel Ramos, Environmental Manager, Pablo García Vila, and the Director of SHE Consulting in Spain and Senior Sustainability Expert at Inerco, Javier Hidalgo, attended the meeting.

 

Representing the neighborhood associations were the president of the Saltés Federation of Neighborhood Associations, José Luis Rebollo, and representatives of the Santa Ana, Los Rosales, Santa Gema, Molino de la Vega, Mora Claros and Vicente Yáñez Pinzón associations.

 

At the meeting, Cerati explained that both the Government of Andalusia and the European Commission have classified the CirCular Project as strategic because it helps reduce Europe’s reliance on foreign sources of essential metals. The fact that it does so by recycling bolsters Huelva’s role as a European benchmark in the recovery of these raw materials, proof that the Huelva-based industry “is leading the way in matters of sustainability, innovation and quality employment, thus fostering a more environmentally-friendly economy”. Cerati also emphasized the impact that a project of this magnitude has on society: “In the current construction phase, more than 900 professionals are involved in the CirCular Project, with 80% of its suppliers based in Huelva. These figures, in addition to an estimated 30 million euros in tax revenues generated annually by the business activities at the metallurgical complex, reflect the positive impact that Atlantic Copper has on economic progress and development in the province.”

 

The project was designed to meet the highest environmental and energy efficiency standards, in line with Atlantic Copper’s commitment the past two decades. Environmental protection systems, which will occupy more than 50% of the plant premises and account for up to 40% of the total project investment, will ensure excellent operating capacity within the stringent regulatory framework established by the European Union. This focus on technology is part of Atlantic Copper’s innovation strategy, devoting more than 10 million euros a year to research, sustainability and process enhancement projects. The meeting is part of the outreach plan undertaken by the company in 2023, aimed at familiarizing a diverse range of stakeholders, and especially the public in Huelva, with its activities. The project managers provided the neighborhood representatives with an explanation of the industrial process at the new plant as well as the safety and impact measures taken, which exceed the standards established by the Government of Andalusia’s Department of Health and Consumer Affairs. The studies carried out encompass not only the immediate surroundings but also all inhabited areas in the vicinity of the project and use conservative data and methodologies, concluding that the expected emissions are between 100 and 10,000 times lower than the limits set in European, Spanish and Andalusian legislation.

 

In turn, the president of the neighborhood federation, José Luis Rebollo, highlighted the importance of working with public interest groups, noting that asking their opinions about new projects “is important to us, especially if the project is deemed strategic because it involves recycling components of electrical equipment that would otherwise end up in the trash, causing pollution. Besides, very important minerals are going to be recovered for reuse, and we are very happy that these initiatives are taking place in Spain and specifically in Huelva,” he added. That said, he also stated that, as neighborhood representatives, they would be monitoring the progress closely “to demand strict compliance with all environmental requirements” so as to guarantee the safety of the project and the citizens of Huelva.