Ceit It is strengthening its commitment to the circular e Economics , and sustainability through the creation of a new specialized group and with the support of the Provincial Council’s Sustainability department

Donostia-San Sebastián, October 21, 2026. José Ignacio Asensio, the member of the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council responsible for Sustainability, visited the facilities of Ceit yesterday to see firsthand the new group of Economics Circular Economy and Sustainability, a strategic initiative through which the technology center is strengthening its capabilities to support industry in the transition toward models that are more sustainable, resilient, and efficient in their use of resources.

The creation of this new group brings together under a single structure all the capabilities that Ceit had been developing in technological fields related to the circular Economics and sustainability. The goal is to generate greater critical mass in research, promote new lines of technological development , and offer more comprehensive solutions to challenges that directly affect industrial competitiveness and European strategic autonomy.

During the “ visit,” representatives from Ceit presented the main lines of work of group, which focus on three areas: critical materials, organic waste recovery, and water technologies.

In the field of critical materials, Ceit develops advanced technologies for the recovery of high-value critical metals found in industrial waste, batteries, and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), helping to reduce dependence on strategic raw materials and strengthen European industrial autonomy. In addition, it works on new designs and processes aimed at minimizing the use of critical raw materials and promoting more efficient resource management, with a particular focus on its proven expertise in magnetic components, hard metals, refractory materials, and noble metals. The transfer of this knowledge to the industrial sector has resulted in the creation of several technology-based companies that emerged from the center, including Metal 78 (2017), Ecomagnet (2021), and Battia (2025), which specialize in the recovery and recycling of strategic materials. The Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa has supported the “ development ” of these initiatives, backing various actions related to their growth and consolidation and contributing to the strengthening of the region’s industrial and technological ecosystem.

Another strategic area of the new group focuses on the recovery of organic waste, developing solutions related to biorefinery processes, biomethane production, composting, and nutrient recovery. These capabilities have been consolidated through close partnership with the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council’s Sustainability Center ( department ) over the past several years, notably through the current project agreement , which investigates the application of organic reagents—derived from local industrial biomass—in the recovery of critical materials found in lithium-ion batteries.

Water technologies constitute the third major line of business for work at group. Ceit combines its expertise in water treatment technologies, process modeling, and digital tools to optimize water infrastructure, improve its operational efficiency, and promote the recovery and reuse of resources found in urban and industrial water streams.

During the “ visit ” event, José Ignacio Asensio highlighted the importance of partnership between public institutions and technology centers to address the challenges of the ecological transition and strengthen Gipuzkoa’s competitiveness: “ partnership with technology centers in reference letter such as Ceit is essential for transforming knowledge and research into real solutions for our industry. “Gipuzkoa boasts a world-class technology ecosystem, and we must harness that potential to develop projects that will enable us to become more competitive, reduce our dependence on strategic raw materials, and move toward greater industrial and energy autonomy.”

For his part, Iñaki Díaz, General director of Ceit, emphasized the strategic nature of this initiative. “The creation of this group for Circular Economy and Sustainability Economics is part of Ceit ’s strategic commitment to strengthening our capabilities in an area core topic that is crucial for industrial competitiveness. We have brought together our capabilities related to resource recovery, the recovery of critical materials, biorefineries, and sustainable water management into a single team, ” he explained.

visit also served to highlight the partnership maintained for years between Ceit and the department of Sustainability. This relationship has made it possible to promote applied research projects, develop new technological capabilities, and support entrepreneurial initiatives arising from the knowledge generated at the center.