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he end-of-life (EOL) tyre recycling industry in Latvia is encountering economic and sustainability challenges, which require solutions by various stakeholders. Improvement of tyre waste management and recycling is important within the context of sustainability and the new streamlining of circular business models. Its importance is also recognized at the European Union level in relation to the further strategic goals and the European Green Deal. In addition, the tyre recycling industry in Latvia demonstrates a relatively unfavourable financial situation, which is one of the most significant factors hindering the introduction of new circular business models. The aim of this research is to clarify the challenges related to the financial viability of tyre recycling companies adopting the new circular business models. The main research methods are literature review, semistructured in-depth interviews, case studies and financial analyses. There are large stocks of EOL tyres and on average just 50 % of them are recycled. The tyre waste management companies are not motivated to supply EOL tyres to recycling companies. On the other hand, due to various reasons, most of the tyre recycling companies are not working with their maximum production capacity. The research results reveal that the tyre recycling companies mostly run traditional and inefficient business models that require large operating costs and ensure comparatively low profitability. In order to enable more efficient and environmentally friendly tyre recycling process, the companies should implement new, investment intensive technologies. Yet, they face critical issues of liquidity and financial returns. Major conclusions are related to the necessity to develop several business models interlinked within one portfolio thus ensuring the manufacturing of various products with higher added value and quality. This may maximise the profits and improve the financial viability of tyre recycling business models [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a study focused on the new Member States and their experience in the development of sustainable waste management system and involvement of individuals into it. Almost all countries have achieved the first stage - construction of new infrastructure, and closure and recurvation of old sub-standard landfills. The article provides comparison of different methods used to involve inhabitants into the waste management system; the paper concludes with one important aspect - deposit system which has been discussed a lot lately. The general aim of the paper is to compare the European Union new Member States in terms of their achievements in the field of waste management and, especially, in the implementation of deposit system in the Baltic States. Tasks, undertaken within the research are, as follows: comparison of the EU New Member State achievements in waste management; and a comparative analysis of economic instruments applied in the field and of deposit system, implemented in the Baltic States. The applied methodology includes a quantitative and qualitative comparative analysis. The main conclusions of the paper state that the society education remains one of the most important aspects to achieve goals set for waste management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]