This bachelor’s thesis examines the issue of waste management in the context of the transition
from a linear model to a circular economy, where waste is viewed as a valuable source of
secondary raw materials. The first part of the thesis provides a detailed analysis of the
legislative framework at the international level (the Basel and Stockholm Conventions), the
European level (the Waste Framework Directive, the Battery Regulation), and the national
level (Act No. 541/2020 Coll.). The thesis further explains the waste classification system
according to the Waste Catalogue and the material composition of municipal and industrial
waste streams. The main section focuses on the technological aspects of recycling with
special attention to the automotive industry, which includes the issue of end-of-life vehicles
(ELVs) and a case study on the recycling of car seats. The thesis presents innovative
approaches to automated sorting, specifically the use of LIBS laser spectroscopy in
combination with neural networks for the efficient separation of aluminum alloys. The
conclusion of the thesis assesses future challenges, such as the energy balance of recycling
and the impacts of stricter EU legislation on strategic material self-sufficiency.