Can We Give Our Metals a Second Chance. A Third. A Fourth. Thomas E Can We Give Our Metals a Second Chance? A Third? A Fourth? Thomas E. Graedel UNEP International Resource Panel www.unep.fr/scp/rpanel

The metals challenge Metals are essential for economic development Global demand for metals is increasing Can our needs be satisfied by recycled metals? www.unep.fr/scp/rpanel

China National Stadium (Bird’s Nest) Floor area: 129.4×103 m2 Steel use: 41.8 Gg 335 kg/m2 © STAF Project, Yale University, 2006

In-Use Stocks Today (and Tomorrow?) © STAF Project, Yale University, 2006

Can we recycle our way to sustainability? www.unep.fr/scp/rpanel

Material Flows Used for Recycling Rate Calculations End of Life Recycling Rate = e/a Recycled Content = (j + e)/m

The End-of-Life Recycling Sequence Collection Separa- tion Sorting Repro- cessing Discard from use To reuse

End-of-Life Recycling Rates www.unep.fr/scp/rpanel

Recycled Content Recycled content

A Speculative Illustration of End-of-Life Recycling Rate Collection Separa- tion Sorting Repro- cessing Efficiencies: 50% 70% 85% 95% = 29% Discard from use To reuse

Reports of the UNEP’s Global Metal Flows Working Group Report 1: Metal Stocks in Society (published in 2010) Report 2: Recycling Rates of Metals (published now) Report 3: Environmental Impact of Metals Report 4: Recycling: Its Opportunities, Limits, and Infrastructure Report 5: Future Demand Scenarios for Metals Report 6: Critical Metals and Metal Policy Options www.unep.fr/scp/rpanel

Potential ways to boost recycling: Design for recycling at the start Conclusions Our above-ground mines are large, but little advantage is taken of them Recycling rates are discouragingly low, especially for the specialty metals vital to modern technology Potential ways to boost recycling: Design for recycling at the start Improve collection and processing technology Clean out your closets and give your materials a second chance www.unep.fr/scp/rpanel

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