A key question that relates to the very broad and intensive use of metals is whether society needs to be concerned about long-term supplies of any or many of them. This is a many-faceted question that cannot be answered quickly or unequivocally. To address it, the Global Metal Flows Group For more information, contact: envisions a series of six reports, Resource Panel Secretariat METAL of which this is the second-b one UNEP DTIE ECYCLING addressing opportunities, limits Sustainable Consumption R and Production Branch and infrastructure for metal recy- 15 rue de Milan Opportunities, Limits, cling. This report follows the IRP’s 75441 Paris CEDEX 09 Infrastructure fi rst report on recycling, which France has demonstrated the status quo Tel: +33 1 44 37 14 50 Fax: +33 1 44 37 14 74 of global recycling rates for sixty E-mail: [email protected] metals. www.unep.org/resourcepanel Product-Centric recycling is dis- cussed in this report by acknowl- edged experts. This approach is considered to be an essential enabler of resource effi ciency by increasing recycling rates. Due to complex functionality, modern products contain complex mixes of almost any imaginable metal, material and compound. This re- port provides a techno-economic, product design and physics basis to address the challenges of recy- cling these increasingly complex products in the 21st century. ROGRAMME Published in April 2013 P NVIRONMENT E ATIONS N ISBN: 978-92-807-3267-2 NITED DTI/1535/PA U Acknowledgments Editor: International Resource Panel, Working Group on the Global Metal Flows Lead author: Markus Reuter Authors: Markus Reuter, Outotec Oyj, Finland and Aalto University, Finland; Christian Hudson, DIW, Germany; Antoinette van Schaik, MARAS, Netherlands; Kari Heiskanen, Aalto University, Finland; Christina Meskers, Umicore, Belgium and Christian Hagelüken, Umicore, Germany. Contributors (Alphabetical): Helmut Antrekowitsch, University Leoben, Austria; Diran Apelian, WPI, USA; Bo Bjorkman, Luleå University of About the UNEP Division of Technology, Technology, Sweden; Bart Blanpain, Leuven University, Belgium; Françoise Bodenan, BRGM, France; Mieke Campforts, Umicore, Belgium; Industry and Economics Amélia Enríquez, UNEP, Brazil; Bernd Friedrich RWTH Aachen, Germany; Stefan Gössling-Reisemann, University of Bremen, Germany; Daniel Froelich, ENSAM, Chambéry, France; Tom Jones, Leuven University, Belgium; Yasushi Kondo, Waseda University, Japan; Jinhui Li Tsinghua University, China; Hans-Rainer Lotz, Volkswagen, Germany; Stefan Luidold, University Leoben, Austria; Elisabeth Maris, ENSAM, The UNEP Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE) helps Chambery, France, Kazuyo Matsubae, Tohoku University, Japan; Nourredine Menad, BRGM, France; Shinsuke Murakami, Tokyo University, Japan; Kenichi Nakajima, NIES, Japan; Tetsuya Nagasaka, Tohoku University, Japan; Shinichiro Nakamura, Waseda University, Japan; governments, local authorities and decision-makers in business and Sheraz Neffati, ICDA, France; Shuji Owada, Waseda University, Japan; Jim Petrie, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Georg Rombach, industry to develop and implement policies and practices focusing on Hydro Aluminium, Germany; Susanne Rotter, University of Berlin, Germany; Mathias Schluep, EMPA, Switzerland, Guido Sonnemann, Uni- versity of Bordeaux, France, Philip Strothmann, UNEP, France; Pia Tanskanen, Nokia, Finland; Karel van Acker, Leuven University, Belgium; sustainable development. Jacques Villeneuve, BRGM, France; Harro von Blottnitz, University Cape Town, South Africa; Patrick Waeger, EMPA, Switzerland; Philippe The Division works to promote: Wavrer, BRGM, France; Rolf Widmer, EMPA, Switzerland; Patrick Wollants, Leuven University, Belgium and Guomei Zhou, Ministry of Envi- ronmental Protection, China. > sustainable consumption and production, We would like to thank Christian Hudson and Marinus Kluijver for providing scientifi c and English editorial support for the full report. > the effi cient use of renewable energy, The report went through several rounds of peer-review coordinated in an effi cient and constructive way by Patrice Christmann together with > adequate management of chemicals, the International Resource Panel Secretariat. Valuable comments were received from several anonymous reviewers in this process. The > the integration of environmental costs in development policies. preparation of this report also benefi ted from discussions with many colleagues at various meetings. Special thanks go to Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker and Ashok Khosla as Co-Chairs of the International Resource Panel for their continuing support and encouragement, as well as to the members of the International Resource Panel and its Steering Committee for their dedication The Offi ce of the Director, located in Paris, coordinates activities and commitment and additional helpful comments. through: Special thanks go to Anu Ketelä (Aalto University, Finland) for her support during the fi nal stages of the document preparation. Shaoyi Li, > The International Environmental Technology Centre - IETC (Osaka, Shiga), Janet Salem, Thomas Marques and Philip Strothmann, UNEP, provided valuable input and comments; the International Resource Panel’s Secretariat coordinated the preparation of this report. Sybille Schmidtchen and the team from 3f design were instrumental in creating and which implements integrated waste, water and disaster management programmes, editing the fi gures and graphics. focusing in particular on Asia. The main responsibility for errors remains with the authors. > Sustainable Consumption and Production (Paris), which promotes sustainable consumption and production patterns as a contribution to human development Copyright © United Nations Environment Programme, 2013 The report should be referenced as follows: through global markets. UNEP (2013) Metal Recycling: Opportunities, Limits, Infrastructure, A Report of the Working Group on the Global Metal Flows to the Inter- > Chemicals (Geneva), which catalyzes global actions to bring about the sound national Resource Panel. Reuter, M. A.; Hudson, C.; van Schaik, A.; Heiskanen, K.; Meskers, C.; Hagelüken, C. management of chemicals and the improvement of chemical safety worldwide. Design/layout: 3f design; cover concept, UNEP. Photos: iStockphoto.com: background title/page 38 © Harrie Marinus, title 1 © oneclearvision, title 2 © Marco Hegner, title 3 © Milos Peric, > Energy (Paris and Nairobi), which fosters energy and transport policies for title 4 © DNY 59, page 2 © Youra Pechkin, page 6 © Ermin Gutenberger, page 22 fi gure 1_5 © Sergei Devyatkin, page 27 fi gure 3/page 108 sustainable development and encourages investment in renewable energy and fi gure 38_1 © Ivan Stevanovic, 3_2 © Jacob Wackerhausen, 3_9 © Pete Saloutos, page 30 fi gure 4/page 62 fi gure 15/page 108 fi gure 38 center © Joerg Reimann, page 54 fi gure 12 © Christopher Pollack, page 86 © urbancow, page 130 © Lee Pettet, page 164 © best-foto, energy effi ciency. page 242 © Richard Clark, page 262 © ugur bariskan, page 266 © James Whittaker, page 310 © Huguette Roe. PhotoDisc.com: page 191 > OzonAction (Paris), which supports the phase-out of ozone depleting substances fi gure 83 © Don Farrall. Photocase.com: page 22 © NormanBates. Fotolia.com: page 42 © Blackosaka. Others: see captions. in developing countries and countries with economies in transition to ensure This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or nonprofi t purposes without special implementation of the Montreal Protocol. permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. UNEP would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source. > Economics and Trade (Geneva), which helps countries to integrate environmental No use of this publication may be made for resale or for any other commercial purpose whatsoever without prior permission in considerations into economic and trade policies, and works with the fi nance sector writing from the United Nations Environment Programme. to incorporate sustainable development policies. Disclaimer The designations employed and the presentation of the UNEP DTIE activities focus on raising awareness, material in this publication do not imply the expression improving the transfer of knowledge and information, of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United UNEP fostering technological cooperation and partnerships, and Nations Environment Programme concerning the legal promotes environ- status of any country, territory, city or area or of its implementing international conventions and agreements. authorities, or concerning delimitation of its frontiers mentally sound practices or boundaries. Moreover, the views expressed globally and in its own activities. do not necessarily represent the decision or the Please print this publication – when stated policy of the United Nations Environment For more information, Programme, nor does citing of trade names or printing is necessary – on recycling commercial processes constitute endorsement. paper or FSC certi ed paper. Our distri- see www.unep.fr bution policy aims to reduce UNEP’s ISBN: 978-92-807-3267-2 Job Number: DTI/1535/PA carbon footprint. METAL RECYCLING Opportunities, Limits, Infrastructure* * This is report 2b of the Global Metal Flows Working Group of the International Resource Panel of UNEP. Metal Recycling – Opportunities, Limits, Infrastructure Foreword The challenge of sustainable development at the beginning of the 21st century