Metal recycling problems

According to the EU, two thirds of all e-waste in the EU is not recycled, resulting in annual losses of € 1.5 billion. The so-called urban mining industry in cities, associated with the recycling of already unused infrastructure, will help to correct the situation. Old pipes and tubes contain copper, steel, aluminum and other metals that can be reused with success.

The report says that in some cases this has been done quite well. In the construction industry, more than 90 percent of the metal used has been recovered. In Western Europe, 90 percent of rolled zinc and the same percent of copper used in construction are recovered. Stainless steel has reached 71 percent. The worst case for aluminum, which is 60 percent recyclable in packaging and 90 percent in car recycling. At the same time, in the automotive industry, the recycling of lead-acid batteries has reached up to 99 percent, since the system operates on the awareness of the harmful effects of lead on the human body.

However, old sewers, water pipes, and electrical cables contain precious metals. For example, in Sweden 20 percent of underground and power cables are not used. These resources can be a source of valuable materials, in particular, they can be reused by recycling.

However, one of the most negative examples is mobile phones, as only 15 percent of the phones that have been disposed of by their owners get a "second life." Of these, 6 percent end up in the used mobile market and 9 percent go for recycling. 40 percent of old phones just end up in the trash can and mostly end up in garbage dumps.