Recycling

  • Recycled Materials Association Sues Minnesota Over New Copper Recycling Law

    BY John Davis
    The Washington-based Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) has filed a lawsuit against the Minnesota Department of Commerce over a law that is set to be enforced in 2025 regarding the sale of copper for recycling. Local Minnesota media reports indicate that ReMA has taken legal action against Grace Arnold, in her capacity as commissioner of the...
    READ MORE
  • IEA Report Highlights Urgent Need to Boost Copper Recycling for Green Transition

    BY John Davis
    A new report titled “Recycling of Critical Minerals: Strategies to Scale Up Recycling and Urban Mining” has emphasized the critical role of copper recycling in meeting surging demand driven by the green energy transition. The report, published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) on November 18, warns that without significant improvements in copper recycling, the...
    READ MORE
  • Glencore Digs Deep into Recycling to Meet Surging Copper Demand

    BY Lara Browne
    Global mining giant Glencore is tapping into a new quarry—not in the earth, but in America’s junk drawers, old phones, and landfills—in its bid to meet the surging demand for copper driven by the energy transition and data boom. Outside its 97-year-old copper smelter in Quebec, Canada, shredded electronics, obsolete computer cables, and scrapped vehicles...
    READ MORE
  • Veolia Introduces New Copper Retrieval Method for Nuclear Decommissioning

    BY Lara Browne
    Veolia has introduced a new method for retrieving copper from electrical cables in decommissioned nuclear facilities as part of its “GreenUP” programme. The trial phase involved processing 12 tonnes of cables, which were stripped of their contaminated plastic coating. The cables were then cut and packaged into drums for safe treatment using high-temperature incineration. After...
    READ MORE
  • Increased Use of Recycled Copper and Aluminium Could Help China Address Copper Resource Constraints

    BY Lara Browne
    On November 13, 2024, the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNIA) stated that increased utilization of aluminium and recycled copper could help China manage its limited copper resources. Ge Honglin, Chairman of CNIA, emphasized that Chinese smelters face challenges due to constrained copper concentrate supplies, which is impacting their profitability. He noted that smelter profits...
    READ MORE
  • Capral and Rio Tinto Complete Successful Trial of Recycled-Content Aluminium Billets

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Australia’s largest aluminium extruder, Capral, has successfully completed a trial using recycled-content billets supplied by Rio Tinto at Boyne Smelters Limited (BSL), marking a significant stride towards sustainable manufacturing. The trial involved remelting 50 to 100 tonnes of post-production aluminium scrap sourced from Capral’s Bremer Park extrusion plant in Southeast Queensland, resulting in billets containing...
    READ MORE
  • Skapa Recycling and REDWAVE Boost Aluminium Recycling Efficiency with New Technology

    BY John Davis
    Skapa Recycling has partnered with technology firm REDWAVE to enhance aluminium recycling at its Eastern Austria facility. By utilizing advanced sorting technology, the partnership aims to maximize recycling efficiency and reduce environmental impact, addressing the increasing global need for sustainable resource management. Aluminium is unique in that it can be recycled indefinitely without losing quality....
    READ MORE
  • Study Reveals Potential of Unused Electrical Goods in UK Copper Transition

    BY John Davis
    A recent study has found that there are approximately 823 million unused or broken electrical goods across the UK, containing up to 38,449 tonnes of copper. This quantity could supply 30% of the copper required to transition the country to a decarbonised electricity grid by 2030. Copper is a vital component for solar and wind...
    READ MORE
  • India’s Green Energy Goals Depend on Copper and Nickel Supply, Recycling Crucial

    BY Lars Jensen
    India’s pursuit of carbon neutrality heavily relies on securing key metals like copper and nickel, essential for the renewable energy sector and the electric vehicle (EV) industry. These materials are crucial to reducing reliance on external sources, and recycling is expected to play a major role in establishing a sustainable and reliable supply chain. Copper,...
    READ MORE