Challenges and Opportunities for the Recovery of Critical Raw Materials from Electronic Waste: The Spanish Perspective

Torrubia, Jorge ; Valero, Alicia (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Valero, Antonio (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Lejuez, Anthony

Resumen: The path toward energy transition requires many metals, some of which are scarce in nature or their supply is controlled by a few countries. The European and Spanish situations are particularly vulnerable because of the scarcity of crucial geological mineral resources, especially those known as critical. In this context, the recovery of metals from waste electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) presents an important opportunity to partly alleviate this situation because this region produces most of the WEEE per capita. In this study, 43 different categories of EEE placed in the Spanish market between 2016 and 2021 were assessed, considering the composition of up to 57 elements, with 34 being critical. The results show the great opportunities for urban mining: 1.4 million tons of metals valued at USD 2.43 billion, representing 80% of the mass and 25% of the price of the primary extraction in Spain during that period. In addition, 20,000 tons corresponded to critical metals. However, the short life of EEE and the low traceability and low recovery of metals, especially critical and precious (94% and 87% of their values are lost, respectively), make it necessary to overcome major challenges to develop a new industry capable of moving toward a deeper circular economy.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.3390/su15021393

Año: 2023

Publicado en: Sustainability (Switzerland) 15, 2 (2023), 1393
ISSN: 2071-1050

Factor impacto JCR: 3.3 (2023)

Categ. JCR: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES rank: 159 / 358 = 0.444 (2023) - Q2 - T2
Categ. JCR: ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES rank: 66 / 182 = 0.363 (2023) - Q2 - T2
Categ. JCR: GREEN & SUSTAINABLE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY rank: 58 / 91 = 0.637 (2023) - Q3 - T2
Categ. JCR: GREEN & SUSTAINABLE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY rank: 58 / 91 = 0.637 (2023) - Q3 - T2

Factor impacto CITESCORE: 6.8 - Computer Science (miscellaneous) (Q1) - Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law (Q1) - Geography, Planning and Development (Q1) - Environmental Science (miscellaneous) (Q1) - Computer Networks and Communications (Q1) - Energy Engineering and Power Technology (Q2) - Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment (Q2) - Hardware and Architecture (Q2)

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.672 - Geography, Planning and Development (Q1) - Environmental Science (miscellaneous) (Q2) - Computer Networks and Communications (Q2) - Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment (Q2) - Hardware and Architecture (Q2) - Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law (Q2) - Energy Engineering and Power Technology (Q2)

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/HORIZON EUROPE/101091668/EU/Aragon's REgional Hub for circularity: Demonstration Of Local industrial-urban symbiosis initiatives/REDOL
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN/PID2020-116851RB-I00

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Máquinas y Motores Térmi. (Dpto. Ingeniería Mecánica)