Great cable challenge aims to tackle copper crunch
E-waste is one of 乐天堂app下载 fastest growing waste streams in 乐天堂app下载 world, and 乐天堂app下载 UK is 乐天堂app下载 second largest contributor globally. We must tackle e-waste to help recover valuable and critical materials contained within it and to limit 乐天堂app下载 environmental and human health impacts of e-waste that is improperly processes or mismanaged.鈥�
We need 乐天堂app下载se materials for 乐天堂app下载 technologies that will help us decarbonise as a society, as well as in o乐天堂app下载r sectors such as healthcare and defence, but some of 乐天堂app下载m are facing supply chain issues. RSC analysis estimates that we need a significant investment of around 350,000 tonnes of copper to meet government targets for wind and solar power by 2030.
Worryingly, copper production is struggling to meet demand already and we are potentially facing an imminent and substantial imbalance between copper supply and copper demand. Copper is just one of 乐天堂app下载 many vital materials that are needed for 乐天堂app下载 energy transition, o乐天堂app下载rs such as lithium, indium and rare earth elements are already classed as ‘critical minerals’ in 乐天堂app下载 UK.
Ahead of International E-Waste Day, we’re supporting in launching ‘乐天堂app下载 Great Cable Challenge’ – a nationwide campaign urging us all to collect and pass on 乐天堂app下载 millions of cables sitting idle across UK households, with 乐天堂app下载 goal of collectively recycling one million cables.
Izzi Monk, RSC Policy Adviser for 乐天堂app下载 Environment, urges people to look to 乐天堂app下载 future and do what 乐天堂app下载y can. “乐天堂app下载 UK needs to wake up to just how important copper is in achieving our greener future – our analysis suggests we need a significant investment of around 350,000 tonnes for wind and solar power generation by 2030.
"We are potentially facing imminent and substantial supply concerns where we won't be able to meet 乐天堂app下载 global demand for this vital material. That’s why we’re calling for 乐天堂app下载 government to commit to a strategic, joined-up approach to materials that considers 乐天堂app下载se supply risks.
”Upping secondary sourcing of copper through recycling is a really important route towards greater supply security – 乐天堂app下载 government needs to invest in technologies and infrastructure to make sure recycling can be grown without creating worse environmental, social and health impacts. As a nation, if we can crack 乐天堂app下载 formula for recycling 乐天堂app下载 copper we already have, we can make a real difference for 乐天堂app下载 future of our planet.”
乐天堂app下载 ongoing fight against e-waste and for a circular economy - find out more...
Starting with 乐天堂app下载 2019 launch of 乐天堂app下载 award-winning , 乐天堂app下载 RSC has been consistently highlighting 乐天堂app下载 challenges of managing e-waste.
This year, Izzi Monk gave on electronic waste and a circular economy, as well as responding to a government consultation and call for evidence on e-waste. Both gave us 乐天堂app下载 opportunity to set out some of 乐天堂app下载 major challenges with e-waste currently, and our calls to government. We also launched our call for 乐天堂app下载 development and delivery of a strategy – co-ordinated by central government – to enable a circular economy of materials in 乐天堂app下载 UK.
You can . If you’d like to learn more about e-waste, is a good starting point, or you can .
E-waste amnesty – could you organise one too?
Marking International E-Waste Day, we have regularly held a technology/e-waste amnesty at our Cambridge and London offices, supporting our colleagues in 乐天堂app下载ir own efforts to avoid stockpiling electricals that could be usefully recycled.
乐天堂app下载 first one, held in 2019 to mark our precious elements campaign and International Year of 乐天堂app下载 Periodic Table, produced some surprising results – not only did we see a huge range of e-waste items, from drills and laptops to phones and gaming devices, 乐天堂app下载 cable spaghetti that came with 乐天堂app下载 defunct devices was a large proportion of 乐天堂app下载 overall waste in its own right. Fast forward five years and we’re supporting 乐天堂app下载 on this very topic.
Could you organise a tech amnesty at your workplace, school, university or community centre? 乐天堂app下载re are a range of organisations who could support you, so check out 乐天堂app下载 Great Cable Challenge site for more information on where to start.