{"id":26648,"date":"2022-10-05T11:01:04","date_gmt":"2022-10-05T09:01:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/?post_type=weekly-briefing&#038;p=26648"},"modified":"2024-03-18T23:38:53","modified_gmt":"2024-03-18T22:38:53","slug":"urban-mining-and-e-waste-exports-overview-and-recent-initiatives","status":"publish","type":"weekly-briefing","link":"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/fr\/weekly-briefing\/urban-mining-and-e-waste-exports-overview-and-recent-initiatives\/","title":{"rendered":"Urban mining and e-waste exports: overview and recent initiatives"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As economies are increasingly looking into alternatives to virgin mining of natural resources to secure their supply of critical raw materials, recycling and the aim of a circular economy are high on the <a href=\"https:\/\/data.consilium.europa.eu\/doc\/document\/ST-11669-2022-INIT\/en\/pdf\">political agenda<\/a>. A case in point is the recent <a href=\"https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/commission\/presscorner\/detail\/en\/STATEMENT_22_5523\">announcement of an EU Critical Raw Materials Act<\/a> envisioning, among others, the enhanced recovery of rare earth elements from waste streams. At the same time, the EU considers tightening its restrictions of certain waste exports through a revision of the <a href=\"https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/HTML\/?uri=CELEX:52021PC0709&amp;from=EN\">Waste Shipment Regulation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>While industry <a href=\"https:\/\/www.europarl.europa.eu\/RegData\/etudes\/BRIE\/2022\/729330\/EPRS_BRI(2022)729330_EN.pdf\">stakeholders<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.euractiv.com\/section\/circular-materials\/opinion\/european-recycling-at-risk-under-the-eus-waste-shipment-proposals\/\">take issue<\/a> with the supposedly indiscriminate export restrictions across different waste streams, the need to curb the export of so-called \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.euractiv.com\/section\/circular-materials\/news\/new-restrictions-on-waste-exports-risk-hindering-recycling-in-europe-industry-warns\/\">problematic<\/a>\u201d waste to non-EU countries, seems to be generally acknowledged<\/strong>. Such export restrictions cater to the objectives of the revision of the Waste Shipment Regulation: a) the shift towards a circular EU economy through the promotion of the reuse and recycling of waste within the EU; b) preventing the export of waste and the related environmental and health-related problems to non-EU countries, also by tackling illegal waste exports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of these \u201cproblematic\u201d waste streams, which is not explicitly addressed by the proposed revision of the European Waste Shipment Regulation, but whose global transboundary movement is already heavily restricted, is unprocessed waste from electrical and electronic equipment (e-waste). Such waste is generated from all <a href=\"https:\/\/ewastemonitor.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Introduction_REM_2021_ARAB_web_final_nov_30.pdf\">devices with circuitry and electric components<\/a> involving a power or battery supply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/garbage-g3fa560323_1920.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/garbage-g3fa560323_1920-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26675\" style=\"width:551px;height:413px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/garbage-g3fa560323_1920-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/garbage-g3fa560323_1920-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/garbage-g3fa560323_1920-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/garbage-g3fa560323_1920-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/garbage-g3fa560323_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>E-waste is considered one of the global waste streams with the <a href=\"https:\/\/ewastemonitor.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/REM_LATAM_2022_ENG_Final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fastest yearly growth<\/a>. <\/strong>A <a href=\"https:\/\/ewastemonitor.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Global-TBM_webversion_june_2_pages.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recent study<\/a> estimates that 53.6 million metric<s> <\/s>tons of e-waste were generated globally in 2019. Only about 17% of this global e-waste was documented to be processed in a formal and appropriate manner. An estimated 5.1 million metric tons (9,5%) of the global e-waste were shipped across borders, while 35% of this transboundary movement was controlled and 65% was not.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, it is regularly pointed out that it is impossible to produce accurate estimates of the transboundary movement of e-waste. Apart from the opacity of uncontrolled and illegal shipments, this is due to the ambiguous and unharmonised notions in the regulatory systems \u2013 such as the very definition of \u201ce-waste\u201d \u2013 and insufficient national reporting under relevant international instruments. Hence, the produced data differs widely and e-waste moved across borders is sometimes presented as <a href=\"https:\/\/unemg.org\/images\/emgdocs\/ewaste\/E-Waste-EMG-FINAL.pdf\">making up as far as 90%<\/a> of the globally generated e-waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Southeast Asian, Central and South American as well as North and West African countries are identified as the principal destinations for uncontrolled e-waste shipments, with the African countries often highlighted as the most important <a href=\"https:\/\/ewastemonitor.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Global-TBM_webversion_june_2_pages.pdf\">import hubs<\/a>. <strong>These exports are said to be driven by the <a href=\"https:\/\/i.unu.edu\/media\/ias.unu.edu-en\/news\/10221\/CWIT-Final-Summary1.pdf\">commercial demand<\/a> of used electrical and electronic equipment in the importing countries as well as their less strict e-waste legislation making them <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/news-and-stories\/story\/dark-skies-bright-future-overcoming-nigerias-e-waste-epidemic\">attractive destinations<\/a> to avoid higher recycling costs in countries with stricter e-waste regulation.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Informal urban mining of e-waste in these countries is facilitated by uncontrolled and illegal e-waste shipments, inadequate e-waste management and deficient processing infrastructures. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Informal urban mining of e-waste in these countries is facilitated by uncontrolled and illegal e-waste shipments, inadequate e-waste management and deficient processing infrastructures. This results in serious environmental and human rights issues affecting those working in the urban mines and their communities. <strong>The problems are well documented and among them are the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ijournalse.org\/index.php\/ESJ\/article\/view\/120\">contamination of soils<\/a>, precarious working conditions with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4446940\/?report=printable\">health and safety issues<\/a> through exposure to the hazardous and toxic materials contained in the e-waste,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.opendemocracy.net\/en\/oureconomy\/urban-mining-reuse-recycle-old-goods-electronics-save-planet-climate-crisis\/\"> human exploitation<\/a> and other labour rights issues. <\/strong>These issues particularly affect vulnerable groups, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/publications\/i\/item\/9789240023901\">children<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2071-1050\/13\/9\/5302\/htm\">migrants<\/a> working on e-waste dump sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/e-waste-geb1f8f35e_1920.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/e-waste-geb1f8f35e_1920-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26678\" style=\"width:553px;height:367px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/e-waste-geb1f8f35e_1920-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/e-waste-geb1f8f35e_1920-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/e-waste-geb1f8f35e_1920-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/e-waste-geb1f8f35e_1920-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/e-waste-geb1f8f35e_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/photos\/e-waste-e-waste-management-dhaka-5963979\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">E-Waste Management Dhaka&nbsp;Bangladesh<\/a><br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The current international control system for the transboundary movement of e-waste is mainly based on the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.basel.int\/TheConvention\/Overview\/TextoftheConvention\/tabid\/1275\/Default.aspx\">Basel Convention<\/a> on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.<\/strong> It was adopted in 1989, entered into force in 1992 and is the only global instrument on the transboundary movement of waste. The EU Waste Shipment Regulation implements the Basel Convention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since the introduction of the \u201cBan Amendment\u201d, which entered into force in 2019, the Basel Convention prohibits the transboundary movement of hazardous waste from state parties that are OECD or EU members (plus Liechtenstein) to countries that are not members of either of these organisations. This prohibition covers both hazardous waste destined for final disposal, e.g. into landfills, and hazardous waste lending itself to resource recovery, recycling or reuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>But the current prohibitions placed on e-waste exports include a number of loopholes. These loopholes hinge upon the definition of what is considered as \u201chazardous waste\u201d. <\/strong>For the definition of \u201cwaste\u201d, the Basel Convention uses the criterion of the actual or intended \u201cdisposal\u201d: \u201cwaste\u201d are those \u201csubstances or objects which are disposed of or are intended to be disposed of or are required to be disposed of by the provisions of national law\u201d (Art. 2(1) Basel Convention).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The current prohibitions placed on e-waste exports include a number of loopholes.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under Annex IV to the Convention, which lists the covered disposal operations, equipment exported for the purpose of \u201crecycling\/reclamation of metals and metal compounds\u201d is always considered \u201cwaste\u201d. Yet, the Convention leaves room for potentially hazardous electrical and electronic equipment to be exported as \u201cnon-waste\u201d. Such exported equipment does not fall within the scope of the Basel Convention and escapes control and prohibitions. As per current interpretations, this applies to non-functional equipment exported for the purpose of <a href=\"https:\/\/ipen.org\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/ban-basel-fact-sheet-v2_1-en.pdf\">repair<\/a> and to functional second-hand equipment exported for the purpose of direct reuse. In practice, however, it is pointed out that second-hand equipment <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uu.nl\/en\/news\/eu-policy-must-ensure-producers-are-held-globally-responsible-for-electronics-waste-researchers-urge\">might not remain functional for very long<\/a> and tends to be disposed of quickly after being exported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even if the exported equipment is considered \u201cwaste\u201d under the Basel Convention, its export is not prohibited if it is not qualified as \u201chazardous\u201d. This is the case when the material does not contain any of the constituents with certain hazardous characteristics (as defined in Annexes I and III to the Basel Convention). This takes account of the fact that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.basel.int\/Implementation\/Ewaste\/Overview\/tabid\/4063\/Defa\">e-waste can contain valuable materials<\/a> to be recovered, such as gold and copper. Such precious metals are categorised as non-hazardous waste under Annex IX to the Basel Convention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/computers-gadb9c06e8_1920.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/computers-gadb9c06e8_1920-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26681\" style=\"width:553px;height:415px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/computers-gadb9c06e8_1920-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/computers-gadb9c06e8_1920-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/computers-gadb9c06e8_1920-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/computers-gadb9c06e8_1920-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/computers-gadb9c06e8_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Some of the loopholes might be closed with new amendments to the Basel Convention adopted at the latest Conference of the Parties in June 2022 (COP15). <\/strong>When these amendments &nbsp;will enter into force in 2025, hazardous and non-hazardous e-waste will have <a href=\"https:\/\/resource.co\/article\/basel-convention-require-informed-consent-e-waste-exports\">new definitions<\/a> and both will be <a href=\"http:\/\/www.basel.int\/Implementation\/Ewaste\/Overview\/tabid\/4063\/Defa\">listed in the annexes to the Convention<\/a>. This will extend the \u201cPrior Informed Consent Procedure\u201d to cover not only hazardous but also non-hazardous e-waste. According to this procedure, even if an importing state does not inform the other states parties of an import prohibition concerning a specific waste, they must prohibit its export, unless the importing state expressly consents to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">COP15 also saw several countries express the wish to <a href=\"https:\/\/resource.co\/article\/basel-convention-require-informed-consent-e-waste-exports\">work on the definition of \u201c(e-) waste\u201d<\/a> so as to limit the possibilities to export e-waste outside of the scope of the Convention. One proposition is for the definition of \u201ce-waste\u201d to be based on the functionality rather than on the repairability of the equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clearer definitions might improve the data on the transboundary movements of e-waste, contribute to the correct categorisation of e-waste and ultimately enhance export controls. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clearer definitions might improve the data on the transboundary movements of e-waste, contribute to the correct categorisation of e-waste and ultimately enhance export controls. <strong>Nevertheless, loopholes might persist, and a major part of the shipped equipment will likely still not be reported, not or falsely declared or not controlled at all.<\/strong> That is why additional (legal) instruments are proposed to complement the current control system to tackle the (effects of) uncontrolled and illegal e-waste flows to non-EU and non-OECD countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the EU level, for instance, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uu.nl\/en\/news\/eu-policy-must-ensure-producers-are-held-globally-responsible-for-electronics-waste-researchers-urge\">a new study<\/a> proposes to extend the responsibility of the producers of electronic equipment to the entire international value chain. The idea is to move from an \u201cExtended Producer Responsibility\u201d, as contained in the European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, to an \u201cUltimate Producer Responsibility\u201d. Only the latter would take account of the transboundary movement of e-waste and hold producers financially responsible for the products\u2019 \u201cend-of-life management\u201d, irrespective of where they end up. Accordingly, producers would be responsible for the <a href=\"https:\/\/zenodo.org\/record\/5957809#.YzLQfPFBwzP\">collection and recycling of the equipment but also for its traceability<\/a> along the value chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Extending the producers\u2019 responsibility until the end of a product\u2019s life cycle across the whole value chain is also in line with the proposed <a href=\"https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/HTML\/?uri=CELEX:52022PC0071&amp;from=EN\">EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence and amending Directive<\/a>. In its recitals 17 and 18, the proposed Directive calls for human rights and environmental due diligence to be conducted \u201cthroughout the life-cycle [\u2026] and disposal\u201d of a product and for the value chain to cover \u201cthe end of life of the product, including [\u2026] its recycling, [\u2026] or landfilling\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As long as non-EU and non-OECD countries bear the human and environmental cost of e-waste recycling, a \u201ctrue\u201d circular economy will not be realised.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Such initiatives are based on the understanding that, as long as non-EU and non-OECD countries bear the human and environmental cost of e-waste recycling, a \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/wiki.ban.org\/images\/f\/f4\/Holes_in_the_Circular_Economy-_WEEE_Leakage_from_Europe.pdf\">true<\/a>\u201d circular economy will not be realised. Export (and import) restrictions to prevent e-waste from ending up on landfills in those countries are one step in this direction. But, at the same time, it needs to be ensured that the importing countries have adequate e-waste management and processing infrastructure in place. The consideration of the detrimental impact of e-waste on local communities as well as the protection of human rights and the environment must be central in all the relevant (regulatory) initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-further-reading\">Further reading<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"vlp-link-container vlp-layout-ipis wp-block-visual-link-preview-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/bsd2.222\" class=\"vlp-link\" title=\"Ultimate producer responsibility for e-waste management\u2013A proposal for just transition in the circular economy based on the case of used European electronic equipment exported to Nigeria | 7 September 2022 | Business Strategy and Development\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a><div class=\"vlp-layout-zone-side\"><div class=\"vlp-block-2 vlp-link-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"max-width: 143px;\" width=\"143\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/bsd2.v5.3.cover_.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-200x200 size-200x200\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/bsd2.v5.3.cover_.jpeg 558w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/bsd2.v5.3.cover_-214x300.jpeg 214w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 143px) 100vw, 143px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vlp-layout-zone-main\"><div class=\"vlp-block-0 vlp-link-title\">Ultimate producer responsibility for e-waste management\u2013A proposal for just transition in the circular economy based on the case of used European electronic equipment exported to Nigeria | 7 September 2022 | Business Strategy and Development<\/div><div class=\"vlp-block-1 vlp-link-summary\">Used European electric and electronic equipment (UEEE) has multiple use cycles in various countries, including Nigeria. Although the EU-Nigeria e-waste trade is illegal under EU and Nigerian law, previous research shows that some imported equipment is only fit for disposal. Imported UEEE has a short lifespan. Such European e-waste exports imported to Nigeria have sustainability and circularity implications for both places and raise questions about justice and equity. Using a transdisciplinary approach, we identify existing practices and challenges in Nigeria and co-create actionable solutions towards a sustainable, circular and fairness-driven UEEE and e-waste value chain. <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"vlp-link-container vlp-layout-ipis wp-block-visual-link-preview-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.isi.fraunhofer.de\/content\/dam\/isi\/dokumente\/ccn\/2020\/Fraunhofer_ISI_Urban_Mining.pdf\" class=\"vlp-link\" title=\"The promise and limits of Urban Mining | November 2020 | Fraunhofer-Institut f\u00fcr System- und Innovationsforschung ISI\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a><div class=\"vlp-layout-zone-side\"><div class=\"vlp-block-2 vlp-link-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"max-width: 141px;\" width=\"141\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Screenshot-2022-10-03-at-10.48.12.png\" class=\"attachment-200x200 size-200x200\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Screenshot-2022-10-03-at-10.48.12.png 633w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Screenshot-2022-10-03-at-10.48.12-211x300.png 211w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 141px) 100vw, 141px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vlp-layout-zone-main\"><div class=\"vlp-block-0 vlp-link-title\">The promise and limits of Urban Mining | November 2020 | Fraunhofer-Institut f\u00fcr System- und Innovationsforschung ISI<\/div><div class=\"vlp-block-1 vlp-link-summary\">People and everything made by people \u2013 from forks to skyscrapers and landfills \u2013 belong to the anthroposphere. Consequently, the anthroposphere contains a wide variety and vast amounts of materials. Urban Mining aims to manage and use these materials as a source of raw material supply, utilizing not only the waste of today but also anticipating and capturing<br \/>\nthe value contained in the waste of tomorrow. Urban Mining is an important part of the Circular Economy and provides a degree of independence from natural resources, increasing<br \/>\nsupply security.<br \/>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"vlp-link-container vlp-layout-ipis wp-block-visual-link-preview-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ewastemonitor.info\/gtf-2022\/\" class=\"vlp-link\" title=\"The Global Transboundary E-waste Flows Monitor 2022 | 2022 | United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a><div class=\"vlp-layout-zone-side\"><div class=\"vlp-block-2 vlp-link-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"max-width: 143px;\" width=\"143\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Screenshot-2022-10-03-at-10.50.24.png\" class=\"attachment-200x200 size-200x200\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Screenshot-2022-10-03-at-10.50.24.png 452w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Screenshot-2022-10-03-at-10.50.24-214x300.png 214w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 143px) 100vw, 143px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vlp-layout-zone-main\"><div class=\"vlp-block-0 vlp-link-title\">The Global Transboundary E-waste Flows Monitor 2022 | 2022 | United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)<\/div><div class=\"vlp-block-1 vlp-link-summary\">The transboundary movement of e-waste topic has found its way into the public perception via various alarming reports, however, the facts on the quantities and trade routes have not yet been researched at a global level.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"vlp-link-container vlp-layout-ipis wp-block-visual-link-preview-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.csis.org\/analysis\/canary-urban-mine-environmental-and-economic-impacts-urban-mining\" class=\"vlp-link\" title=\"A Canary in an Urban Mine: Environmental and Economic Impacts of Urban Mining | 29 July 2021 | Center for Strategic &amp; International Studies (CSIS)\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a><div class=\"vlp-layout-zone-side\"><div class=\"vlp-block-2 vlp-link-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"max-width: 143px;\" width=\"143\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Screenshot-2022-10-03-at-10.58.33.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-200x200 size-200x200\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Screenshot-2022-10-03-at-10.58.33.jpeg 417w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Screenshot-2022-10-03-at-10.58.33-214x300.jpeg 214w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 143px) 100vw, 143px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vlp-layout-zone-main\"><div class=\"vlp-block-0 vlp-link-title\">A Canary in an Urban Mine: Environmental and Economic Impacts of Urban Mining | 29 July 2021 | Center for Strategic &amp; International Studies (CSIS)<\/div><div class=\"vlp-block-1 vlp-link-summary\">E-waste refers to used electronics that are discarded or recycled. E-waste can originate as anything from mobile phones and televisions to VCRs and DVD players. The world produces about 50 million tons of e-waste annually, and only about 20 percent of this waste is recycled. The United Nations estimates that e-waste could reach 74 million tons by 2030.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"vlp-link-container vlp-layout-ipis wp-block-visual-link-preview-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/new-technologies-to-recycle-electronic-waste-133288\" class=\"vlp-link\" title=\"New technologies to recycle electronic waste| 29 March 2020 | The Conversation\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a><div class=\"vlp-layout-zone-side\"><div class=\"vlp-block-2 vlp-link-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"max-width: 143px;\" width=\"143\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Screenshot-2022-10-03-at-10.52.27.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-200x200 size-200x200\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Screenshot-2022-10-03-at-10.52.27.jpeg 389w, https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Screenshot-2022-10-03-at-10.52.27-214x300.jpeg 214w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 143px) 100vw, 143px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vlp-layout-zone-main\"><div class=\"vlp-block-0 vlp-link-title\">New technologies to recycle electronic waste| 29 March 2020 | The Conversation<\/div><div class=\"vlp-block-1 vlp-link-summary\">Our connected consumer society generates a lot of electronic waste, around 50 million tonnes per year worldwide. It is even currently the waste that shows the strongest growth from one year to the next. The value of the raw materials included in this waste is estimated at 50-60 billion euros, depending on materials prices. Legislation and recycling channels for this waste are organised in many countries, thanks to extended producer responsibility systems, but currently only 20% is recycled in a certified process. In addition, of the sixty chemical elements present in electronic waste, only a minority is recycled, ten in number: gold, silver, platinum, cobalt, tin, copper, iron, aluminium and lead). Everything else ends up in fine wasted in landfills.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:19px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>All articles and other news items referenced in this briefing come from third party media sources. Not being the author, IPIS is not responsible for the content of the news items or articles contained or referred to in this briefing.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As economies are increasingly looking into alternatives to virgin mining of natural resources to secure their supply of critical raw materials, recycling and the aim of a circular economy are high on the political agenda. A case in point is the recent announcement of an EU Critical Raw Materials Act envisioning, among others, the enhanced [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":26678,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"tags":[7415],"publication-author":[7336],"publication-gis":[],"briefing-category":[7051],"publication-editor":[],"narrative":[],"class_list":["post-26648","weekly-briefing","type-weekly-briefing","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-urban-mining","publication-author-markus-fahlbusch","briefing-category-ipis-briefing"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Urban mining and e-waste exports: overview and recent initiatives - IPIS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ipisresearch.be\/weekly-briefing\/urban-mining-and-e-waste-exports-overview-and-recent-initiatives\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Urban mining and e-waste exports: overview and recent initiatives\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As economies are increasingly looking into alternatives to virgin mining of natural resources to secure their supply of critical raw materials, recycling and the aim of a circular economy are high on the political agenda. 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