critical metals and mobile devices - oecd · critical metals criticality is subjective,...
TRANSCRIPT
Critical Metals and Mobile Devices
OECD Global Forum on Environment Focusing on Sustainable Materials Management October 25-27, Mechelen, Belgium
Case Study
2 of 18
Soaring demand
Source: International Telecommunication Union
3 of 18
Device size and life span
(Image from www.gadgetvenue.com)
Smaller handsets Advanced materials
Competition
Consumer demand
Corporate responsibility
Government regulation
Technology development
Shorter life spans Consumer preference
New and ever expanding
functionalities
Build-in obsolescence
5 kg 0.7 kg
Pb-acid Li-ion
4 of 18
Product complexity
Source: www.handcellphone.com
•Plastics
•Glass
•Metals
•Crystals
•Rubber
•Other
Source: www.enviroliteracy.org
5 of 18
Mobile phone content
4.1 B global wireless subscriptions
1.2 B mobiles sold annually ~ 84,000 tonnes
plastic
glass
copper iron
aluminum magnesium nickel zinc tin lead silver
antimony
gold
palladium beryllium platinum
other
84 t 12.1 t 7 t 0.3 t Selected “critical” metals
6 of 18
Critical metals
Criticality is subjective, geo-specific and
changes through time.
One case study metal was palladium: Used in small quantities in mobile phones; potential
supply issues so may be “critical” in that regard
Market response through price, linked to
availability and demand; when price rises: Material substitution occurs
Closed mines re-open or new mining begins
7 of 18
The market at work
Increased demand from auto sector
Supply interruptions
Exploration,
joint venture
deals
Pd content
reduced in
auto catalysts
Source: Johnson Matthey
8 of 18
Where do old phones go?
Source: www.cwta.com , www.isuppli.com , www.sourcewire.com
15% 22%
12%
45%
52%
36%
27%
21%
19%
10%
8%
4% 3%
25%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
US 2007 UK 2009 CAN 2008
don't know
discarded
gave away
hoarded
recycled
(Some numbers are rounded).
9 of 18
Reuse and recycling
Integrated
pyrometal-
lurgical
smelter
Informal treatment
2.5%? Reuse
End-of-life
?
?
?
Triage
Refurbishment
Parts
?
www.chrisjordan.com
www.cellularrecycling.org
www.xstrata.com/operation/horn/
www.bbc.news
10 of 18
Knowledge gaps
Where are the mobile phones going?
Where is the informal (electronics) recycling sector and how big is it?
Life cycle inventory data are incomplete
Wireless communication benefits versus improper disposal or recycling?
When mobile phones are discarded, what are the emission risks?
How small will future mobile phones be and what materials will they be made of?
11 of 18
Summary case study questions
1. Material flows and impacts
2. Life cycle insights
3. Policy initiatives to date
4. Active players
12 of 18
Summary question (1)
What are the major material flows (in terms of environmental impact) and how are they
expected to evolve in the future? 1. Material flows cannot by themselves be used to
determine environmental impacts.
2. For impact assessment need additional SMM methodologies.
3. Life cycle inventory data for antimony and beryllium are currently unavailable (phasing out anyway)
4. The energy and GHG associated with the production of metals may be used as a first level surrogate for environmental impacts.
13 of 18
Summary question (2)
How can new insights be gained and translated
into new measures when taking a life cycle
perspective?
Need to understand the interactions and
dependencies within the design, production,
use, reuse and recovery life cycle stages to
facilitate:
Collaboration between recyclers and product
designers
Identification of material efficiency opportunities
Development of new measures or policies
14 of 18
Summary question (3)
What policy measures have been taken or can be taken to stimulate sustainable outcomes?
Many efforts are underway including: Corporate social responsibility (CSR)
Extended producer responsibility (EPR)
Integrated product policy (IPP), Cleaner Production
Eco-design, Eco-efficiency
Performance standards development
EPR for mobile phones Product capture rates will likely rise because of these
programs but need to engage the consumer by employing a different business model such as product leasing
15 of 18
Summary question (4)
To what extent have different actors in society
assumed active, ethically based responsibilities
for sustainable outcomes?
There are many international and domestic
initiatives underway: MPPI – manufacturer-based partnership promotes ESM
guidelines for end-of-life mobile phones
EPR for mobile devices is rolling out across Canada as
part of larger electronics EPR programs
A global inventory of stewardship programs for
mobile devices may address this question.
16 of 18
Mobile phone – life cycle
Processing Design &
production
Packaging &
distribution
End of life
device
Program
(triage) Discard
Refurbish
& reuse
Processing Manufacture Packaging &
distribution
End of life
device
Program
(triage) Discard
Refurbish
& reuse
Recycle Resource
recovery
Mining Raw material
extraction
Design &
production Design
Use &
maintenance
Use &
maintenance
Processing Processing Design &
production
Design &
production
Packaging &
distribution
Packaging &
distribution
End of life
device
End of life
device
Program
(triage)
Program
(triage) Discard Discard
Refurbish
& reuse
Refurbish
& reuse
Processing Processing Manufacture Packaging &
distribution
Packaging &
distribution
End of life
device
End of life
device
Program
(triage)
Program
(triage) Discard Discard
Refurbish
& reuse
Refurbish
& reuse
Recycle Resource
recovery Recycle Recycling
Mining Mining Raw material
extraction
Design &
production
Design &
production Design
Use &
maintenance
Use &
maintenance
Use &
maintenance
Use &
maintenance
Use &
maintenance
Use &
maintenance ESM
EPR CSR
Eco-design
P&PE
ESM EPR
Policy mechanisms?
17 of 18
SMM? “Integrating actions”
End of life
device
Program
(triage) Discard
Refurbish &
reuse
Recycling
Processing Manufacture Packaging &
distribution Raw material
extraction
Design
Use &
maintenance ESM
EPR
CSR
Eco-design
P&PE
ESM EPR
