Copper Industry Ready to Meet Rising Demand Sustainably

By Laurent Chokoualé Datou, Vice President of Public Affairs at International Copper Association

The world is not at risk of running out of copper.

A low-carbon, sustainable economy, defined by more renewables, electric vehicles, energy efficiency and electrification, requires additional metals, according to the World Bank. Copper demand will only increase in the coming years due to the global push for a speedy economic recovery from COVID-19 and transformational infrastructure development initiatives underway in the EU, U.S. or China.

Enter the circular economy. Treating waste as a resource is the key to unlocking a sustainable economic model. Recycled materials are an increasingly significant element in providing the world with the resources required for a sustainable, net-zero emissions economy. Copper, with its infinite lifecycle, is a truly circular material. Around 35 percent of global demand is already met with recycled copper, and the current global end-of-life recycling rate for copper is 40 percent.

However, more can be achieved with a concerted effort.

Urban Mining Offers Untapped Potential

According to a recent study by the Fraunhofer Institute, urban mining plays a crucial role in closing the loop. While conventional mining secures raw materials through extraction from natural resources, urban mining relies on anthropogenic resources, namely the products, buildings, cities and landfills humans have developed.

To scale urban mining, governments should develop policies encouraging recycling over landfilling and creating incentives to build adequate infrastructure. A harmonised regulatory approach to standards, labeling and product design at the global level is also critical to facilitating the extraction of metals from discarded devices and bolstering material flows.

Civil society can also contribute. Mobile phones, for example, are sold in large quantities, yet recycling collection rates remain low even in countries with public collection points. By returning outdated smartphones, consumers can take a simple action that contributes to the circular economy, preserves reusable resources and prevents excessive waste. Mobile phones and other electronics should be returned to collection points that pass them on to capable recycling facilities, preventing them from ending up in landfills.

What is the Role of Industry?

Industry is a key player as designer, manufacturer, collector and recycler. The circular economy starts with a design-for-sustainability approach, requiring product designers to assess which materials provide the best sustainability performance while considering recyclability, durability and energy-efficiency. Designing-for-sustainability requires taking a full life cycle perspective. Good design and product information are crucial for improving collection, sorting and recycling.

As products, particularly electronics, become more complex, advanced recycling technologies are a pre-requisite for effective resource recovery. The copper industry is investing in innovative recycling processes. Currently, members of the International Copper Association (ICA), such as Aurubis, can recover more than 20 metals from complex copper products and applications.

Additionally, the copper industry is expanding efforts beyond its supply chain. Glencore, an ICA member, recently co-founded the Circular Electronics Partnership. This new coalition brings together actors from across the value chain—including Microsoft, Dell Technologies and the World Economic Forum—to accelerate the circular transition and solve the problem of waste electronics, which is “the fastest growing waste stream in the world,” according to Glencore’s Kunal Sinha at ICA’s recent LinkedIn Live event.

Urban Waste Presents a Global Challenge

Although developed nations generate the most waste per capita, the circular economy is a global challenge. The United Nations’ 12th Sustainable Development Goal calls for the establishment of sustainable consumption and production patterns worldwide.

However, each region and each country will have a different approach to or adoption rate of circular thinking, often according to the level of local economic development.

Sub-Saharan countries like Ghana, Nigeria and Rwanda are considering extended producer responsibility schemes for electronics to kickstart the circular economy. Yet, the manufacturing bases for consumer products are not located in those countries.

Meanwhile, in Asia, more economically developed countries have been able to make effective recycling efforts, actively achieving progress. While parts of China face growing waste streams, the emerging global superpower is quickening the pace of its sustainability efforts. China recently promised to reuse 60 percent of its urban household waste by 2025. From 2015 to 2019, urban waste handling capacity increased by 63 percent. In addition, the country recently pledged to reach carbon neutrality before 2060.

Growing Demand Requires Responsible Mining

Boosting recycling rates may be the aspiration, but recycling has its limitations. Physics and current technologies will not allow for a 100 percent recycling rate, while the long lifespan of metal-containing products limits the availability of secondary resources.

Therefore, recycling alone is not sufficient to meet the growing demand caused by the global race to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. To meet this challenge, society will need to accept additional mining activity.

This is why responsible mining is key, as it ensures that the environmental and social impacts of operations are taken into account, addressed and minimised. The copper industry is constantly seeking to improve the environmental sustainability of its operations, with substantial progress made in recent years.

On average, ICA members invest $19 billion every year in improving their contribution to sustainable development. ICA members use innovative technologies to cut emissions and energy consumption, treat and reuse water needed for mining, switch to 100 percent renewable energy sources and implement employee protection, training, and community-development initiatives. Moreover, the recently established Copper Mark is a turning point for sustainable copper, acting as a credible and independent assurance framework to demonstrate responsible production practices and the copper industry’s contribution to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

The Circular Economy Needs Support from Everyone

To unlock a truly circular economy, the question of responsibility cannot be considered a zero-sum game. Industry, policymakers and consumers need to all play their part to reap the benefits. A committed and well-informed public is vital to success. Even the smallest contributions can create change. As emphasised by David McGinty from the World Resources Institute at ICA’ recent LinkedIn Live event:

“In recent years, we’ve witnessed a wave of consumer awareness around plastics. The next wave will be around electronics.” It will lead to “more consumer awareness, action from corporates, as well as a need for policy changes to enable business to scale up circular solutions.”

The challenge ahead is to jointly take concrete actions to spread public awareness and pioneer a culture of responsibility, positive change and smart creation to achieve the global green ambitions for a sustainable, net-zero emissions economy.

Laurent Chokoualé Datou leads the International Copper Association (ICA)'s global public affairs, which includes building and managing ICA's material stewardship and reputation-building portfolios.

Prior to that, he held over 30 years in various managerial positions with prominent international public affairs and strategic communications agencies, counseling clients on their stakeholder engagement strategies across multiple industries and policy workstreams, both in the European Union and globally.

A French national, Laurent is a lawyer by training with a post-graduate education in European Law.