NEW HORIZONS — Non-ferrous metals: a renewable resource

The recycling of metals is a complex subject which spans the physical, chemical, environmental and social sciences, as well as engineering and technology. Recycling is influenced by cultural, economic and financial considerations.

Metals are elemental substances; they are neither destroyed nor do they decompose upon use. Their properties can be restored through using processes similar to those used to produce primary metal. The challenge of recycling is to recover metals at a cost that is competitive with that of virgin metals.

Recycling is a significant component of the non-ferrous metals industry. Non-ferrous metals recycling is a major international industry employing 500,000 people in the member nations of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, and which has a worldwide value of more than US$20,000 million. In the U.S., 38% of the aluminum, 41% of the copper and 71% of the lead consumed in 1992 were produced through the recycling of scrap metals. Similar figures apply to Europe and Japan.

Recycling benefits society by extending the earth’s mineral resources. It results in reduced costs for materials; conservation of energy; reduced need for landfill space; and increased employment opportunities in the collection, treatment and processing of secondary metals.

In the case of non-ferrous metals, the capacity for repeated recycling (in comparison with the capacity of many other materials) provides society with a preferred material for many applications.

Recycling is an economic activity involving peddlers, brokers, dealers and processors of scrap, all of whom must make a profit. The price obtained for the scrap must cover the costs for capital, labor, energy and supplies — and costs for environmental control of the processes and the disposal of any residual waste materials are significant factors. If the selling price does not return a net benefit to the recycling participants, the metals will not be recycled, becoming either waste for disposal or material held in reserve until prices justify recycling.

Societal pressure to reduce environmental risks associated with all industrial activities is adding to costs. Indeed, costs associated with the use of air, water and land are increasingly being assumed by industry. In addition, the ubiquitous presence of metals in the environment has led to increased scrutiny from the regulatory community. In this context, scrap has attracted particular attention from regulators who are of the view that discarded metal products should be treated as waste.

In reality, recycling of metals reduces waste and contributes to “sustainable development.” It is a process which conserves metals, saves energy and reduces the environmental impact of industrial activity. Furthermore, as the requirement to control “tramp” element contamination of scrap increases, the technology employed by primary metals producers in processing scrap and in protecting the environment is becoming more important in the efficient treatment and supply of secondary materials.

While recycling is an essential component of the production, use, trade and commerce of non-ferrous metals, there is a paucity of documentation. Consequently, in late 1995, the International Council on Metals and the Environment (ICME) will make available two documents on the subject.

The first will be a book written for the ICME by Dr. Michael Henstock. The book will contain technical and statistical details on the recycling of non-ferrous metals, as well as definitions and descriptions of the processes and products associated with the recycling of non-ferrous metals. A subsequent document will be an overview on non-ferrous metals recycling prepared by ICME staff based on this book.

— The above information, reprinted from a newsletter of the ICME, was culled from the book “The Recycling of Non-Ferrous Metals,” by Dr. Henstock.