E-waste, An Untapped Source of Rare Earths

E-waste is a good source of rare earths, and its recycling efficiency needs to be improved. Recently, the Royal Society of Chemistry (via bbc.com) is running a campaign to raise awareness of the unsustainability of mining precious metals. These metals and the materials applied often end up in landfills, producing potentially toxic contaminants. However, these wastes are also an untapped resource, hence the need for recycling.

Professor Tom Welton, President of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said. Professor Tom Welton said, "Our technology consumption habits remain highly unsustainable, putting us at risk of running out of the original elements we need while continuing to contribute to environmental damage." According to a study cited by the BBC, the total amount of discarded electronics worldwide will reach 57 million tons in 2021 alone, and will grow at a rate of 2 million tons per year.

Some examples of materials that are likely to be depleted in the coming decades include gallium, indium, yttrium, and tantalum. They are used in everything from medical devices to semiconductors, batteries, and solar panels. These are just a few examples of products that we take for granted and are products for which demand will only increase. It goes without saying that the availability of these materials such as rare earths is critical to ensuring a sustainable future society free of fossil fuels.

The need for sustainable manufacturing is also becoming more apparent. Elizabeth Ratcliffe of the Royal Society of Chemistry told the BBC's Inside Science program. Elizabeth Ratcliffe told BBC's Science Insider that almost every home has an untapped 'mine' of precious metals in its drawers and pantries.

Many consumers don't know what to do with their old devices. Many end up in landfills, but if there were a global effort to make it easy to recycle old devices, many would certainly take advantage of this option. Something like drop boxes or e-waste recycling centers would have the dual effect of reducing potentially toxic waste in landfills while providing companies with other limited alternative sources of precious metals.

As consumers of technology, we can also do our part. The next time you upgrade your phone or buy a new PC component, think about how you can recycle the old one instead of just throwing it in the trash, which will contribute to sustainable manufacturing that could directly make products more affordable in the coming years due to better recovery of precious metals like rare earths from e-waste.

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