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H2020Individual fellowship2016–2018

QUMEC · Quantifying urban mines in Europe and related implications for the metal-energy-climate change nexus

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2016-06-01 → 2018-05-31
EU contribution
€180,277
Participants
1
Scheme
MSCA-IF-EF-RI

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Quantifying urban mines in Europe and related implications for the metal-energy-climate change nexus

The limits to an indefinite growth based on a linear production-consumption model have become evident in the recent years when the demand for natural resources and associated environmental burdens have increased to unsustainable levels. Improving cognition of the socio-economic metabolism is priority and driven by growing interest to comprehend the effects of the anthroposphere on the environment, and the awareness of the value of the natural capital to provide materials and energy for human wellbeing. This need is of particular interest for metals, for which potential supply shortages due to the run-out of natural deposits and scarcity of many metals in nature have raised severe concerns of long-term sustainability. This vulnerability to supply risk is amplified for countries highly dependent on imports, notably many EU Member States. In this context, the recycling of secondary material sources (also known as in-use stock) can help to reduce Europe’s reliance on primary deposits and to move towards a closure of material cycles in accordance with the Circular Economy approach. While securing access to essential resources, end-of-life recycling is also expected to contrast global warming by avoiding the use of large amounts of energy, which would be required in primary metal production because recycling is often significantly less energy-intensive. The project has proposed an exemplary research line that merges complementary drivers in the assessment of the interlinkages between metals, energy, and climate change to estimate the size of current in-use stock for four selected metals; evaluate future opportunities and barriers to their recycling, and assess potentials for energy savings and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction attainable through end-of-life recycling. Copper, indium, neodymium, and europium were selected in virtue of the considerable insights that could be provided in light of their use in energy generation, distribution and use.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

Securing access to raw materials is of particular concern for countries highly dependent on imports. This is the case of many EU States. Because of issues related to decreasing ore grades and scarcity of supply of primary metal forms, recycling of above-ground deposits of metal-bearing waste (or “in-use stock”) will become an increasingly important means of securing resources to provide essential building blocks to the European industry. Recycling of metal in-use stock has the further potential of avoiding consuming the large amounts of energy required in primary metal production, and of reducing related greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, however, because of metal losses during and after use, end-of-life recycling rates for many metals are often very low, so the potential for improving those recycling efficiencies is an important consideration for the achievement of a more resource efficient economy and sustainable development in Europe. This project proposes a comprehensive, exemplary research line that merges complementary drivers in the assessment of the metal-energy-climate change nexus for (i) estimating the size of current urban mines for selected, critical metals; (ii) assessing future opportunities and barriers to their recycling, and (iii) related potentials for carbon emissions reduction. The results of this project are expected to reach a wide impact in the research community and will timely inform an evidence base for future decision-making, and for enhancing the growth of European economy improving resource efficiency and recycling. While pursuing the objectives of this high-quality research proposal, the candidate will acquire new, desirable knowledge and competences that will open to him the best opportunities for achieving a leading position in research. A transfer of knowledge from the candidate to the host organisation will also contribute to implement a valuable, outstanding asset to UNIBO in the Industrial Ecology field.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA · BolognaCoordinatorItaly

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union