Urban Mining

Urban mining is the idea of extracting valuable materials from waste, much of which would otherwise go to landfill or incineration. This can include common metals and plastics as well as rarer but valuable elements.

Urban mining allows us to salvage materials of which there is a finite supply, and limits the environmental impact of their disposal. Crucially, it also avoids extraction of additional materials, which damages ecosystems and can cause pollution, among other things.

It forms a key part of the circular economy, which promotes a more sustainable use of resources by keeping them in use for as long as possible.

The waste we can recycle

Electronic waste (e-waste) like phones is a prime candidate for urban mining, where products cannot otherwise be repaired.

There are a growing number of companies which offer to buy back and resell unwanted devices, as well as a wave of repair cafes emerging. But these devices are still not routinely considered an economically viable secondary source of materials like gold, silver, copper, lithium, or cobalt.

Once you factor in the environmental costs of extracting these materials, however, the scales tip in favor of urban mining, research suggests. Many of the participants in the Swiss phone study mentioned above said they would be willing to sell their old phone for less than $5. The market value of the metals within them is under $2, but when you factor in the external costs of extraction the cost of the materials is around $18.

Recycling Is Broken. Should I Even Bother? – The New York Times

Unrecycled e-waste carries significant environmental effects, as electronics contain toxic materials such as lead, zinc, and flame retardants, among others. E-waste can have harmful effects on air quality. For instance, e-waste that is of little value is often burned, especially in developing countries, releasing toxins that pollute the air. With e-waste that contains valuable minerals like gold or silver, these materials are extracted from the electronics using chemicals including acids, which can release toxins into the air.

Moreover, when e-waste is disposed of in landfills, harmful toxins from heavy metals can seep into the soil, impacting groundwater and neighboring crops. In Qingyuan, China, pollutants released from e-waste disassembly have significantly toxified neighboring soil and have posed serious health risks to residents who consume local crops.

Beyond soil contamination, toxins from e-waste can reach groundwater, negatively affecting lakes, river, and ponds. This can disturb marine ecosystems while also impacting clean water supply. A study in Ghana noted that e-waste toxins have significantly polluted the country’s waterways, most notably the Odaw River and the Korle Lagoon, to the detriment of marine life and freshwater supply.

E-waste also poses health risks to workers, especially those who work in informal e-waste recycling. Developing countries tend to recycle e-waste at informal sites, including inside homes, without the use of proper equipment and waste management techniques. Given the amount of toxic chemicals present, informal recycling of e-waste can lead to respiratory problems and neurological damage, among other health problems for those who work in and live near these recycling sites. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, as many as 12.9 million women work in the informal waste sector, potentially exposing them and their unborn children to toxic e-waste.