The New Generation of Scrapping: Urban Mining

What is Urban Mining?

Urban mining is an environmentally friendly mining method that allows us to reuse the valuable metals contained in waste/idle electronic devices by processing them without harming the environment. This term was coined in the 1980s by Professor Hideo Nanjyo from the Institute of Mineral Coating and Metallurgy at Tohoku University and gained significant interest in Japan in the 21st century.

The Hidden Treasure in Your Smartphone

As the world's demand for electronic devices increases, so does the need for many essential metals used in these devices. Extracting these metals from the earth's crust using traditional mining methods is becoming increasingly unsustainable. However, "Urban Mining" is a new way of recycling these metals from our old devices.

Our smartphones contain many different metals to function correctly, many of which are known as "rare earth metals." (In fact, it is estimated that 7% of the world's gold is in old, unused smartphones.) This makes extracting and processing metals challenging and expensive.

Urban mining for smartphones is a way to step into the circular economy. Recycling this way helps us avoid depleting the planet's resources. Next time you upgrade your phone, remember the hidden treasures inside!

It is predicted that global competition for natural resource reserves will become even more intense over the next decade, and dependency on critical raw materials could soon replace today's dependence on oil.

This situation is particularly valid for rare earth metals and other valuable raw materials used in electronic devices and green technologies. Therefore, finding sustainable and innovative solutions is of great importance both economically and environmentally.

In this context, urban mining stands out as an effective way to recover these critical raw materials from old devices. Urban mining contributes to conserving natural resources and supports environmental sustainability.

Efficient Resource Use with Urban Mining

Urban mining can recover more raw materials than traditional mining under certain conditions. The amount of gold recovered from 1 ton of mixed electronic waste is approximately 80 times higher than what is obtained through traditional mining. This difference provides some advantages for urban mining over conventional mining.

The density of electronic waste is one of the greatest advantages of urban mining. For example, 1 ton of mobile phone waste can contain about 300-400 grams of gold, while this amount is only 1-2 grams in natural gold ores. Similarly, smartphones, computers, and other electronic devices contain high amounts of rare earth metals. Recovering these metals is more efficient than traditional mining.

One ton of mobile phones may seem like a significant amount, but in 2014, about 416,000 mobile phones were thrown away every day in the US; this means more than 150 million mobile phones were discarded annually.

Urban Mining in Turkey

If all electronic waste in Turkey is recycled, 7 tons of gold, four times that amount of silver, and ten times that amount of copper can be obtained. The amount of gold extracted from mountains and soil in Turkey is around 27 tons. It is possible to collect the same amount of gold by recycling electronic waste without consuming natural resources.

On a larger scale, traditional mining remains an important economic activity in Turkey, while efforts in urban mining and electronic waste recycling are increasing. Recycling electronic waste supports environmental sustainability and provides economic benefits.

However, to fully utilize this potential, more investment, infrastructure development, and strengthening the regulatory framework are needed. Therefore, more effort and investment are required in collecting and recycling electronic waste. It is hoped that with the implementation of GEKAP, the waste sector will develop, and urban mining will gain importance.

Recycling electronic waste supports environmental sustainability and provides economic benefits. Strengthening Turkey's waste management and recycling infrastructure will help conserve the country's natural resources and contribute to economic development.

What Happens If I Throw Away My Electronic Waste?

According to a report by the European Chemical Society in 2015, 70% of the toxic pollution in landfill sites came from e-waste.

Throwing away electronic waste has many negative effects that can seriously harm the environment. Discarded e-waste can pollute the soil and groundwater sources due to the heavy metals and toxic substances they contain. When substances like lead, mercury, and cadmium spread into the environment, they cause serious pollution problems. Additionally, burning e-waste in landfills releases harmful chemicals and gases into the air, causing air pollution. These processes pose significant threats to both the environment and human health.

On the other hand, recycling e-waste is a method that supports environmental sustainability and conserves resources. Recycling allows the reuse of valuable metals (such as gold, silver, and copper) and other materials. This helps preserve natural resources and reduces the need to extract new raw materials. Moreover, recycling consumes less energy compared to processing new materials, contributing to energy savings and reducing environmental pollution.

Recycle your electronic waste and contribute to environmental sustainability with Mol-e. With the solutions provided by Mol-e, you can easily and efficiently recycle your e-waste, benefiting both your environment and economy.

Social Situation

After objects are designed and used, there is a second obstacle stemming from consumers who tend to hold onto their electronic objects, whether they work or not, rather than taking them to a designated recycling facility. This phenomenon is known as electronic hoarding. A pioneering study conducted in 2009 estimated that the average American household stored 6.5 electronic items in their attics and basements, hibernating. This number has multiplied over the years.

In 2021, a study conducted by Google identified seven main barriers to consumers recycling their electronic devices:

• Low awareness of existing disposal options (recycling)
• Expectations of financial or social compensation
• Device nostalgia
• Desire to keep spare products
• Data retrieval factors
• Desire to ensure data removal
• Difficulty of disposal options

Urban Mining Worldwide

According to a 2008 World Bank report, about 1% of the urban population in developing countries survives by collecting recyclable materials from waste. Most of these so-called "waste pickers" come from vulnerable groups such as children, new immigrants, the disabled, and the elderly. These individuals face issues both health-wise and in terms of social stigma and hostility due to regular contact with hazardous waste.

Electronic waste (e-waste) contains valuable metals such as gold and copper, as well as hazardous substances such as lead, beryllium, and mercury. These substances are often separated from plastic housings through burning by informal "miners," leading to air pollution and exposure to heavy metals. Such processes can cause health problems like cardiovascular diseases and negatively impact the environment.

The problems are not limited to developing countries. In high-income countries, the informal sector also hinders the efficient operation of formal recycling channels by illegally separating high-value items or materials from e-waste. However, when urban mining is conducted responsibly, the recovery and recycling of e-waste can reduce energy consumption, lessen the need to extract raw resources, and provide economic benefits to the communities processing these materials.

At Mol-e, we offer solutions to maximize the potential of urban mining and ensure responsible and sustainable management of e-waste. Mol-e's digital platform facilitates tracking waste streams, assessing environmental impact, and achieving sustainability goals. This supports more effective and efficient recycling of e-waste.

Contact us at Mol-e to manage urban mining more responsibly and sustainably. Let's build a cleaner and healthier world for future generations.

Conclusion & Evaluation

Recycling electronic waste through urban mining yields various positive outcomes both environmentally and economically. Firstly, reusing raw materials obtained through this process contributes to conserving natural resources and helps reduce waste. This allows for adopting an environmentally sustainable waste management approach.

Economically, recycling electronic waste through urban mining creates economic value by recovering and processing valuable metals. This process reduces waste management costs while generating income through the reuse and sale of recycled materials. Additionally, urban mining activities create employment and contribute to local economies.

However, it is crucial that urban mining activities are conducted regularly and sustainably. When done irregularly and uncontrollably, they can lead to environmental and social problems. Informal urban mining activities in developing countries can cause the release of toxic waste and environmental pollution while harming socially vulnerable groups.

At Mol-e, we offer solutions to maximize the potential of urban mining and ensure responsible and sustainable management of e-waste. Mol-e's digital platform facilitates tracking waste streams, assessing environmental impact, and achieving sustainability goals.

With the innovative solutions provided by Mol-e, you can minimize environmental impact and gain economic benefits. By working with Mol-e for a more sustainable future, you can make e-waste management more transparent and effective, contributing to conserving natural resources and environmental sustainability.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_mining
• https://www.csis.org/analysis/canary-urban-mine-environmental-and-economic-impacts-urban-mining
• https://theconversation.com/urban-mines-how-to-unlock-our-electronic-junks-potential-222670
• https://www.mta.gov.tr/dosyalar/images/dogalkaynaklar/makaleler/430/tr_20221024093515_430_3_e7d193b9.pdf
• https://www.glasgowsciencecentre.org/our-blog/urban-mining-the-hidden-treasures-in-your-smartphone
• https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/2/647
• https://www.rts.com/blog/what-is-urban-mining/
• https://www.bebat.be/en/blog/urban-mining-the-city-as-a-source-of-valuable-metals