Potential for Increased Use of Secondary Raw Materials in the Copper Industry as a Countermeasure Against Climate Change in Japan

The copper industry faces serious challenges in achieving the dual goals of mitigating climate change and developing a circular economy, as the increased use of secondary raw materials could increase CO2 emissions during the smelting stage. This study aimed to examine the possibility of increased use of secondary raw materials (copper scrap and waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) substrates) in the Japanese copper industry as a countermeasure to climate change. We comprehensive analyzed the changes in CO2 emissions and costs associated with increased use of secondary raw materials compared to the use of primary copper resources by establishing an intensity at each stage within the system boundary. The analysis results established that CO2 emissions can be reduced but costs may increase, and that purchasing carbon credits is economically more advantageous. It was also established that the results will vary depending on how CO2 emissions and costs are allocated because multiple metals can be recovered from WEEE substrates and that the carbon footprint of all-copper allocation will be significantly lower in the future because of the expected development of decarbonization technologies, including transportation. The study results indicate the potential of the copper industry to expand its use of secondary raw materials from a climate change perspective. (c) 2022 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study investigated the potential of increasing the use of secondary raw materials in the Japanese copper industry to address climate change. The findings suggest that using more secondary raw materials can reduce CO2 emissions but may increase costs, and purchasing carbon credits is economically advantageous. It was also revealed that the carbon footprint of all-copper allocation is expected to decrease in the future due to the development of decarbonization technologies and the recovery of multiple metals from electronic waste.