• 中文 (简体)
  • Español
  • Français
Events
Members
Copper Alliance
  • 中文 (简体)
  • Español
  • Français
Events
Members
  • About ICA
    • International Copper Association and the Copper Alliance®
    • Executive Team
    • Meet the Experts
    • International Copper Association Members
    • Board of Directors
    • Strategic Partnerships
  • Regional Hubs
        • Global
        • Asia
        • Europe
        • United States
  • Policy Focus
        • Advocacy and Dialogue
        • Climate and Environment
          • Air Quality
          • Energy Efficiency
          • Recycling
          • Renewable Energy
          • Sustainable Development
        • Health and Safety
          • Human Health
        • Society and Economy
          • Food Supply
          • Electrical Safety
          • Green Buildings
          • Circular Economy
          • Urban Mining
  • Trends and Data
    • Market Intelligence
    • Resource Library
    • Members Only
  • Spotlight
    • Thought-Leadership
    • Member Best Practices
    • In the News
  • Sustainable Copper
        • About Copper
          • Copper Environmental Profile
          • Copper Life Cycle
          • Copper Demand and Long-Term Availability
          • Copper: An Essential Resource
          • Copper in the Environment
          • Copper Attributes and Alloys
        • UN SDGs
        • Sustainability Indicators
        • Copper Pathways Map
        • The Copper Mark
  • s

Circular Economy

Circular Economy

gustavo-quepon-129114-unsplash

Much of the world has already committed to ambitious targets to meet climate goals. Undoubtedly, these commitments to decarbonization and electrification of developing economies will influence copper demand. Copper, with its infinite life cycle, is a truly circular material.

The global end-of-life recycling rate for copper is 40 percent. In addition, more than 30 percent of global copper demand is already met with recycled copper.

To meet growing global ambitions, recycling needs to complement primary metal sources. According to the World Bank, the low-carbon, sustainable economy—with additional renewables and electric vehicles, greater energy efficiency and electrification—will require a nearly endless supply of metals, both from responsible mining and recycling.

ICA supports measures ensuring the market acceptance of both primary and secondary resources. ICA members, together with copper fabricators and other partners, collaborate closely with global policy makers to remove barriers and create market incentives for the use of secondary raw materials to close the loop.

ICA members are using cutting-edge technologies and innovative recycling processes, such as introducing scrap metals into the smelting process to recycle valuable raw materials and enhance efficiencies. This includes recycling intricate electronic devices and other increasingly complex products.

State-of-the-art recyclers can recover 20+ metals from complex copper products and applications.

Scrap-closeup-2_High-Res

24 million tonnes

of copper enter the global urban mine annually

13 million tonnes

reach the end-of-life phase and become available for recycling

To fully use the potential of the Urban Mine, in conjunction with the circular economy, a combination of adequate local infrastructure, skills and market conditions is needed.

Stocks & Flows

Global Pathways Map

Circular Economy Resources

Filter Resources

Region

Resource Type

Aurubis Plans First Smelter for Multimetal Recycling in the U.S.

Article | Industrial Symbiosis
Copper Alliance

International Copper Association (ICA) member Aurubis is expanding its international operations and building a new…

5 April 2022

Circular Production Practices Advance Industrial Symbiosis in the Copper Industry

Article | Industrial Symbiosis
Copper Alliance

ICA Members Rio Tinto, Aurubis and Boliden Take the Lead Industrial symbiosis, the concept of…

16 March 2022

Copper Recycling

Brochure | Copper Demand
Copper Alliance

The Importance of Recycling During the past decade, strong growth in emerging economies, coupled with…

10 February 2022

Circular Economy Cube Infographic

Infographic | Clean and Circular Economy
Copper Alliance

Copper is infinite & can be recycled with no loss of properties. A sustainable material pivotal to build the circular economy...

1 October 2021

Circular Copper Recycling in China: Current Practices and Future Trends

Article | Innovation
Copper Alliance

China has announced its net-zero target for carbon emissions by 2060. To meet this goal,…

16 June 2021

Commitment to the Circular Economy and Urban Mining Drives Copper Recycling in China

Article | China/Asia Market Development
Copper Alliance

Sustainability is at the forefront of China’s plans. The 14th Five-Year plan outlines targets for climate…

28 May 2021

Circular Copper: Building a Culture of Sustainability

Presentation
Copper Alliance

With its infinite life cycle, copper is a truly circular material that can be recycled…

26 May 2021

Circular Copper – Part 3

Video
Copper Alliance

Join ICA and its members in building a culture of sustainability—without waste....

26 May 2021

Design-for-Sustainability: the Holistic Solution for Copper-bearing Products in Circular Economy

Factsheet | Clean and Circular Economy
Copper Alliance
9 November 2020

Product Environmental Footprint

| Clean and Circular Economy
Copper Alliance

Participation in the European Commission’s Product Environmental Footprint initiative An environment-conscious society requires the supply chain…

9 November 2019

European Copper Industry Leads in Solving Environmental Challenges

Article | Responsible production
Bernard Respaut

Combating climate change and reaching a circular economy are essential for a more sustainable economy…

14 May 2019

Closing the Loop for the Circular Economy

Article
Copper Alliance

Top Miners Work Toward a Sustainable Future by Recycling Copper The Cycle of Life Recycling…

28 November 2018

Circular Economy Cube – A Model for EU Sustainability

Article
Bernard Respaut

European Sustainable Energy Week is the annual flagship event for all things energy efficiency and…

29 June 2018

Copper’s Contribution to the Circular Economy

Infographic | Climate Change
Copper Alliance

A fundamental piece of our sustainable future is already powering nearly every aspect of our…

9 January 2018

A Recycling Champion

Article
Copper Alliance

Copper is completely recyclable. It can be used again and again without losing any of…

2 January 2018
  • 1
  • 2
  • Next »
logo-white.svg

About ICA

  • About ICA and Copper Alliance
  • Executive Team
  • Meet The Experts
  • Board of Directors
  • Strategic Partnerships

Regional Hubs

  • Global
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • United States

Trends and Data

  • Market Intelligence
  • Members Only

Spotlight

  • Member Best Practices
  • Thought-Leadership

Sustainable Copper

  • About Copper
  • UN SDGs
  • ICA/SD Indicators
  • Copper Pathways Map

International Copper Association is a not-for-profit trade association that brings together the global copper industry to develop and defend markets for copper and to make a positive contribution to the UN’s SDGs.

Twitter LinkedIn

© 2022 International Copper Association, Ltd. Copper Alliance® is a registered trademark of the International Copper Association, Ltd. All Rights Reserved

  • Privacy Policy
  • About ICA
    • International Copper Association and the Copper Alliance®
    • Executive Team
    • Meet the Experts
    • International Copper Association Members
    • Board of Directors
    • Strategic Partnerships
    • Back
  • Regional Hubs
    • Global
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • United States
    • Back
  • Policy Focus
    • Advocacy and Dialogue
    • Climate and Environment
      • Air Quality
      • Energy Efficiency
      • Recycling
      • Renewable Energy
      • Sustainable Development
      • Back
    • Health and Safety
      • Human Health
      • Back
    • Society and Economy
      • Food Supply
      • Electrical Safety
      • Green Buildings
      • Circular Economy
      • Urban Mining
      • Back
    • Back
  • Trends and Data
    • Market Intelligence
    • Resource Library
    • Members Only
    • Back
  • Spotlight
    • Thought-Leadership
    • Member Best Practices
    • In the News
    • Back
  • Sustainable Copper
    • About Copper
      • Copper Environmental Profile
      • Copper Life Cycle
      • Copper Demand and Long-Term Availability
      • Copper: An Essential Resource
      • Copper in the Environment
      • Copper Attributes and Alloys
      • Back
    • UN SDGs
    • Sustainability Indicators
    • The Copper Mark
    • Copper Pathways Map
    • Back
  • s