The UK’s homes are sitting on a goldmine – not of the traditional kind, but a treasure trove of copper, hidden away in forgotten electronics. A new study by Material Focus reveals that UK households contain a staggering 38,449 tonnes of copper, enough to build 1,240 copper Statues of Liberty! This discarded electrical waste could be the key to closing the looming ‘copper gap’ in the drive to decarbonisation.
The study estimates that the UK alone has £266 million (€316 million) worth of copper lying dormant in drawers, attics, and forgotten corners, often tucked away in unused or broken tech items. This equates to 823 million unused or broken tech items, including everything from old chargers and cables to obsolete computers and phones.
The study highlights cables as a major source of copper, with the average household holding a surprising 23. Considering that cables contain at least 20% copper, this translates to 3,252 tonnes of copper from cables alone across the UK. Put another way, the country’s 627 million unused cables could stretch to the moon and back!
The study also highlights the vast amount of copper residing within unwanted electricals. This alone equates to 38,449 tonnes, enough to fulfil the UK’s annual demand for copper in technology.
Why is all this copper so important? As an infinitely recyclable metal, copper plays a vital role in the transition to a greener future. It is known as ‘the metal of the energy transition’ for its essential role in powering renewable energy systems and green technologies. Renewable energy systems utilize up to 12 times more copper than conventional systems, and copper also significantly improves efficiency – one tonne of copper used in a rotating machine such as a wind turbine saves 7,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions over its lifetime.
The Royal Society of Chemistry predicts that the UK will need 347,000 tonnes of copper to build its wind turbines and solar panels by 2030. This means that a significant portion of this demand could be met by ‘mining’ copper from the UK’s drawers full of old tech and cables.
However, the need for copper extends beyond the UK. Globally, there will be a 6.5 million tonne ‘copper gap’ by 2033, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. “Supplying the world’s copper requirements over the next 10 years is going to be challenging,” says Grant Sporre, senior analyst, metals and mining at Bloomberg Intelligence. “All the shallow, easy-to-extract copper deposits have been mined out. Increasing the proportion of recycled copper to 50 per cent from current levels of 30 per cent could potentially meet the additional demand.”
International E-Waste Day, celebrated on 14 October 2024, is a call to action for recycling electricals. But not all countries offer free and easy kerbside recycling, with practices varying by country. Some countries lead the way, such as which recycles 81 per cent of its e-waste, with Estonia, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Austria making up the top five European e-waste recyclers. In Croatia, retailers are obliged to take back and recycle e-waste for free, with no obligation to buy new equipment. But Malta only recycles 21 per cent of its e-waste, and in terms of absolute e-waste, Norway, the UK, Switzerland, Denmark, and the Netherlands are the biggest contributors.
A 2020 UN report attributed low recycling rates to a lack of e-waste collection infrastructure, competition from metal scrap collectors, and a lack of enforcement.
“Upping secondary sourcing of copper through recycling is a really important route towards greater supply security,” says Izzi Monk, policy adviser for the environment at the Royal Society of Chemistry. “But governments need to invest in technologies and infrastructure to make sure recycling can be grown without creating worse environmental, social and health impacts.”
In the UK, there are 26,000 recycling points for electricals. You can find your nearest one via [link to recycling website]. Remember, anything with a plug, battery, or cable can be reused or recycled.
By tapping into this hidden resource of copper, we can move closer to a more sustainable future powered by renewable energy, while also reducing the environmental impact of e-waste.
