Recycling key to effective rare materials strategy

Rare mineral dependence that drives the European economy and is found in many consumer goods from iPads to hybrid cars was debated in a Hearing Wednesday (25 January). The Industry, Research and Energy Committee debated how Europe could develop an effective rare materials strategy. Recycling existing waste could be crucial. In addition the role of China as a mineral superpower was discussed. It was part of a non-legislative report being drawn up by German Green MEP Reinhard Bütikofer.

The Chair of the Committee Herbert Reul (EPP), told those present that "raw materials are a central issue for European economic development".

Reinhard Bütikofer told the hearing that "protecting supplies of scarce raw materials would at best be a temporary answer to the problem. In fact, recycling and increasing resource efficiency is the name of the game. This "necessitates an ambitious innovation strategy".

Stephan Csoma from Umicore, a Brussels-based materials technology company, urged greater recycling and use of what is already contained in waste. "One ton of mobile phones contains from 300 to 350 grams of gold" he said while adding that "one fifth of cobalt can also be recycled in this way".

Dutch Socialist MEP Judith A. Merkies also agreed stating "sometimes we are too easy in just throwing everything away and starting everything to produce anew".

Ally with resource rich countries

Reinhard Bütikofer is a strong believer in the European Union building alliances with countries like China that have large amounts of natural resources as "confrontation would not work".

Czech MEP Jan Březina (EPP) made the point that "if the EU doesn't adopt one single strategy, we will be surprised how quick China or other countries will control markets in Africa and South Africa. And then we can recycle as much as we want, but problems will remain".

Despite more that more than 95% or rare earths being mined in China, Reinhard Bütikofer believes that in the longer perspective "we need not be dependent on any single country. For the transition let's find win-win solutions".