Assessing resource benefit and carbon mitigation potential of China's electronic waste recycling

TY - JOUR

T1 - Assessing resource benefit and carbon mitigation potential of China's electronic waste recycling

AU - Li, Hao

AU - Fan, Pengru

AU - Xu, Kewei

AU - Zhang, Bin

AU - Wang, Zhaohua

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 by the International Society for Industrial Ecology.

PY - 2025/6

Y1 - 2025/6

N2 - The majority of discarded electronic waste were idled or disposed informally especially in developing countries. Recycling and reuse of electronic waste not only helps alleviate China's heavy reliance on mineral resources but also contributes to carbon emission reduction and achieving carbon neutrality. In this regard, we have showcased the future potential for utilizing 10 types valuable bulk materials and rare metals under three recycling scenarios, as well as the corresponding carbon emission reduction outcomes, through developing an integrated assessment model toward waste recycling. The results indicate that with an increase in recycling rates, these materials can be formed into closed loops increasingly. By 2060, under the low-recycling scenario, recycled resources can provide an average of 85% of raw materials for production. Under the medium recovery scenario, platinum and vanadium will form a closed production loop, while under the high-recycling scenario, recycled resources can provide over 95% of raw materials for production, and in addition, plastics and palladium can also form closed loops. Further, 479.65 million, 538.64 million, and 586.08 million tonnes CO2 can be reduced by 2060 in the three recycling scenarios. This study provides policy implications of improving the recycling rate of electronic waste especially in developing countries, in order to promote their sustainable economic development and resource supply.

AB - The majority of discarded electronic waste were idled or disposed informally especially in developing countries. Recycling and reuse of electronic waste not only helps alleviate China's heavy reliance on mineral resources but also contributes to carbon emission reduction and achieving carbon neutrality. In this regard, we have showcased the future potential for utilizing 10 types valuable bulk materials and rare metals under three recycling scenarios, as well as the corresponding carbon emission reduction outcomes, through developing an integrated assessment model toward waste recycling. The results indicate that with an increase in recycling rates, these materials can be formed into closed loops increasingly. By 2060, under the low-recycling scenario, recycled resources can provide an average of 85% of raw materials for production. Under the medium recovery scenario, platinum and vanadium will form a closed production loop, while under the high-recycling scenario, recycled resources can provide over 95% of raw materials for production, and in addition, plastics and palladium can also form closed loops. Further, 479.65 million, 538.64 million, and 586.08 million tonnes CO2 can be reduced by 2060 in the three recycling scenarios. This study provides policy implications of improving the recycling rate of electronic waste especially in developing countries, in order to promote their sustainable economic development and resource supply.

KW - Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs)

KW - carbon mitigation potential

KW - electronic waste recycling

KW - industrial ecology

KW - resource benefit

KW - sustainable development goals

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105002731754

U2 - 10.1111/jiec.70024

DO - 10.1111/jiec.70024

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105002731754

SN - 1088-1980

VL - 29

SP - 924

EP - 936

JO - Journal of Industrial Ecology

JF - Journal of Industrial Ecology

IS - 3

ER -