Misc
Visualizing the Opportunity Cost of Unrecycled Metals in the U.S.
The Opportunity Cost of Unrecycled Metals in the U.S.
Metals are an essential resource for modern society, used in everything from construction and transportation to technology and medical equipment. As the demand for these minerals continues to grow, so does the amount of waste generated by their production and consumption.
Recycling this metal waste is not just a win for sustainability; it also has huge economic benefits. In the visual above, we explore the ratio of recycled vs. unrecycled metals in the U.S. using 2020 Recycling Statistics by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Metal Recycling in the U.S.
Opportunity cost is a concept that refers to the benefits that are forgone when choosing one option over another. In the case of unrecycled metals, the opportunity cost is the potential economic and environmental benefits that could have been achieved through increasing metal recycling ratios.
Below are the recycling rates for select metals in the U.S. in 2020.
| Metal | % of supply recycled |
|---|---|
| Aluminum | 54 |
| Chromium | 25 |
| Copper | 36 |
| Iron & Steel | 52 |
| Lead | 77 |
| Magnesium | 55 |
| Nickel | 52 |
| Tin | 36 |
The above recycled metals represented a dollar value of $26 billion in 2020. Their unrecycled counterparts, on the other hand, represented $28 billion.
Metals can either be recycled from scrap that results from the manufacturing process (known as “new scrap”) or scrap from post-consumer products (“old scrap.”) Regardless of the source, many of them, especially chromium, copper, and tin, have the potential to reap further sustainability and economic benefits by recycling a larger proportion of their scrap supplies.
The Case for Metal Recycling
When compared with the mining, processing and transport of new metals, recycling metals can provide a significantly less energy-intensive alternative, saving enough energy each year to power millions of homes in the U.S.
Recycling metals can also save natural resources, create more green jobs, and reduce a country’s dependency on mineral imports by supplementing its supply of raw materials.
Overall, the potential for metal recycling is vast, and taking steps to increase the amount of recycled metals in the U.S. can lead to even greater sustainability and economic benefits.
Misc
Charted: The End-of-Life Recycling Rates of Select Metals
End-of-life recycling rates measure the percentage of a material that is recovered at the end of its useful life, rather than being disposed of or incinerated.
Charted: The End-of-Life Recycling Rates of Select Metals
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on Apple or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
We visualize the end-of-life recycling rates (EOL-RR) of commonly used metals in the economy. Data is sourced from the International Energy Agency, last updated in 2021.
Tracking recycling rates helps manage resources better and make smarter policies, guiding efforts to cut down on waste.
Ranked: The End of Life Recycling Rates of Select Metals
Gold has an 86% recycling rate according to the latest available data. Per the Boston Consulting Group, one-third of total gold supply was met through recycling between 1995–2014.
| Metal | End-of-life recycling rate (2021) | 🔍 Used In |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | 86% | 💍 Jewelry / Electronics |
| Platinum/Palladium | 60% | 🔬 Optical fibers / Dental fillings |
| Nickel | 60% | 🔋 Batteries / Turbine blades |
| Silver | 50% | 💍 Jewelry / Mirrors |
| Copper | 46% | 🔌 Electrical wiring / Industrial equipment |
| Aluminum | 42% | ✈️ Aeroplane parts / Cans |
| Chromium | 34% | 🍽️ Stainless steel / Leather tanning |
| Zinc | 33% | 🔗 Galvanizing metal / Making rubber |
| Cobalt | 32% | 🔋 Batteries / Turbine engines |
| Lithium | 0.5% | 🔋 Batteries / Pacemakers |
| REEs | 0.2% | 📱 Mobile phones / Hard drives |
Note: Figures are rounded.
Several factors can influence metal recycling rates. According to this International Resource Panel report, metals that are used in large quantities (steel) or have a high value (gold) tend to have higher recycling rates.
However, for materials used in small quantities in complex products (rare earth elements in electronics), recycling becomes far more challenging.
Finally, a metal’s EOL-RR is strongly influenced by the least efficient link in the recycling chain, which is typically how it’s initially collected.
Learn More on the Voronoi App 
If you enjoyed this post, check out Critical Materials: Where China, the EU, and the U.S. Overlap which shows how critical materials are classified within different jurisdictions.
Misc
Companies with the Most Fossil Fuel and Cement CO2 Emissions
Half of the world’s total fossil fuel and cement carbon dioxide emissions in 2023 came from just 36 companies.
Companies with the Most Fossil Fuel and Cement CO2 Emissions
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Key Takeaways
- Half of the world’s fossil fuel and cement carbon dioxide emissions in 2023 came from just 36 entities, according to a report by the Carbon Majors Project
- If Saudi Aramco were a country, it would be the fourth-largest polluter in the world, after China, the U.S., and India.
- Five publicly traded oil companies—ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, TotalEnergies, and BP—together accounted for 5% of global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels.
Chinese Companies Dominate the List
This graphic is based on Carbon Majors, a database of historical production data from 180 of the world’s largest oil, gas, coal, and cement producers representing 169 active and 11 inactive entities.
In 2023, the top 20 highest carbon-producing entities were responsible for 17.5 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO₂e) in emissions, accounting for 40.8% of global fossil fuel and cement CO₂ emissions. The list is largely dominated by state-owned companies, with 16 of the top 20 being state-controlled. Notably, eight Chinese entities contributed to 17.3% of global fossil fuel and cement CO₂ emissions in 2023.
| Entity | Total emissions (MtCO2e) | Global CO2 emissions (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saudi Aramco | 4.4% |
| 2 | Coal India | 3.7% |
| 3 | CHN Energy | 3.7% |
| 4 | Jinneng Group | 2.9% |
| 5 | Cement industry of China | 2.8% |
| 6 | National Iranian Oil Company | 2.8% |
| 7 | Gazprom | 2.3% |
| 8 | Rosneft | 1.9% |
| 9 | Shandong Energy | 1.7% |
| 10 | China National Coal Group | 1.7% |
| 11 | Abu Dhabi National Oil Company | 1.6% |
| 12 | CNPC | 1.6% |
| 13 | Shaanxi Coal and Chemical Industry Group | 1.6% |
| 14 | Iraq National Oil Company | 1.3% |
| 15 | Shanxi Coking Coal Group | 1.3% |
| 16 | ExxonMobil | 1.3% |
| 17 | Sonatrach | 1.2% |
| 18 | Chevron | 1.1% |
| 19 | Kuwait Petroleum Corp. | 1.0% |
| 20 | Petrobras | 1.0% |
| 21 | Shell | 0.9% |
| 22 | Pemex | 0.9% |
| 23 | TotalEnergies | 0.8% |
| 24 | QatarEnergy | 0.8% |
| 25 | Lukoil | 0.8% |
| 26 | BP | 0.8% |
| 27 | Glencore | 0.7% |
| 28 | China Huaneng Group | 0.7% |
| 29 | Luan Chemical Group | 0.7% |
| 30 | Equinor | 0.7% |
| 31 | Peabody Energy | 0.7% |
| 32 | Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. | 0.6% |
| 33 | CNOOC | 0.6% |
| 34 | ConocoPhillips | 0.6% |
| 35 | Eni | 0.6% |
| 36 | Petronas | 0.5% |
Coal continued to be the largest source of emissions in 2023, representing 41.1% of emissions in the database and continuing a steady upward trend since 2016. Coal emissions grew by 1.9% (258 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent – MtCO₂e) from 2022, while cement saw the largest relative increase at 6.5% (82 MtCO₂e), driven by expanding production.
In contrast, natural gas emissions fell by 3.7% (164 MtCO₂e), and oil emissions remained stable with only a slight increase of 0.3% (73 MtCO₂e).
Learn More on the Voronoi App
To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic that shows greenhouse gas emissions by sector in 2023, according to data was compiled by the United Nations. The power sector remains the largest emissions contributor.
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