The recycling of innovation-critical metals and minerals is an essential complement to primary raw materials in the transition away from fossil fuels. But it's not just a matter of refining technology and methods to achieve maximum recycling – it's equally important to create a functioning market.
"Sweden is a suitable player for such a market," says Christina Jönsson, head of department at RISE.
A number of metals and minerals are essential for the development of new green technologies – but securing access is not just about increasing mining, it is also about managing the materials already in circulation. A key part of the work is therefore to create a market for recycled products and materials.
"This is necessary for all players in the system to be able to create and do business," says Christina Jönsson, Vice President at RISE.
According to Christina Jönsson, it is important that such work takes into account all the different material flows, both residues from mining and collected electronic products, and that there is traceability to ensure that extraction has taken place in a sustainable way.
"Today we know that mining is unfortunately not sustainable in some places. That is why it is so important to be able to link traceability. Only then can the buyer of the metals be sure that they have been produced in a sustainable way and may also be prepared to pay a higher price," says Christina Jönsson.
Sustainability matters – today and tomorrow
Today, sustainability and so-called ESG issues – environmental, social and governance issues related to environmental and ethical issues – are important to investors, company management and society as a whole. This is something that is unlikely to diminish in the future, which means that Christina Jönsson sees future business opportunities.
"If you don't know the origin or all the elements of the sustainability aspect, it's a business risk. "I think there is a business opportunity in providing and perhaps in the future charging for information associated with a material. There is a need to develop and explore appropriate business models that can capture that value in a good way," she says.
Research and development is needed on the sustainability and technology side
Another aspect that can accelerate this is the focus on more circular business models, where one goal is to create resource efficiency and reduce overall consumption.
"Companies don't want to reduce their sales, so information components can be used to create business," says Christina Jönsson.
Good conditions in Sweden
Sweden is well placed to be a player in creating a market for recycled, innovation-critical materials. There are several reasons for this. We would not be starting from scratch; we already have a functioning infrastructure for collecting metals. There is also a basic industry that can use innovation-critical materials in existing primary production. In addition, there are residues from historical mining. Last but not least, we already have a regulatory framework with high environmental standards and licensing requirements.
"All in all, we have the conditions to produce a sustainable product that is not available in the same way in other countries," says Christina Jönsson.
But we are not there yet, and there are still challenges ahead. Both in terms of effective recycling and scaling up.
"Research and development is needed on the sustainability and technology side. I also believe that innovation is needed to take care of specific elements, and that support is also needed in the industrialisation phase, from laboratory scale up," says Christina Jönsson.
Evaluation the biggest challenge
However, Christina Jönsson sees the biggest challenge in the way we currently value raw materials.
"Sometimes it costs more to work with secondary processes than it does to work with primary processes. And until you create recycling processes and systems that are as efficient for secondary streams as they are for primary streams, it can be difficult to create a competitive business," she concludes.
