Multi-year temporary storage as a part of the solution?
bifa examines ways to recycle waste containing precious and special metals
Methods for recovering metals such as neodymium or indium have already been developed in numerous research projects. A fundamental challenge in their large-scale implementation is the lack of investment security for currently still small quantities of available waste. Especially for waste with growing quantities, such as NdFeB magnets, temporary storage for several years could help the critical mass for plant investment to be reached and to bridge the time until the recycling plant is available.
However, the temporary storage of waste earmarked for recovery for longer than three years is not permitted at present.
In the "Controlling waste streams containing precious and special metals intelligently: consolidation, temporary storage, degree of recovery" project on behalf of the Federal Environmental Agency (Umweltbundesamt), bifa together with Augsburg University of Applied Sciences and the lawyers avocado Rechtsanwälte, is examining, among other things, how such storage facilities would have to be designed. What requirements must be set for waste to be stored? What changes to legislation would be required to enable the temporary storage of waste containing special metals for more than three years. Who could be the operators? How can the costs of setting up and operating the storage be funded? Who funds the cost of the dismantling firms, which dismantle the magnets from motors? What challenges does quality assurance face? The time factor is also important, because the maximum volume of the storage facility will only be fully utilised for a short time. Answers to these and many other questions will be available on 05 October 2018, at the closing event of the project to be held in Berlin.