WHAT IS A CRITCAL RAW MATERIAL?
Criticals Raw Materials are everywhere. In all our electronic devices, our cars, windows, fluorescent lights and more.
But why are they so called “critical”?
Where waste becomes value
Critical Raw Materials (CRM) are crucial for the European economy. Many industrial sectors rely on their application to produce goods used in our everyday lives. Despite this, their supply is scarce and mostly imported from foreign countries. According the report by the European Comission Critical Raw Materials Resilience: Charting a Path towards greater Security and Sustainability, most of theses Raw Materials are produced in China and their recycling rate is mostly non-existing. The shortage in supply and their high demand is what we know as Criticality.
Why are they so important?
These elements are present all around us. They are especially important in the fabrication of electronic devices such as smartphones. This said, there are three main reasons why CRM are fundamental for our society’s sustainable development:
They have a crucial role in the development of green energy
Their vital role in digitalisation
Used in many industrial sectors
In 2011, the European Comission understood the value of these Raw Materials and created a list to catalogue them for two reasons: their importance in industrial applications and shortage in supply. This first list of Critical Raw Materials featured 14 elements and it remarked the need to find a solution to end the problematic in the supply of these materials. From there, the list was updated and reviewed every 3 years, the latest one being published in 2020 and featuring 40 raw materials,
EUROPEAN PLANS TO REVERT THE SITUATION
RECOPPs is committed to follow the new Sustainable Action Plan, Horizon Europe, as a technological solution that will ensure the supply of Critical Raw Materials, thus, helping to create a climate neutral European Union.
RECOPPs is committed to follow the new Sustainable Action Plan, Horizon Europe, as a technological solution that will ensure the supply of Critical Raw Materials, thus, helping to create a climate neutral European Union.