In view of increasingly scarce raw materials, it is hardly understandable that industrial waste and old products are increasing disproportionately. In addition, the resulting waste streams often contain high-quality raw materials. Currently, too many essential substances are lost in the value chain. In the case of less precious metals, production from raw materials is often accompanied by heavy burdens on the environment.
Leading companies worldwide are creating infrastructures and systems that are preparing the transition to a more resource-efficient society. A basic supply of raw materials is important in Europe; after all, our society is dependent on numerous imports of raw materials in order to maintain all industrial processes.
Sustainable recycling management can also reduce such bottlenecks, because the demand for primary raw materials would be reduced if more waste than high-quality secondary raw materials could get back into the economy.
PSI Mines&Roads supports innovative procurement and mining processes of mine operators in order to improve both the quantity and the quality of the raw materials obtained in the mining process and from secondary sources.
The challenge is to make decisions for products and services in such a way that they have a positive effect on raw material processing right from the concept phase. PSI Mines & Roads develops decision support tools based on AI in combination with Big Data and creates the necessary added value for the environment with its more intelligent solutions.
A successful recycling economy needs a transformation because it is practically waste-free: products are constantly repaired, materials reused. This means creating closed supply chains over the entire life cycle of products. Suppliers and customers must be found with whom one can concentrate on waste disposal. A recycling economy practised in this way is not only environmentally friendly, it also makes companies more efficient, agile and cost-effective.
The EU and the environmental service branch - an irreversible process
All measures adopted by the EU have been completed or are currently being implemented. In 2016, for example, repairs, reuse or recycling generated value added of just under 150 billion euros, while investments totaled around 18 billion euros. But there is still a lot of room for improvement. It is now a question of realising identified potential, especially in product regulation.