Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
in many places it is currently very expensive, not to mention energy intensive. Yet
according to Nokia's Director of Environmental Affairs, Markus Terho 8 : “If each
of the three billion people globally owning mobiles brought back just one un-used
device one could save 240,000 tonnes of raw materials and reduce greenhouse gases
to the same effect as taking 4 million cars off the road.”
Most phones unfortunately end up in landfill where their heavy metals corrode
before being released into the environment, where they persist for a long time.
In the case of lead for example, damage can be done to the liver and kidneys
and neurological problems can be generated in children. Lithium metal presents
another potential problem because although not toxic, it is known to cause di cult
to extinguish fires in landfills, should it come into contact with water. This is a
prime example of e-waste.
E-waste is an emerging issue in the developing world with first world e-waste
steadily presenting a new environmental catastrophe. Agbogbloshie, near Accra,
Ghana's capital, is a striking example of a “digital dumping ground” where some
150,000 tonnes found their way there in 2008 (Koranteng and Darko, 2008). A
thriving marginal business has subsequently developed consisting of extracting the
metals by hand and without adequate, or even any form of protection 9 .
A.2 Electric and hybrid vehicles
The 2005 global vehicle fleet consisted of about 600 million light vehicles, 250 mil-
lion heavy vehicles and about 270 million motorcycles (Walsh, 2005). Virtually
100% were powered by liquid fuels of petroleum origin. Should a global transition
to hybrid (HEV) and electric vehicles (EV) occur, it would entail a sharp demand
increase for new “green” materials, in particular those that facilitate lightweight
and e cient electric storage. Those materials in conventional vehicles such as steel,
plastic, aluminium, rubber, glass and copper also need to be considered. Plastic
makes up as much as 50% of the complete volume of new car models (Killinger,
2009). In terms of metals and according to USGS (2011a) an average automobile
contains a tonne of iron and steel, 110 kg of aluminium, 23 kg of carbon, 19 kg
of copper, 19 kg of silicon, 9 kg of zinc, and more than thirty other mineral com-
modities, including titanium, platinum, and gold. Aluminium, the third most used
material in car manufacturing, can make up to 9% of the vehicle weight with many
models now containing as much as 200 kg of finished aluminium. To reduce weight,
magnesium is usually alloyed with aluminium. Pollock (2010) estimates that, for
an average vehicle, each 22.5 kg weight reduction represents a 1% fuel saving. The
8 See http : ==press:nokia:com=2008=07=08=global consumer survey reveals that
majority of old mobile phones are lying in drawers at home and
notbeingrecycled=. Accessed July 2012.
9 See: http : ==www:textually:org=textually=archives=cat_cell_phone_recycling:htm. Ac-
cessed July 2012.
 
Search WWH ::




Custom Search