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Estimating the Evolution of Urban Mining Resources in Hong Kong, Up to the Year 2050
journal contribution
posted on 2019-01-04, 00:00 authored by Io Hou Kuong, Jinhui Li, Jian Zhang, Xianlai ZengRapid urban metabolism is causing
many resources to flow from consumption to waste. But many of these
wastes could be secondary resources, and cities could become urban
mines and an increasing supply of future resources. Hong Kong, one
of the most developed and populated cities in the world, has demonstrated
a completely metabolic evolution to be an urban mine, since the 1970s.
Covering 14 types of e-waste and eight types of end-of-life vehicles,
this study first investigates Hong Kong’s evolution as an urban
mine. The potential output weight of the urban mine quickly grew from
117 kt in 2000 to 368 kt in 2014, and it is estimated to remain in
the range of 300–350 kt over the years 2015–2050, with
40–50 kg/cap/year. The economic potential of urban mining,
for 18 metals, plastic, glass, and rubber tires, will be approximately
US$2 billion annually, mainly contributed by precious and rare metals.
All the obtained results contribute to Hong Kong’s waste management
and promise to have positive impact on urban mining and circular economy
for other, less-developed cities or regions.