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Download fileRecycling Potentials of Precious Metals from End-of-Life Vehicle Parts by Selective Dismantling
journal contribution
posted on 11.12.2018, 00:00 authored by Guochang Xu, Junya Yano, Shin-ichi SakaiRecycling of some minor but essential
scarce metals used in vehicles
may serve as an important strategy to strengthen sustainable management
of natural resources. Accordingly, this study focused on five precious
metals (PMs): Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, and Rh, in both end-of-life conventional
and next-generation vehicles. To explore their recycling potentials
in Japan, we developed substance flow and scenario analyses based
on estimations of PM contents per end-of-life vehicle (ELV) and ELV
generations. The study predicts that in Japan, from 2015 to 2040,
the content of PMs per ELV will range from 2 to 6 g, and the annual
amount of PMs in ELVs will remain largely stable, at 14–15
t, but the proportions of PMs utilized in different vehicles, parts,
and components will gradually change; in particular, increased proportions
will occur in the printed wiring boards (PWBs) of next-generation
vehicles. The results also show that, in Japan, totals of 33–53%
of PMs in ELVs were recycled in 2015, and that by selective dismantling
of PWBs and heating wires in the rear windows of ELVs, the recycling
potentials of PMs could be optimally increased to a maximum of 62–83%
by 2040.