As demand for critical raw materials rises we need a better plan to manage them
This post is by Dr Jack Barrie, research fellow, and Dr Patrick Schröder, senior research fellow, in the Environment and Society Programme at Chatham House.
Plans for a net zero transition rely on deploying a range of technologies. Many of these, such as wind turbines, digital devices, battery storage systems and electric vehicles, depend on critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, gold and rare earth metals. The steel and aluminium sectors also drive demand for critical minerals through their use in alloys.
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UK recycling has a problem. Over the years, we have become reliant on the Chinese market to take our low quality recycling. But China doesn’t want our waste anymore. In fact, it says it no longer wants any “foreign garbage”, as shipments of low quality material from countries like the UK have “polluted China’s environment seriously.” 
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