The Sustainability of Copper
What are the hard facts? Today, everyone is conscious of sustainability, and responsible governments, trade organisations, companies and individuals try to ensure that the way that they act, buy, consume and discard is good for the planet and not just designed to meet their own selfish ends. You will therefore be glad to know that copper is a very sustainable material. It is estimated that, of the approximate 550 million tonnes of copper produced since 1900, two-thirds are still in productive use today. Copper is 100% recyclable. Copper retains its chemical and physical properties when it is recycled. More than 30% of the world’s annual copper demand is met through recycling. Products made with copper operate more efficiently because copper is the best conductor of heat and electricity in the non-precious metals. Whilst 5 tonnes of carbon dioxide are emitted for every tonne of copper produced, because of copper’s high efficiency, each tonne produced reduces emissio