Download or read book Environmental Risks and Challenges of Anthropogenic Metals Flows and Cycles written by E. van der Voet and published by UN. This book was released on 2013 with total page 234 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A key question that relates to the very broad and intensive use of metals is whether society needs to be concerned about long-term supplies of any or many of them. This is a many-faceted question that cannot be answered quickly or unequivocally. To address it, the Global Metal Flows Working Group envisions a series of six reports, of which this is the third one addressing environmental risks and challenges of anthropogenic metals flows and cycles. This report, compiled by a group of international experts, focuses on the impact of metals on the environment as well as on their life cycle energy use. Currently, primary metals production is responsible for 7-8% of the total global energy use as well as for severe local environmental impacts. The report suggests to apply best available techniques and to increase recycling of metals, which not only requires significantly less energy per kg metal produced than primary production but also helps decreasing the overall local impacts of mining. However, even if recycling rates are increased, rising global demand for many metals will remain a huge environmental challenge in the next decades worldwide."--Page 4 of cover.