Climate Change vs. Circular Economy: Challenges of the Most Common Route for Recycling Gold from WEEE

Benjamin Fritz and Mario Schmidt (mario.schmidt@hs-pforzheim.de)
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Benjamin Fritz: Institute of Applied Geosciences, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
Mario Schmidt: Institute for Industrial Ecology, Pforzheim University, 75175 Pforzheim, Germany

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 5, 1-15

Abstract: Gold production poses significant environmental challenges, including resource depletion, CO 2 emissions, and toxic chemical usage. Similarly, improper WEEE management harms the environment. However, WEEE contains valuable metals such as gold, making it central to circular economy (CE) strategies and an alternative to mining. This study assesses the climate impact of pyrometallurgical gold recovery from WEEE using life cycle assessment (LCA). The study found that the carbon footprint of producing gold pyrometallurgically from WEEE is 2000 kg CO 2 eq/kg. These emissions are largely tied to the carbon content of waste, meaning that low-carbon energy sources have a limited impact. This creates a conflict between CE goals and CO 2 reduction. Scenario analysis shows that utilizing waste heat for district heating significantly lowers emissions. The other strategies used to improve the environmental performance include separating the plastic fraction before smelting, using biogenic plastic in WEEE, and carbon capture and storage (CCS). Transport accounts for just 10% of the total carbon footprint. Future regulations must address multiple factors—EEE production, waste management, smelter infrastructure, global socioeconomic dynamics, and consumer behavior—as higher recycling rates alone will not solve WEEE challenges.

Keywords: LCA; carbon footprint; WEEE; gold; recycling; pyrometallurgy; CO 2; circular economy; metals (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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