Norway and the world need a better policy for the circular economy
Critical and Strategic Raw Materials are Essential for Success in the Green and Digital Transition.
In Norway, 10 million tons annually of materials from the process industry remain unused.
In 2020, the Eyde Cluster was commissioned by the Ministry of Climate and Environment to map the material side streams from the Norwegian process industry.
All info about the side streams here
Some side streams are currently being successfully utilized. However, with new incentives and tools, the potential is enormous.
The database
The side streams have been compiled into a database. The database contains material side streams from 54 companies. In total, 10 million tons of materials are mapped annually, distributed across approximately 250 side streams. About 9 million tons of this is currently deposited internally on the companies' premises. The remainder is either sold, recycled, or deposited externally.
Both new and old landfills also represent a large potensial for use. The raw materials that can be recycled are critical for the development of wind and solar energy. They are crucial for most energy storages (batteries, electrolysis/hydrogen) and for the digitization of society (data storage, infrastructure, IT equipment).
Examples on Material Side Streams in tons/year
| Aluminum dross | 16 000,00 | t/year |
| Anorthosite - overburden | 5 200 000,00 | t/year |
| Bottom ash | 9 000,00 | t/year |
| FeMn slag | 270 000,00 | t/year |
| FeMn sludge | 10 000,00 | t/year |
| Fly ash | 11 600,00 | t/year |
| Phosphate sand | 10 000,00 | t/year |
| Overburden - dolomite marble with other minerals and rocks | 50 000,00 | t/year |
| Ilmenite sand | 20 000,00 | t/year |
| Quartz - small fractions, 0-13mm | 170 000,00 | t/year |
| Hydrochloric acid | 30 000,00 | t/year |
| Offgrade olivine | 50 000,00 | t/year |
Utilizations of side streams
The battery industry is growing rapidly. Currently, little material is recycled from batteries, so there is also great potential here. The current collector on the cathode side is made of aluminum. There are approximately 42,000 tons/year of unused material streams in Norway that contain aluminum.
Manganese is often used in cathode in Li-ion batteries. There are approximately 800,000 tons/year of manganese-containing side streams from the Norwegian process industry.
Microsilica from Elkem was a major dust problem until the 1980s. Today, it is an important product for the company that strengthens concrete. Silica Greenstone from Eramet has traditionally been used as a filler material, as a substitute for gravel and crushed stone.
Research shows that it can alternatively be used as a soil enhancer in agriculture, as a base layer in roads (including asphalt), and as raw material in cement and concrete production.
The use of recycled material in concrete and other products can lead to significant CO2 reductions.
New policies are needed to increase recyclability
The potential is significant. However, to succeed in recycling these valuable materials, new instruments and better framework conditions are needed.
The Norwegian government has presented an action plan for the circular economy.
The European Commission has presented their Industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age
There is a need for further financial support to update and expand this database. It should also be extended to include other Nordic countries, or similar databases should be created in these countries. This would become a valuable tool for identifying the most suitable side streams for recycling critical raw materials and serve as a useful matchmaking tool between companies. The Eyde Cluster, along with its partners across the Nordic region and Europe, has the expertise to accomplish this.