Recycling of Materials – Introduction

This lecture by the instructor Yves Leterrier from EPFL introduces the concept of recycling of materials, focusing on the degree of circularity in the global economy, global materials flows, waste production, CO₂ emissions, water consumption, and the economics of waste treatment and recycling. The lecture covers the importance of recycling in achieving sustainable development goals, the challenges and benefits of recycling precious metals, and the role of recycling in dematerialization. It also discusses the sorting and recycling technologies for various materials, emphasizing the environmental impact of recycling compared to using raw material resources.