Our ongoing investment in R&D is shaping the future of Urban Mining

Our ongoing investment in R&D is shaping the future of Urban Mining

Discover the impact of e-waste and learn how Nugreen’s is making a difference. Let’s rewrite the stats and turn this challenge into an opportunity.

Source: The Global E-waste Monitor 2024, 2022 statistics.
62Billion Kg
Amount of e-waste generated worldwide, which has doubled over the past 12 years.
Nugreen directly contributes to reducing the overall volume of e-waste generated.
40%
Of valuable metals ended up in landfills.
We ensure more valuable materials are extracted from e-waste.
550Million Kg
Of e-waste exported from America (70% of which, uncontrolled)
All our recycling activities are conducted domestically under one roof.

Mine the tech

We call it Urban mining, and we use it to clean up supply chains, by sourcing sustainable metals from technology, not the ground.

Unsafe disposal

Unsafe disposal

More than 80% of electronics are discarded in landfills, where they cause further harm by contaminating our soil and water with lead, mercury, arsenic, and too many other toxic materials.

Urban mining diverts e-waste from landfills, safely processes hazardous materials, and prevents them from contaminating the earth.

Resource depletion

Resource depletion

Traditional mining depletes finite natural resources, leading to long-term sustainability concerns and endangering the natural habitats and biodiversity that depend on them. Over-extraction can also make it difficult for natural systems to recover.

Reclaiming valuable materials from discarded electronics instead of the earth, we reduce the need for virgin mining, conserving precious resources while reducing the environmental devastation caused by traditional mining.
Humanitarian crisis

Humanitarian crisis

Competition for virgin resources, can escalate into conflicts and wars, leading to severe human rights violations and instability.

Miners often work in cramped and hazardous conditions, facing limited airflow, toxic gases, and the constant threat of rockfalls.

Urban Mining helps safeguard communities that might otherwise be displaced by conventional mining, preventing the loss of homes and livelihoods.

Traditional vs Urban Mining

Traditional mining takes a heavy toll on the planet. Urban mining offers a cleaner, more sustainable solution by recovering valuable materials from e-waste, reducing our environmental footprint while keeping resources in use. By choosing recycling over extraction, we can minimize pollution, conserve resources, and protect ecosystems:

EMISSIONS

The U.S. mining sector emitted in 2020: 243 million metric tons of CO2, 5% of total U.S. industrial greenhouse gas emissions.
Urban Mining
Urban mining eliminates the need for energy-intensive extraction, transportation, and processing of raw materials.

WATER

Copper mining in the southwestern U.S. can consume up to 250 gallons of water per ton of ore processed.
Recycling
Recycling e-waste uses a fraction of the water required for ore extraction in land mines.

LAND

Mining activities have disturbed over 3.4 million acres of land in the U.S.
Degradation
Since it doesn’t require the creation of open-pit mines, urban mining avoids extensive land degradation and habitat destruction.

WASTE

In 2019, the U.S. mining industry produced approximately 1.3 billion tons of waste.
Recovering materials
Recovering materials minimizes the amount of waste produced, as it prevents materials from ending up in landfills.

As demand for electronic devices is on the rise, we can tackle this issue with sustainable practices that responsibly manage the need for these materials.

Learn more

Join us in creating a sustainable future.

Achieve your ESG objectives and boost your bottom line with Nugreen's responsible e-waste management services.

Recycle with us