Downcycling, or cascading, is the recycling of waste where the recycled material is of lower quality and functionality than the original material.[1][2] Often, this is due to the accumulation of tramp elements in secondary metals, which may exclude the latter from high-quality applications. For example, steel scrap from end-of-life vehicles is often contaminated with copper from wires and tin from coating.[3][4] This contaminated scrap yields a secondary steel that does not meet the specifications for automotive steel and therefore, it is mostly applied in the construction sector.[5][6]
- ^ Ana Pires (2018). Sustainable Solid Waste Collection and Management. Springer. ISBN 978-3-319-93200-2.
- ^ William, McDonough; Michael Braungart (2002). North Point Press (ed.). Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. North Point Pr. pp. 56–57. ISBN 978-0-86547-587-8.[dead link]
- ^ Savov, L.; Volkova, E.; Janke, D. (2003). "Copper and tin in steel scrap recycling" (PDF). RMZ - Mater. Geoenviron. 50 (3): 627–640.
- ^ Igarashi, Y.; Daigo, I.; Matsuno, Y.; Adachi, Y. (2007). "Estimation of the Change in Quality of Domestic Steel Production Affected by Steel Scrap Exports". ISIJ Int. 47 (5): 753–757. doi:10.2355/isijinternational.47.753.
- ^ Pauliuk, Stefan; Wang, Tao; Müller, Daniel B. (2012-01-03). "Moving Toward the Circular Economy: The Role of Stocks in the Chinese Steel Cycle" (PDF). Environmental Science & Technology. 46 (1): 148–154. Bibcode:2012EnST...46..148P. doi:10.1021/es201904c. hdl:11250/2393654. ISSN 0013-936X. PMID 22091699.
- ^ Cullen, J.M.; Allwood, J.M.; Bambach, M.D. (2012). "Mapping the global flow of steel: from steel making to end-use goods". Environmental Science & Technology. 46 (24): 13048–13055. Bibcode:2012EnST...4613048C. doi:10.1021/es302433p. ISSN 0013-936X. PMID 23167601.