ILA Blog
Socrates’ view on lead in a Circular Economy
By Annelies Malfliet, KU Leuven
If generation were in a straight line only, and there were no compensation or circle in nature, no turn or return into one another, then you know that all things would at last have the same form and pass into the same state, and there would be no more generation of them.
Quote from Phaedo - Plato
This quote is from Plato’s fourth dialogue Phaedo, in which the philosophy of Socrates on the afterlife and the immortal soul is discussed. Socrates may no longer be with us, but his name and philosophy are still relevant 2,400 years later and has been revived in a European project called Socrates. This project is not a philosophical study on the afterlife, the (re)generation or the circle in nature. Instead, it is a Marie Curie European Training Network (EU-MSCA-ETN) project in which a group of scientists and engineers search for answers and solutions on the afterlife of industrial by-products, the regeneration of their metallic constituents and the development of metallurgical flowsheets in a Circular Economy.
The immortality of the soul is one of the key ideas of Socrates - the philosopher – discussed in the Phaedo dialogue. The European project Socrates looks at metals in industrial residues in a similar way – as immortal substances that can be reused. This is the idea of the Circular Economy. Metals can be used as part of an industrial residue, and then reused as a crucial element in smartphones or in renewable energy technologies.
Metals are indeed eminently recyclable – lead can be infinitely recycled without any loss of quality. However, to recover base and technology metals from natural resources, residues and complex end-of-life products at the highest resource efficiency, an agile and interconnected metallurgical infrastructure is needed. This concept, and specifically how the base metallurgical sectors, such as lead metallurgy, are enabling the Circular Economy and the (re)generation of technology metals, is discussed in a recent policy brief by Socrates, the EU-MSCA-ETN project.
Socrates project view on the essential role of lead metal for Europe's Circular Economy
The recovery and recycling of several elements, such as antimony (Sb), tin (Sn) and bismuth (Bi) is based on refining them from lead (Pb) through well-developed metallurgical processes in which lead acts as a carrier metal. Lead therefore plays a fundamental role in the extractive metallurgy and is a key enabler of the Circular Economy. It should be realized that disrupting a basic metallurgy infrastructure by restricting the use of lead, such as proposed by the European Commission will have far-reaching consequences. It will negatively impact the inflow, production, recycling and availability of many other metals used for key industries in Europe such as car manufacturing, energy storage and the aviation and space industry. As such, it is key to maintain and further develop the metals infrastructure and know-how in the EU and worldwide, including lead metallurgy, to realize the Circular Economy in the most environmentally and energy-efficient manner.
To find out more about the Socrates EU-MSCA-ETN project, visit the website here: https://etn-socrates.eu/. To download the Socrates policy brief “Lead Metallurgy is Fundamental to the Circular Economy (by Bart Blanpain, Markus Reuter, Annelies Malfliet – KU Leuven)” click here.
ILA Blog
Global alliance to promote responsible lead battery manufacturing and recycling - 21/01/2020
By Dr Steve Binks One of the hallmarks of a modern and responsible global industry is its ability to work collectively to take steps to continuously … Continue ReadingThe year ahead: ILA’s Dr Andy Bush looks ahead and sets out the agenda for 2020 and beyond - 01/01/2020
By Dr Andy Bush There will be no let-up in the pace of change facing our industry in 2020, but we have never been in a … Continue ReadingInvesting in sustainable lead production is the real green deal - 16/12/2019
By Dr Andy Bush Coming hot on the heels of the EU’s Green Deal announcement, new investment in sustainable lead production in Bulgaria is helping ensure … Continue ReadingForty years and a lifetime's achievement - 04/12/2019
One of the lead industry’s most understated stalwarts has received a lifetime achievement award in India, 40 years to the day after starting his career. Mark … Continue ReadingImproving battery recycling in Ethiopia - 03/12/2019
As the economy of the land-locked east African country continues to thrive, the International Lead Association’s (ILA) Brian Wilson is advising companies and government officials … Continue ReadingInnovation continues at Boliden’s Bergsöe plant - 14/11/2019
By Fredrik Kanth, Boliden As one of Europe’s largest recyclers of automotive lead batteries in Europe, our lead smelter at Boliden Bergsöe has been upgraded to … Continue ReadingThe impact of ILA during the European Week for Safety & Health at Work - 25/10/2019
By Dr Steve Binks It’s the European Week for Safety & Health at Work - #EUhealthyworkplaces. A core part of ILA’s mission is to encourage continual … Continue ReadingIndustry committed to improving recycling standards worldwide - 09/09/2019
For more than two decades the International Lead Association (ILA) has been supporting the lead battery recycling industry with technical expertise advising businesses, governments and … Continue ReadingEnsuring the environmentally sound, safe and sustainable recycling of used lead batteries is a joint effort - 05/09/2019
It is a pivotal time for the global lead and lead battery industries. As the world moves towards a more sustainable, responsible, and environmentally-sound future, … Continue ReadingInnovative ways to manage lead exposures at H. J. Enthoven & Sons - 20/08/2019
By Mark Ashmore (H. J. Enthoven & Sons, United Kingdom) As legislation inevitably catches up with the science of human health effects, what are the challenges … Continue ReadingOur man in the field… closer to home - 05/08/2019
Brian Wilson ILA’s battery safety and recycling expert Brian Wilson has exchanged the jungles of Colombia and the recycling plants of Nairobi for the streets of … Continue ReadingIndustry must work together to defend its future - 26/06/2019
By Dr Andy Bush Our industry is at something of a turning point as we look ahead, which is exactly what we did at the 21st International … Continue ReadingComing together for a sustainable future for the lead industry - 31/05/2019
By Dr Andy Bush With just two weeks until Pb2019, ILA is readying itself to welcome over 150 delegates at the premier event for analysis and … Continue ReadingEurope needs a new industrial strategy in which to champion batteries - 03/04/2019
By Dr Andy Bush Concerned by China, the EU is rapidly looking for a new industrial strategy to match the perceived power and influence of a … Continue ReadingGlobal recycling day: how lead and lead batteries support green growth - 18/03/2019
By Dr Andy Bush One of the pressing questions for all businesses grappling with how to protect the earth’s natural resources and environment for the long … Continue ReadingSocrates and the philosophy of the circular economy - 11/03/2019
By Lisa Allen, REACH Manager THE EU has published an update on its progress towards becoming a truly circular economy, and it reads a bit like this: … Continue ReadingPromoting and supporting best practice recycling in Nairobi, Kenya - 11/03/2019
By Brian Wilson ILA’s responsible battery recycling expert Brian Wilson is in Kenya, primarily to attend the upcoming United Nations Environment Assembly, where he will make … Continue ReadingIn Europe lead batteries will help charge a low carbon future - 19/02/2019
By Dr Andy Bush With elections around the corner, Europe is not just facing one year of political upheaval, but decades of significant transformation as it … Continue ReadingAs climate change tops the list of concerns at Davos, governments must move quickly to back battery technologies - 24/01/2019
By Dr Andy Bush As global decision makers consider the state of the world at their gathering in Davos, climate change and environmental concerns feature in … Continue ReadingThe year ahead promises change and new opportunities - 01/01/2019
By Dr Andy Bush As we enter a new year it will without doubt be a significant period of new challenges and opportunities - and change … Continue ReadingInnovation is the key to tackling climate change - 03/12/2018
By Dr Alistair Davidson AS politicians and experts gather in Poland to consider how to tackle global warming, battery experts are continuing to see how innovation … Continue ReadingMicrogrid experiment is part of global battery energy storage bid to boost electrification - 09/11/2018
By Dr Alistair Davidson ON a university campus in rural Missouri, a partnership project between industry and academia is paving the way for homes to adopt … Continue ReadingLead batteries provide the blueprint for circular economy and sustainability goals - 31/10/2018
By Dr Alistair Davidson Today we celebrate World Cities Day, a UN designated day for the recognition and celebration of urbanisation worldwide, with the motto ‘Better … Continue ReadingThe European Battery Alliance is one year old; it is time to embrace all battery technologies - 15/10/2018
By Dr Andy Bush This month marks the one-year anniversary of the European Battery Alliance (EBA). With energy storage in Europe increasing by 49% in 2017, … Continue ReadingHow lead batteries help achieve a greener world - 25/09/2018
Dr Alistair Davidson Last week, Zero Emissions Day focused the world’s attention on the goal of reducing emissions and encourages and celebrates opportunities to achieve this … Continue ReadingSolar power and lead batteries energise the Navajo Nation - 23/08/2018
Dr Alistair Davidson In one of the most sun-drenched regions of North America, ALABC member company Crown Battery is helping deliver a sustainable, renewable energy storage … Continue ReadingThe EU is short-circuiting its battery plans - 27/06/2018
Dr Andy Bush ONE of the most high-profile EU Commissioners (and forthcoming candidate for the EU presidency) Maroš Šefčovič, has been in Washington D.C., US, speaking … Continue ReadingA plan for all seasons - 21/05/2018
Dr Andy Bush THE vast legislative juggernaut that is the EU moved up a gear this week with the latest announcement of its package of measures … Continue ReadingOur man in Colombia - 15/05/2018
Brian Wilson CALI is a thriving city in the north-west of a South American country once renowned for its reputation for drug cartels and conflict. Times have … Continue ReadingLetter from America: the heat is on - 10/05/2018
Dr Andy Bush I HAVE spent a week deep in the Arizona desert with the US’s leading battery manufacturers discussing the opportunities and threats facing the … Continue ReadingRevolutionary spirit energises Boston - 02/05/2018
Dr Alistair Davidson AS the birthplace of the American revolution it was fitting that Boston, Massachusetts, should host a conference about a very different, but no … Continue ReadingSomething fishy’s going on in Sweden - 25/04/2018
Dr Andy Bush The European Union is currently consulting on a proposal which could, if supported, restrict the use of lead metal in products. This would be … Continue ReadingDoes the left hand know what the right hand is doing? - 23/04/2018
Dr Steve Binks Businesses welcome good regulation, but sometimes large organisations such as the EU are faced with the left hand not always being aware what … Continue ReadingFollow the star in the East - 03/04/2018
Dr Alistair Davidson SAUDI ARABIA has signalled another dramatic step in its transformation from being an oil state to a renewable energy empire, by investing $200billion … Continue ReadingA bright future for lead - 29/03/2018
Dr Andy Bush I spoke at two conferences last week, one organised by analysts from the commodities group CRU, the other an event for Metal Bulletin. … Continue ReadingLead batteries: essential energy for a greener world - 16/03/2018
Dr Andy Bush The huge increase in demand for safe and reliable batteries to store energy from renewable sources such as solar and wind heralds a … Continue ReadingChina forges ahead in energy storage using advanced lead batteries - 15/03/2018
Dr Alistair Davidson One of my early impressions as I tour China’s vast industrial heartlands is the country’s growing demand for electricity from renewable sources to … Continue Reading