Two young women in Nagaland are on a crusade against e-waste

The International Copper Study Group (ICSG) has published October 2021 Copper Bulletin, which provides preliminary copper supply and demand data for the month of July 2021.  In accordance with the data provided by ICSG, the world copper mine production increased marginally by almost 3.6% in the initial seven-month period of the current year. The concentrate production surged higher by around 5.5%, whereas the SX-EW output declined by almost 4.3%.  Chile-the world’s largest copper mine producing country saw its output dip marginally by 1.0%. The output in Peru has increased by 11% over the year. The Indonesian output recorded 61% jump over the previous year, primarily on account of continued ramp up of underground production at the Grasberg mine. Significant production increases were also witnessed in the DRC and Panama.

With an initiative funded by the KOREA-AFRICA ECONOMIC COOPERATION (KOAFEC) focused on waste management, the African Development Bank aims to accelerate the circular economy in Africa, a model which aims to minimise waste and maximise value from resources through the recovery and regeneration of products at the end of their typical service life.  The rationale for the initiative, entitled “Development of a Green Growth Investment Program in Africa focused on waste management and the circular economy,” is that waste management constitutes one of the major developmental challenges for Africa. It has serious potential consequences in terms of environmental quality, public health, fisheries, agriculture, and sustainable development. The expected outcome of the KOAFEC intervention is a stronger enabling environment for sustainable waste management and circular economy activities. This will be delivered through an enhanced policy and regulatory framework, capacity building and resource mobilization activities.

Over half (53%) of workplace and facilities management professionals have a good or excellent understanding of the circular economy framework concept, while only 13% report little or no understanding, findings from the second phase of the IWFM Sustainability Survey 2022 reveal.  However, almost a third (30%) of FMs have little or no understanding of the circular office and how circular economy principles relate to workplace management, presenting an opportunity for the profession to potentially make further cuts to embodied carbon in workplaces by enhancing their knowledge on the subject.