Working Paper Number 10
Copper In-Use Stock and Copper Scrap
in the State of Connecticut, USA
Jason Rauch, Matthew Eckelman, and Robert Gordon
Yale School of Forestry
& Environmental Studies
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01 Copper – Front Matter
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Page 1
Copper In-Use Stock and Copper Scrap
in the State of Connecticut, USA
Jason Rauch,* Matthew Eckelman,* and Robert Gordon**
abstract
During the summer of 2006, the standing in-use stocks and associated discards of
copper, centered about the year 2000, were quantified for the State of Connecticut.
The methodology, results, and discussion are published here in three parts:
Part A. In-Use Stocks of Copper in the State of Connecticut
Part B. Discard Flows from In-Use Stocks of Copper in the State of Connecticut
Part C. Recycling Rate of Old Scrap Copper in the State of Connecticut
Among the most important and interesting results are as follows:
1) A “bottom-up” assessment of the in-use stocks of copper in the State of Connecticut,
circa 2000, yields an overall result of approximately 540 Gg (thousand metric tons) of
copper, or 157 kg for every person in the State. Buildings make up the largest category
with 53% of the total, with residential buildings as the largest sub-category.
2) The discard flows of copper from in-use stocks were quantified by applying a lifetime
analysis to the in-use stock estimates of copper in Connecticut. A total copper mass of
17 Gg/yr (thousand metric tons per year), or 5.1 kg/(capita*year), was discarded from inuse stocks at the beginning of the 21st century. Renovation and demolition debris
make up the largest category with 36% of the total, followed by waste from electronic
and electrical equipment (26%), transportation (23%), and infrastructure (14%).
3) The recovery rate, recycling efficiency, and recycling rate for copper from in-use stock
discards were quantified for the State of Connecticut for the year 2000. With a
recovery rate of 84%, and recycling efficiency of 75%, the overall recycling rate was
found to be 63%. Neglecting sewage sludge, the lowest recycling rate occurred in endof-life vehicles and waste from electronic and electrical equipment (45%). A rough
estimate combining this old scrap recycling rate with that of new scrap puts the overall
recycling rate of copper in Connecticut at approximately 70%.
*Center for Industrial Ecology,
Yale University
**Department of Geology and
Geophysics, Yale University
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copper in-use stock and copper scrap in the state of connecticut
Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge the Copper Development Association for providing
funding for this research. We also thank the people of Connecticut for the valuable
information they were able to provide in response to our interviews and inquiries.
yale school of forestry & environmental studies
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rauch, eckelman, and gordon
Table of Contents
part a: in-use stocks of copper in the state of
connecticut, usa
1.
overview
2.
methods
2.1 Transportation
2.1.1
2.1.2
2.1.3
2.1.4
7
9
9
10
Automobiles
Air
Marine
Rail
11
13
13
15
2.2 Buildings
15
2.2.1
2.2.2
2.2.3
2.2.4
2.2.5
2.2.6
2.2.7
2.2.8
15
16
17
17
18
19
19
19
Residential Structures
Residential HVAC
Residential Buildings – Other
Commercial Structures
Commercial HVAC
Commercial Buildings – Other
Industrial Structures
Industrial HVAC
2.3 Equipment
2.3.1
2.3.2
2.3.3
2.3.4
2.3.5
2.3.6
2.3.7
20
Domestic “White Goods”
Domestic Electrical and Electronic Appliances
Other Residential Equipment
Commercial “White Goods”
Commercial Electric and Electronic Appliances
Other Commercial Equipment
Industrial Machinery
2.4 Infrastructure
20
20
21
22
23
23
24
25
2.4.1 Water Distribution
2.4.2 Natural Gas Distribution
25
26
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copper in-use stock and copper scrap in the state of connecticut
2.4.3
2.4.4
2.4.5
2.4.6
2.4.7
3.
Electric Power Generation
Electric Power Transmission and Distribution
Rail
Streetscpe
Telecommunications
26
27
27
28
28
results
28
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
28
29
30
32
32
Buildings
Transportation
Equipment
Infrastructure
Comprehensive Results
sensitivity and error
5.
discussion
6.
conclusion
acronyms
work cited
appendix
4.
part b: discard flows of copper from in-use stocks
in connecticut
1.
overview
2.
methodology
2.1 Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
2.1.1 Total Flow
2.1.2 Copper Content
2.2 Renovation and Demolition Debris (R&DD)
2.2.1 Total Flow
2.2.2 Copper Content
2.3 Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
34
35
37
38
39
42
45
47
47
47
47
48
49
49
49
51
2.3.1 Total Flow
2.3.2 Copper Content
51
51
2.4 End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV)
51
2.4.1 Total Flow: Automotive
2.4.2 Total Flow: Aircraft
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51
52
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rauch, eckelman, and gordon
2.4.3
2.4.4
2.4.5
2.4.6
2.4.7
2.4.8
Total Flow: Marine
Total Flow: Rail
Copper Content: Automotive
Copper Content: Air
Copper Content: Marine
Copper Content: Rail
2.5 Sewage Sludge (SS)
54
2.5.1 Total Flow
2.5.2 Copper Content
2.6 Infrastructural Discards
2.6.1 Total Flow
2.6.2 Copper Content
3.
53
53
53
54
54
54
54
54
55
55
55
2.7 Hazardous Waste (HW)
55
2.8 Industrial Waste (IW)
55
results
55
3.1 Renovation and Demolition Debris
56
3.2 Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment
56
3.3 End-of-Life Vehicles
57
3.4 Sewage Sludge
57
3.5 Infrastructural Discards
58
3.5 Comprehensive Results
58
error
5.
discussion
6.
conclusion
acronyms
work cited
60
part c: copper recycling in the state of connecticut
1.
overview
2.
methods
67
4.
61
62
63
64
2.1 Renovation and Demolition Debris (R&DD)
2.1.1 Recovery Rate
2.1.2 Recycling Efficiency
69
69
69
69
70
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copper in-use stock and copper scrap in the state of connecticut
2.2 Waste from Electronic and Electric Equipment (WEEE)
2.2.1 Recovery Rate
2.2.2 Recycling Efficiency
2.3 Sewage Sludge (SS)
2.3.1 Recovery Rate
2.3.2 Recycling Efficiency
2.4 End of Life Vehicles (ELVs)
2.4.1 Recovery Rate
2.4.2 Recycling Efficiency
2.5 Infrastructural Discards
2.5.1 Recovery Rate
2.5.2 Recycling Efficiency
70
70
71
71
71
71
71
71
72
72
72
73
2.6 Municipal Solid Waste
73
2.7 Hazardous Waste
73
2.8 Industrial Waste
73
results
4.
discussion
6.
conclusion
acronyms
work cited
author biographies
3.
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75
75
76
77
79