Copper is one of the few materials that can be recycled over and over again without loss of performance. Recycling copper is a very environmentally friendly way to reintroduce valuable materials back into production. Recycling copper requires less energy than primary production and reduces CO₂ emissions. In addition to the environmental benefits, recycling complex copper scrap, such as electronic waste, can lead to the recycling of many other metals such as gold, silver, nickel, tin, lead and zinc.
20% of copper is used in buildings - for plumbing, cooling, roofing and facade cladding. Copper provides lightweight, durable, maintenance-free structures that are naturally beautiful, durable and fully recyclable.
The remaining 10% is used to make coins, sculptures, jewelry, musical instruments, cookware and other consumer products.
This vast reserve of copper, dispersed across a wide range of end-use applications, is equivalent to approximately 33 years of mine production and is often referred to as the "urban mine".
Copper recycling
Currently, about 8.7 million tons of copper are recycled each year from "old" scrap (copper contained in end-of-life products) and "new" scrap (copper waste from manufacturing processes). The graph above shows that recycling is at the heart of the entire copper value chain. While there are a few scenarios where copper is irreparably lost, such as consumption through wear and tear (e.g., automotive brake pads) and copper chemicals used in animal food supplements and biocides, the majority of uses are part of a complete recycling and recovery program.
The future development trend of water supply pipe materials is towards green, environmentally friendly and healthy, and the use of materials should also be considered whether it is beneficial to human health;
Copper is a healthy material, as a widely recognized metal material, its unique antibacterial, antiseptic and bacteriostatic properties are little known. The health of the material in the water appliance industry, such as water dispensers, has been highly emphasized by the relevant departments.
In the anti-mold test, the stainless steel mold growth index is as high as level 4, the growth of mold for the coverage of up to 60% of the area to full coverage, does not have the role of anti-mold. In the same test environment, the study found that oxygen-free copper with 100% antibacterial rate and 0 level of long mold grade (microscope did not see the growth of mold) in eleven kinds of metal samples of antibacterial performance of the top of the list.
Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the relevant tests show that: copper on the colorectal bacterial inhibition rate of 100%, on the more difficult to kill Candida albicans 48 hours of its inhibition rate can also reach 99%. At the same time in the bacteriostatic test shows that the bacteriostatic effect on the bacteria of the colorectal bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and so on.
The Ministry of Construction and other four ministries on December 13, 1999 jointly issued a "notice on the elimination of outdated products in the construction of residential buildings" (building housing [1999] No. 295), and further specified that: in the conditions of the place can also promote the use of copper pipe.
