Japan's Rare Earth Recycling Efforts

Japan is the world's leading importer of rare earth elements or REEs. To compensate for its lack of indigenous REEs, the Japanese government and some of the country's leading companies are working on REEs recycling programs. In 2010 Hitachi first revealed its REEs recycling program than in 2012 Honda announced that it would be launching a program of its own.

One of the primary reason Hitachi has developed the system is to reduce it reliance on China's supply of REEs (China has a virtual monopoly on REEs producing 97 per cent of the world's supply). Hitachi is hopeful that the recycled minerals will supply 10 per cent of its REE needs.

Rare Earth Recycling In Europe

Nowhere is the recycling of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) more of an active concern than in Europe. REEs recycling in increasingly being seen as an important way of harvesting these scarce metals. China has largely cornered the market in REEs with an estimated 35-40 percent of global reserves. With restrictions on their export from China and increasing worldwide demand, REEs recycling is seen as a way around import dependence. REEs include 17 metals essential in the production of many high-tech products including electric cars and wind turbines.

In February 2012, the European Commission highlighted the importance of technological innovation including reycling as a means of securing raw materials. In September 2011 resolution, the European Parliament specifically pointed to the importance of REE recycling.