Assessing the sustainability of lead utilization in China.
Lead is not only one of heavy metals imposing environment and health risk, but also critical resource to maintain sustainable development of many industries. Recently, due to the shortage of fossil fuels, clean energy vehicles, including electric bicycle, have emerged and are widely adopted soon in the world. China became the world's largest producer of primary lead and a very significant consumer in the past decade, which has strained the supplies of China's lead deposits from lithosphere and boost the anthropogenic consumption of metallic lead and lead products. Here we summarize that China's lead demand will continually increase due to the rapid growth of electric vehicle, resulting in a short carrying duration of lead even with full lead recycling. With these applications increasing at an annual rate of 2%, the carrying duration of lead resource until 2030 will oblige that recycling rate should be not less than 90%. To sustain lead utilization in China, one approach would be to improve the utilization technology, collection system and recycling technology towards closed-loop supply chain. Other future endeavors should include optimizing lead industrial structure and development of new energy.
State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, China.
Lingyu
L
Sun
State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, China.
Chen
C
Zhang
State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, China. Electronic address: jinhui@tsinghua.edu.cn.
Jinhui
J
Li
State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, China. Electronic address: xlzeng@tsinghua.edu.cn.
Xianlai
X
Zeng
D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control; D005579:Fossil Fuels / Q000032:analysis; D007854:Lead / Q000633:toxicity*; D059027:Recycling
D005579:Fossil Fuels; D007854:Lead
China; Lead; Management; Material flow; Sustainability; Utilization