Precious metals lost in landfill

Precious and rare metals worth millions are thrown away in the UK each year in scrapped consumer goods such as old mobile phones, the Government said today.

Metals ranging from gold to cobalt and rare earth elements such as neodymium are used in electronic equipment including phones, laptops, headphones, rechargeable batteries and TVs – but are lost when the goods end up in landfill.

It is estimated that between now and 2020, the UK will throw away 12 million tonnes of electronic equipment, a quarter of which will contain around 63 tonnes of palladium and 17 tonnes of iridium, worth a total of almost £1.4 billion.