The resources on your doorstep

Natural resources are becoming increasingly scarce, according to the study "Urban Mining for a Circular Society - How High Are the Raw Material Potentials of Urban Mining?" by the German Economic Institute (IW), as consumption has increased significantly in recent decades. Germany is particularly dependent on raw material imports, as some raw materials, such as non-ferrous ores, are not mined in Germany. While measures to secure the supply of raw materials are being discussed in politics, companies are faced with the challenge of using existing resources more sparingly. "Limited natural resources with an increasing global demand for raw materials as well as the current economic tension on the world market ensure that many German companies are already taking measures to minimize resource consumption as much as possible," the paper says.