電子垃圾成美國新戰略資源

隨著全球地緣政治風險升高與關鍵礦物供應鏈競爭加劇，美國正加速推動電子廢棄物回收與關鍵金屬循環利用，試圖降低對海外供應鏈的依賴。

近年來，美國政府持續將鋰、鈷、稀土等關鍵礦物視為國家經濟與製造戰略核心。尤其在中國掌握多項關鍵金屬加工與供應優勢背景下，美國企業與政策制定者開始更加重視本土電子回收產業的戰略價值。

As geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions intensify, the United States is accelerating efforts to strengthen domestic recycling systems for critical minerals used in electronics, batteries, and advanced manufacturing.

Lithium, cobalt, rare earth elements, and other strategic materials have become increasingly important to U.S. industrial policy, particularly as countries such as China continue to dominate large portions of the global mineral processing market.

近期，包括關稅政策變化與中東地緣衝突等因素，更進一步凸顯全球供應鏈脆弱性，促使市場重新檢視電子產品中的「都市礦山（urban mining）」潛力。

Recent developments, including tariff disputes and instability in the Middle East, have further exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains and increased interest in “urban mining” - the recovery of valuable materials from discarded electronics.

根據 Ellen MacArthur Foundation 估計，目前全球閒置電子設備（hibernating devices）中仍蘊藏約670億美元的材料價值，包括被遺忘在抽屜中的舊手機、筆電與其他電子產品。

ESG與關鍵礦物追蹤需求升溫

According to estimates from Ellen MacArthur Foundation, approximately $67 billion worth of materials remain locked inside unused or forgotten electronic devices worldwide, including old laptops and mobile phones stored in homes and offices.

ESG Reporting Expands Beyond Carbon

Against this backdrop, electronics recycling certification organization e-Stewards and ESG data platform Bloom ESG have expanded their environmental impact calculator to include a new “Critical Metals Conserved” metric.

在此背景下，電子回收認證機構 e-Stewards 與ESG數據平台 Bloom ESG 正擴大其環境影響計算工具功能，新增關鍵金屬保存（Critical Metals Conserved）追蹤指標。

Bloom ESG共同創辦人 Sebastian Foot 表示，企業若缺乏精準量測工具，將無法真正了解有多少關鍵材料被保留在本土供應鏈中。

新版系統可追蹤特定電子設備中的關鍵材料。例如，企業可輸入一批Dell筆電的回收數據，系統將分析不同回收方式下的ESG影響與材料保留情況。

與傳統產業估算不同，Bloom ESG採用實際拆解與秤重分析特定設備零件，並結合冶煉廠數據建立模型，希望降低ESG數據中的「漂綠（greenwashing）」風險。

Sebastian Foot, co-founder of Bloom ESG, said accurate measurement tools are essential for understanding how much critical material remains within domestic supply chains.

The updated platform allows users to track critical materials recovered from specific devices. For example, companies can input a shipment of corporate laptops and receive detailed analysis of the ESG impacts and material recovery outcomes associated with different recycling pathways.

Unlike many industry estimates, Bloom ESG’s methodology relies on direct device teardown measurements and data collected from smelter operations to improve accuracy and reduce greenwashing risks.

e-Stewards創辦人 Jim Puckett 指出：「我們相信必須建立具科學基礎的精準計算，而不是憑空猜測。」

循環經濟成供應鏈安全新核心

分析人士指出，電子回收產業的角色已從單純廢棄物管理，轉變為國家供應鏈韌性與資源安全的重要基礎設施。

特別是在歐盟《企業永續報導指令（CSRD）》等ESG揭露規範逐步上路後，跨國企業開始要求供應商提供可稽核的碳排、材料循環與關鍵礦物保存數據。

“We really believe in doing robust calculations and not just doing guesswork,” said Jim Puckett, founder of the e-Stewards certification program.

Circular Economy Becomes a Supply Chain Imperative

Industry experts say electronics recycling is increasingly viewed not only as a sustainability initiative, but also as a strategic component of national resource security and industrial resilience.

The shift comes as ESG disclosure requirements such as the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) push multinational corporations to provide more auditable data on emissions, material recovery, and supply chain impacts.

此外，電子廢棄物出口至開發中國家的問題也再次受到關注。Puckett指出，許多低收入國家缺乏安全回收基礎設施，導致寶貴金屬流失並造成環境污染。

Concerns over exports of electronic waste to developing nations are also gaining attention. Puckett noted that many lower-income countries lack adequate recycling infrastructure, resulting in material losses and environmental damage.

他認為，本土化電子回收不只是環保議題，更與未來產業競爭力直接相關。

He argued that responsible domestic recycling represents both an environmental and economic opportunity.

「如果沒有金屬，很多產業根本無法運作。」Puckett表示，「這已不只是讓人感覺良好的環保議題，而是許多產業生存的關鍵。」

“If you don’t have the metals, you can’t run industries,” Puckett said. “This goes far beyond feel-good environmental issues. It’s existential for many sectors, especially electronics.”