The copper metabolism of cities:Insights into Vienna and Taipei

Ulrich KRALChih-Yi LIN

Hwong-wen MA Paul H. BRUNNER

25th June 2013, University of Ulsan, Ulsan, Korea7th International Conference of the International Society for Industrial Ecology

Austrian Science Fund (FWF): I 549-N21

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Motivation

Cities arehotspots of material turnover,

THUS

we need more attention on:

a) substance flows and stocks on urban scaleb) city comparisons of flows and stocks

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Joint research

National Taiwan UniversityGraduate Institute of Environmental Engineering(Taiwan)

Vienna University of TechnologyInstitute for Water Quality, Resources and Waste Management(Austria)

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Goal

Comparingthe anthropogenic copper metabolism

of Vienna and Taipei

Vienna

Taipei

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Opening the black box

TaipeiVienna SFA

16 processes41 flows, 6 stocks105 input parameters

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Opening the black box…

…to show the Cu turnover

Vienna Taipei

…and much more.Flows: g Cu/cap.yrStocks: g Cu/cap

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52%

22%

26%

Import into the city

Vienna Taipei

12 kg Cuper cap.yr

11 kg Cuper cap.yr

Use phaseUse phase

Cu containinggoods. E.g.

(Sheet metal, Wires, Cables, Pipes, etc.)

Electrical & electronic appliances

Vehicles

31%

14%39%

16%

Construction material for buildings

Electricitygrid

Household commodities& cars

IndustrialEquipment

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Stocks and changes in stocks

180

300

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

Vienna Taipei

kg Cu/cap.yr

Begin of 2008End of 2008

+ 2% p.a.

+ 26% p.a.

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Non-point versus point emissions

Non-point sources Point sources

~14 g Cu/cap.yr

~5 g Cu/cap.yr

53%

12%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Vienna

Taipei

non‐point emissions point emissions

Surface runoff makes the difference.

Surface runoff

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Flows into environmental sinks

g Cu/cap.yr

Legal standards are in force.

Legal standards are NOT in force.

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Removal efficiency…

…of waste water system.

Taipei

Overflow0%

Effluents22%

Surface runoff4%

Sewage sludge74%

ViennaOverflow

18%

Effluents8%

Surface runoff9%

Sewage sludge65%

100%

Inpu

t to

was

te w

ater

sys

tem

(13

g C

u/ca

p.yr

)

100%

(5 g

Cu/

cap.

yr)

Landfill

Receiving water

Landfill

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Flows into anthropogenic sinkskg Cu/cap.yr

Recovering potential

Factor 12

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Cu content in bottom ash

Vienna Taipei

660 g Cuper cap.yr

60 g Cuper cap.yr

Construction sectorLandfill

Bottom ash

MSWI

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4 key messages

• Distinct urban profiles are found in the dynamics of Cu stocks.

• Non-point Cu sources require more attention by urban governance.

• To avoid environmental overloads, end-of-pipe technologies are

prerequisite to remove Cu from waste streams and store it in

sanitary landfills.

• Much Cu is recycled, but there are still recovery potentials available.

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Worldwide city benchmarking requiresglobal methodology and local knowledge.