GLASGOW, October 29 (RIA Novosti) — Two Scottish universities have come together to create Scotland's first "remanufacture" hub that will recycle an estimated $81 million worth of gold from disposed electronic equipment over the next five years, the Scottish environmental chief said on Wednesday.
"It is astounding that an estimated £50 million [about $81 million] worth of gold will potentially be wasted in Scotland in the next five years through disposal of electronics like computers and phones," Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment Richard Lockhead said, welcoming the confirmation of the new facility. "By bringing a more circular approach to the way we manage our resources, we can change that. And by channelling expertise into better remanufacturing, we can ensure that valuable components can be recovered and reused," Lockhead added.
Strathclyde University, which is already home to the UK's largest remanufacturing research group, will join with Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh to establish a new cutting-edge $2 million Scottish Institute of Remanufacture.
"The University is well-positioned to ensure Scotland is at the forefront of supporting remanufacturing and we are delighted to be hosting the new institute," Professor Scott MacGregor of Strathclyde University said in a statement.
According to the All Party Parliamentary Sustainable Resource Group, the potential value of remanufacturing across the UK is estimated at between $3.8-$9 billion.
