Japan Catalyst Recycle Totals 56.4 Billion Yen in F2007

Japanese catalyst recycling value totaled 56.4 billion yen for fiscal 2007 (Apr07-Mar08), increasing by 3.7% from the previous fiscal year thanks to the upsurge of metal prices, according to Japan Catalyst Recovering Association. The recycling value increased by 5.5% year-on-year for precious metal catalysts and by 2.2 times for nickel-cobalt catalysts while decreased by 21.8% for molybdenum-vanadium-tungsten catalysts. The recycling value of non-catalyst materials, including electronic materials and dental alloys, totaled 196.3 billion yen in F2007, increasing by 97.1% y/y.

Returned volume of precious metal catalysts was 3,532 tonnes and recycled metal volume was 69 tonnes through F2007. Returned volume of automotive precious metal catalysts almost tripled from the previous fiscal year. Returned volume slightly increased for silver catalysts from formalin production. Returned volume of platinum and palladium catalysts increased from automotive fields. On the other hands, returned volume of automotive rhodium catalysts decreased.

As to nickel, the returned volume was 4,668 tonnes, the recycled metal was 564 tonnes and the recycling value was 2.2 billion yen. Cobalt recycling volume increased widely in F2007. The returned volume was 280 tonnes, the recycled metal was 167 tonnes and the recycling value was 1.3 billion yen.

Molybdenum’s recycling value was 6.6 billion yen. The returned volume was 18,715 tonnes and the recycled metal was 814 tonnes. Vanadium’s recycling value was 1.6 billion yen. The returned volume was 219 tonnes. As to tungsten, the returned volume was 27 tonnes while there was no recycling figure.