Please note! Course description is confirmed for two academic years, which means that in general, e.g. Learning outcomes, assessment methods and key content stays unchanged. However, via course syllabus, it is possible to specify or change the course execution in each realization of the course, such as how the contact sessions are organized, assessment methods weighted or materials used.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After the course the student is able to:

  • Recall, define, and discuss the basic concepts of circular economy and successfully apply them within the field of raw materials production.
  • Assess the physical and chemical advantages and limitations in different technological steps and methods for both metal and plastics recycling.
  • Apply a systemic perspective in designing resource efficient recycling processes.
  • Identify the scale of the challenges connected to materials consumption and recycling today and in the near future.

Credits: 5

Schedule: 23.10.2024 - 29.11.2024

Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Anna Klemettinen, Jukka Niskanen, Rodrigo Serna Guerrero

Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):

CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):

Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):

Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English

CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD

Content
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    • Introduction to the value chain of metals – from mining to recycling.
    • Fundamental concepts in plastics production, plastic waste processing, and plastics recycling.
    • Concepts of circular economy and resource efficiency.
    • Steps in metal recycling process: mechanical pre-processing, hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical processing.
    • Mechanical and chemical recycling of plastics: current status, challenges, and emerging technologies. 
    • Challenges in metal recycling: waste management, waste collection, thermodynamic limitations, economic feasibility. 
    • Environmental impacts of waste materials and their recycling processes. 
    • Principles of life cycle assessment (LCA) and challenges.

Assessment Methods and Criteria
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Lectures, home assignments (online quizzes, short calculation tasks), and final online exam

Workload
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Lectures 24 h

    Tutorials 24 h

    Project (home) work 45 h

    Independent studies 42 h

DETAILS

Study Material
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Lecture notes, Wills: Mineral Processing Technology, Elsevier; Worrell and Reuter: Handbook of recycling, Elsevier

Substitutes for Courses
Prerequisites
SDG: Sustainable Development Goals

    12 Responsible Production and Consumption

    13 Climate Action

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further Information
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Teaching Language: English

    Teaching Period: 2024-2025 Autumn II
    2025-2026 Autumn II

    Registration:

    Max 100 students prioritized in the following order: 

    1. All the students (including doctoral students) in the major Sustainable Metals Processing from the ‘Chemical, Biochemical, and Materials Engineering’; ‘Chemical and Process Engineering’ and ‘Sustainable Metallurgical Engineering’ from the Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering Master’s Program, as well as students from Creative Sustainability CHEM Master's Program are selected if enrolled in time. 

    2. Students in the master’s programs in Chemical, Biochemical, and Materials Engineering’ i.e. ‘Fibre and Polymer Engineering’ and ‘Functional Materials’ 

    3. Students in the master’s program in ‘Chemical, Biochemical, and materials Engineering’ i.e. ‘Biomass Refining’, ‘Biotechnology’, and ‘Chemistry’. 

    A course implementation may be cancelled if the number of students enrolled to the course implementation does not meet the required minimum of five students. In the case of cancelled course implementations, the students enrolled to them must be provided with an alternative way of completing the course or be advised to take some other applicable course.