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China leads world in recycling major nonferrous metals

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-09-07 15:33

NANCHANG: China is ahead of the world in the recycling of major non-ferrous metals and it was an area in which there had been rapid development, said participants at an international forum which concluded Monday in eastern China's Jiangxi province.

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This was part of China's efforts to maintain sustainable economic growth, improve the efficient use of resources and lessen environmental pollution, they said.

The three-day forum on metals recycling was held in Fengcheng City.

In 2008 China ranked the first in the world in the consumption of recycled copper, using approximately 2 million tonnes, or 30 percent of its total annual copper consumption.

China also used 3 million tonnes of recycled aluminum, or 20 percent of its annual consumption; and nearly 1 million tonnes of recycled lead, 25 percent of consumption in 2008.

The figures place China the second in the world in terms of annual consumption of recycled aluminum and lead.