Mitsubishi Electric, together with Shin-Etsu Chemical and Eco Advance, has for the first time in Japan created a closed-loop recycling system that makes it possible to recover rare-earth magnets from end-of-life residential air conditioners, reuse rare-earth elements, and return them to the production of new models of residential climate-control equipment. The project aims at the efficient use of scarce resources and the development of a circular economy. ♻️
Within the chain:
- Hyper Cycle Systems — is responsible for collecting and dismantling air conditioners in accordance with the requirements of Japan’s home appliance recycling law
- Green Cycle Systems — separates compressor rotors
- Eco Advance — recovers magnets from them
- Shin-Etsu Chemical — extracts and purifies:
- neodymium
- praseodymium
- dysprosium
- terbium
after which the regenerated materials are used again in the manufacture of magnets for compressors.
According to the company’s estimates, secondary rare-earth elements will be able to cover approximately 35 % of the Japanese production demand for dysprosium and terbium for residential air conditioners. In addition, organizing a single cycle from collection to returning materials to production reduces transportation costs and lowers the environmental burden.
Mitsubishi Electric plans to further extend this recycling system not only to residential but also to commercial air conditioners.