Here you will find articles that discuss how copper interacts with the environment in a variety of common applications . . . from plumbing to heat efficiency. The information has been broken down into four main sections: Recycling, Human Health, Drinking Water and the Natural Environment.

Recycling Copper

Technical Report
The U.S. Copper-base Scrap Industry and Its By-products — 2004 (2.1 MB).

For nearly 5,000 years, copper was the only metal known to man. Today, it’s one of the most used and reused of our “modern” metals...

An easy to read discussion on copper recycling by the British Copper Development Association.

An in-depth collection of articles in Innovations, our on-line e-zine, on how copper is recycled in individual products such as roofs, radiators, etc.

Trends in US copper alloy scrap and effects of product shifts
Copper alloy scrap provides about half of the copper consumed in the United States each year.

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Copper and Human Health

Please visit our new, expanded Copper and Human Health Section for content in this area. Also, note that copper can inhibit the growth of microbes, thus providing a measure of protection against harmful germs and bacteria in many environments. See Antimicrobial Copper Alloy Surfaces.