Resource scarcity: An OEM perspective

In the last years there has been an increased focus on resource scarcity. This paper will review the issue of resource scarcity from the perspective of Royal Philips Electronics. First we will analyze which materials are considered to be critical by the EU and we will give an overview of materials and their applications used by Philips. We will review the current reserves of some of these materials in the earth´s crust to indentify if any shortages can occur. This will be followed by a more detailed analysis of rare earth elements, their reserve levels around the world and the trade restrictions imposed by the Chinese government. Before moving to the conclusions we will review if recycling can be part of the solution to move to a more resource efficient future and which improvements will still have to be made.