Applying a range of material reduction tools, such as lightweighting, manufacturing efficiency, extended lifetimes, and recycling, it is possible to cut the need for major commodities.

Potential savings in steel, aluminum, and cement in 2060 through material efficiency ¹.

Lightweighting

There has been considerable progress in lightweighting since the 1980s, such as in aluminum cans, glass bottles, and grocery bags, driven primarily by internal economics ². The following reductions in world steel and aluminum production may be possible through lightweighting, though larger savings might not be economical.

Potential aluminum and steel savings through lightweighting. Source: Carruth et al. ³.

Reuse and Repair

Reuse of products and components has the technical potential to significantly reduce steel and aluminum demand, though the economic case for doing so is unclear.

Potential aluminum and steel savings through product reuse. Source: Cooper and Allwood ⁴.

Product sharing, and life extension through repair, are technically feasible and have the potential to reduce manufacturing energy. However, these solutions are usually difficult to justify on economic and cultural grounds ⁵.

Additional Material Reduction Tools

Modular product design could help improve remanufacturing and component reuse of manufactured products, though data is limited on the performance of such programs ⁵.

Market Solutions

Carbon pricing would incentivize material reduction at each stage of a product's life, including production and use ⁶.

A mining tax would reflect unpriced externalities on mining and drive material efficiency. In the United States, artificially low land prices for mining constitute a subsidy of about $500 million per year, and the public is potentially on the hook for $32 to $72 billion of clean-up costs from abandoned mines ⁷. Prices for raw materials should reflect these costs.