Copper end‑of‑life recovery pathways in data center infrastructure

Published on: October 14, 2026

Case studies, Client solutions, Data center, Genset & CHP Systems, Technologies

1 Min. Reading time

North American Material association: The challenge

Data center growth creates large volumes of end‑of‑life copper
FEV was asked to analyze recycling pathways to identify levers to improve copper preservation and circularity

FEV e+r: Our involvement and solution

Defined end of life scope for copper bearing data center infrastructure, covering power cables, busbars, switchgear, cooling systems, and mixed IT and electrical equipment

Structured assessment of data center change events impacting copper recovery, including technology refresh, capacity retrofit, decommissioning scenarios

Qualitative evaluation of removal practices comparing intact extraction, selective removal, and bulk demolition approaches and their impact on copper value

End to end mapping of the copper recovery value chain, identifying key actors, material routing decisions, and points where copper value is preserved vs. diluted

Development of two representative end of life pathway archetypes to illustrate recovery risks: clean and segregated recovery vs. mixed demolitionscrap outcomes