Fair soldering tin: Recycling, supply chain interventions, or material alternatives?

Abstract

This article explores sustainability issues concerning tin, one of the crucial soldering materials in the global IT industry. In addition to the potential negative social and environmental impacts of tin production, this article assesses initiatives that have emerged as a response to growing pressures on mining companies and producers to address these issues. In the following analysis, issues pertaining to demand and supply are illustrated using two country examples: Indonesia as the largest global producer of tin and Germany as the fourth largest tin consumer. Furthermore, an initiative active in the field of soldering tin in Germany (www.fairloetet.de) is portrayed and its experiences in developing a marketable product of fair and recycled soldering tin are analysed.