Human Practices

We reached out to Marie Perrin to better understand the scientific, industrial, and entrepreneurial perspectives on Rare Earth Element (REE) recycling. As both a researcher at ETH Zurich and the CEO of REEcover, she bridges academia and business, giving her a unique view on the challenges and opportunities in this field. Our goal was to learn how current recycling methods work, identify their limitations, and gather advice on how synthetic biology could contribute to more sustainable solutions.

• Magnets as a key waste stream: We discovered that rare earth permanent magnets are the most promising target for recycling, using either short-loop (remanufacturing) or long-loop (element recovery) processes.
• Two main hurdles: Recycling is limited by the need for innovative processes adapted to complex waste streams, and by the lack of policies that make it competitive against cheap mining.
• Separation methods: Industrial recycling relies on liquid–liquid extraction, which requires hundreds to thousands of repeated steps to achieve high purity.
• Purity requirements: Standards range from about 99.9% for general uses to 99.999% for specialized applications like lasers or defense.
• Gap between sectors: There are clear divides between academia, industry, and policymakers, with each focusing on different priorities.
• Low awareness: Public knowledge about REE is very limited, even among chemists, making outreach and education crucial.

Our exchange with Marie Perrin was instrumental in refining our perspective on REE recycling. Her emphasis on magnets as the main waste stream helped us narrow our focus, ensuring that our project addressed a concrete and impactful application. At the same time, learning about the technical demands of purity standards and the slow pace of industrial scale-up grounded our ideas in real-world feasibility. Perhaps most importantly, Marie highlighted the systemic gap between academia, industry, and policy, showing us that technical innovation alone is not enough, bridging these divides is just as essential. Finally, the striking lack of public awareness about REE reminded us of our responsibility not only to innovate but also to educate, making outreach a key component of our Human Practices approach. Overall, she underlined that projects like ours are crucial to develop in Europe’s current context and encouraged us to keep pushing forward and give our best.

Our discussion with Marie Lacombe aimed for a better understanding how large-scale recycling systems are organized in practice. By learning from SOREN’s experience with photovoltaic panels, we hoped to identify parallels and lessons that could apply to rare earth element recycling. We also sought to explore the regulatory, logistical, and environmental challenges of managing an industrial recycling chain within the framework of a national eco-organization.

• Material recovery: High-value elements such as silver, copper, and silicon are already recovered at high purity levels. However, the recovery of more critical materials, such as tellurium and cadmium (from CdTe panels), remains challenging and is usually outsourced to specialized downstream refiners.
• Economic model: The system is financed primarily by eco-participation fees collected when panels are sold, complemented by the resale of recovered materials. Currently, treatment costs outweigh material revenues, but economies of scale and improved processes are expected to change this in the future.
• Opportunities for innovation: Emerging technologies such as perovskite tandem cells pose new challenges, as recycling methods are not yet defined. Soren highlighted that collaborations with researchers could be key to developing new processes. This means that our work on tellurium recovery with bacteria could eventually find a place in supporting industrial recyclers dealing with niche technologies like CdTe or future panel designs.
• Industry context: The recycling sector is still young and rapidly scaling. Regulatory requirements already enforce high recovery rates (87% valorization, 82% recycling), and operators are aiming higher. The expected boom in end-of-life panels by 2030–2040 will only reinforce the need for more efficient and innovative recycling solutions.

Our exchange with SOREN highlighted how crucial it is to integrate technical innovation within existing industrial and regulatory frameworks. Seeing how the eco-organization coordinates a nationwide recycling chain reminded us that even the best scientific ideas cannot stand alone — they need viable collection systems, financing mechanisms, and compliance with strict recovery targets to succeed. We also realized that while mainstream technologies like crystalline silicon are already well managed, niche materials such as tellurium remain largely unresolved. This confirmed the relevance of our approach: instead of competing with well-optimized recycling processes, our project could address specific bottlenecks, bringing added value to an evolving sector.

Our discussion with Dea Wehrli aimed to better understand how principles of circular economy can be practically implemented in the context of Rare Earth Element (REE) recycling. We sought her expertise on systemic challenges such as waste stream management, policy frameworks, and stakeholder collaboration. By consulting Volutio, we hoped to gain a strategic and holistic perspective that could inform the societal and environmental integration of our project.

• Collaboration pathways: Partnering with e-waste recycling companies or electronics manufacturers offers different opportunities depending on volumes and accessibility of materials.
• Economic viability: Any recovery solution must prove financially attractive, with clear benefits for stakeholders beyond scientific innovation.
• Market knowledge: Understanding prices, demand, and regional markets for REE and tellurium is crucial to position our project where it can have the most impact.
• Clear communication: Potential partners may not be experts, so explaining both the technical and financial value of our solution is essential to foster interest and trust.

Our discussion with Dea Wehrli encouraged us to think beyond the purely scientific scope of our project and to integrate economic and strategic considerations from the start. She emphasized that success in rare metal recovery depends not only on technological feasibility but also on market dynamics, volumes, and clear incentives for stakeholders. This pushed us to reflect on how to frame our project in a way that demonstrates tangible value to potential partners. Her insights highlighted the importance of starting small, building collaborations that allow us to test our approach in real conditions, and communicating effectively with non-experts. Overall, this exchange helped us better understand the real-world challenges of turning academic innovation into a viable entrepreneurial solution.

The purpose of our meeting with Emanuele Boni was to gain insight from a researcher’s perspective on the environmental and social impact of electronic devices, particularly regarding rare earth elements (REE) and tellurium. We wanted to better understand how the use of technology in university labs and student life contributes to global ecological and social challenges.

We also aimed to explore practical solutions for reducing this impact, such as prolonging the lifetime of equipment, implementing responsible lab practices, and managing data more sustainably. Furthermore, the meeting allowed us to discuss the broader social and geopolitical implications of REE extraction and recycling, as well as the role of legislation, consumer choice, and activism in promoting sustainability. Ultimately, we sought to understand how students and researchers can act responsibly as both consumers and citizens to make meaningful contributions toward a more sustainable future.

• Biodiversity Impact of IT Equipment: Rare earth element extraction for devices has a huge impact on biodiversity due to open-pit mining, deforestation, soil removal, chemical contamination, and associated social issues (e.g., child labor, poor working conditions).
• Sustainable Practices in Labs and Daily Life: Prolonging equipment lifetime, responsible usage, maintenance, sharing, and choosing sustainable providers can reduce environmental impact. Smart experiment planning and careful data management also minimize unnecessary resource consumption.
• Social Impact and Externalities: Negative consequences from REE mining are often invisible to end-users and not accounted for in business models (externalities). Awareness and responsible choices can mitigate some of these effects.
• Geopolitical Implications: Most REE production is concentrated in China, creating a near-monopoly and geopolitical risks. Recycling and circular economy approaches could reduce dependence on external sources.
• Education and Awareness: Making environmental impacts visible and quantifiable helps students and researchers make informed choices. Efforts like citizen assemblies and university strategies show that coordinated action is feasible.

Meeting with Emanuele Boni offered us a deeper understanding of the environmental and social footprint of technology, particularly in research and education. His explanations of the Donut economic framework highlighted how the choices we make daily—such as using laptops, tablets, and lab equipment—have far-reaching consequences on biodiversity, climate, and global equity. It became clear that even seemingly small decisions, like prolonging the lifetime of devices or sharing lab equipment, can collectively make a significant difference.

We also reflected on the complex balance between research progress and environmental responsibility. While scientific work has the potential to create enormous societal benefits, it also generates tangible negative impacts that are often invisible or externalized. This perspective encouraged us to consider how our project on recycling REE and tellurium could not only advance circular economy practices but also address ethical and geopolitical challenges.

Finally, Emanuele’s insights emphasized that sustainable change requires both structural support, such as university guidelines and legislation, and personal responsibility, including mindful consumption and advocacy. This reflection reinforced the importance of integrating environmental consciousness into our research practices and everyday life, and inspired us to think critically about the broader implications of our work.

As students passionate about bringing our iGEM project from theory to reality, we met with Gabrielle Loeb from Genilem to seek her guidance on transforming our idea into a real, functioning startup. We wanted to understand how to structure a viable business, assess market needs, and explore practical strategies for growth. Gabrielle shared her expertise on market validation, business modeling, and collaboration opportunities, helping us envision the steps needed to scale our project into an operational company.

• Market Validation: Understanding the actual needs of potential customers is essential. We need to conduct qualitative interviews and study the demand before deciding on our product or service model.
• Business Model Strategy: Starting small and collaborating with existing companies can help us scale realistically. Key partners can provide access to resources and reduce the need for heavy initial infrastructure.
• Service vs Product: There are multiple ways to bring our solution to market, either as a service, a technology license, or a physical product. The choice depends on the market’s feedback and the problem we are solving.
• Startup Resources: Incubators, accelerators, and funding programs offer different types of support. Choosing the right one is critical to avoid spreading the team too thin and to align resources with our current stage of development.
• Growth Planning: Developing a prototype and validating its viability comes first. Only afterward should we focus on scaling, pricing strategies, and expansion plans.

This meeting was invaluable in helping us transition our project from a theoretical concept into a concrete startup vision. Gabrielle guided us to focus on understanding the real-world needs of our potential customers and emphasized the importance of validating our market before committing to a specific business model. Her advice on starting small, leveraging key partners, and using incubators and accelerators strategically helped us see the practical steps needed to bring our solution to life. Overall, the discussion highlighted the gap between ideas and execution and reinforced that careful planning, iterative validation, and collaboration are essential for building a viable and impactful startup.

Davide Staedler, CEO of TIBIO, is an experienced manager with a strong scientific background in chemistry and biotechnology. Passionate about industrial applications, he combines his expertise with a dedication to teaching and mentoring. Under his leadership, TIBIO has grown as a Swiss biotechnology and scientific consulting company, offering innovative solutions in environmental biotechnologies, chemical and microbiological analyses, and project development for sustainable and impactful biotechnological applications.

• Regulatory & Safety: Bacteria classes 1–4 determine legislative difficulty; higher classes require stricter compliance.
• Industrialization & Resources: Efficient water management and potential recycling are critical for scaling bacterial processes.
• Diversification & Strategy: Avoid relying on a single service; diversify offerings to ensure company resilience and stakeholder confidence.
• Partnerships & Investors: Collaborations with large companies and venture/angel investors provide credibility and funding but require clear agreements to maintain control.
• Mindset & Feedback: Detach emotionally from the idea; actively seek unbiased advice and remain open to pivoting based on market and expert input.

Meeting with Davide Staedler was particularly inspiring because he shared a path similar to ours: starting a company while still completing his studies and using bacteria to solve real-world problems. His advice emphasized the importance of balancing passion with pragmatism—learning to detach from our ideas, seeking unbiased feedback, and carefully navigating regulatory and industrial constraints. We realized that industrialization requires strategic partnerships, resource efficiency, and diversification to ensure the company’s resilience. Most importantly, we learned that scaling a biotech project is as much about mindset and adaptability as it is about technology.