Dr. Abiola Bashorun, Coordinator of the Climate-Smart Sustainability Programme (Nigeria & USA), has identified End-of-Life (EoL) Management as the missing link between renewable energy, sustainable mining and the circular economy. She urged governments, industries and stakeholders to integrate lifecycle planning into environmental and economic policies to drive sustainable development.
According to her, as the world accelerates its transition to clean energy, sustainable mining and climate resilience, greater attention must be given to what happens when products, infrastructure and mining operations reach the end of their useful lives.
She explained that End-of-Life (EoL) refers to the stage at which a product, infrastructure, equipment or industrial asset reaches the end of its intended service life. Rather than treating such assets as waste, responsible environmental management seeks to maximise their remaining value through reuse, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing, recycling, material recovery or environmentally sound disposal.
She noted that the approach aligns with the principles of the Circular Economy, which aims to keep resources in productive use for as long as possible while reducing waste, conserving natural resources and lowering environmental impacts.
She said the traditional “Take–Make–Dispose” economic model has contributed to resource depletion, pollution, biodiversity loss and rising greenhouse gas emissions, stressing that the future should embrace a “Take–Use–Recover–Reuse–Regenerate” model.
Renewable Energy and End-of-Life Management
She said renewable energy technologies are essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions but warned that solar panels, wind turbines, inverters, transformers and battery energy storage systems all have finite service lives and require proper End-of-Life planning.
She explained that solar photovoltaic (PV) panels typically have a lifespan of 25 to 30 years, after which they can become a significant waste challenge if not properly managed.
According to her, End-of-Life solar panels contain valuable materials such as glass, aluminium, silicon, copper, silver and certain polymers that can be recovered through specialised recycling processes.
She added that lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems contain strategic minerals including lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite and manganese, whose recovery can reduce dependence on virgin raw materials, strengthen resource security, support domestic manufacturing and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
She also highlighted the growing adoption of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programmes, encouraging manufacturers to take greater responsibility for collecting, recycling and responsibly managing renewable energy equipment and batteries at the end of their service life.
End-of-Life Management in Sustainable Mining
She stressed that mining does not end when mineral extraction stops.
She explained that a mine reaches its End-of-Life when commercially recoverable mineral resources have been exhausted or operations permanently cease, making responsible mine closure an essential part of sustainable mining.
According to her, poor closure planning can leave behind degraded landscapes, unstable waste dumps, contaminated water, biodiversity loss and long-term risks to surrounding communities.
She identified key End-of-Life mine management practices to include progressive land rehabilitation, safe closure and stabilisation of waste rock and tailings facilities, treatment of contaminated water, removal or safe decommissioning of mining infrastructure, environmental monitoring after mine closure, afforestation, reforestation, ecosystem restoration and recovery of residual minerals from mine tailings and waste materials where technically and economically feasible.
She added that rehabilitated mine sites could be converted into renewable energy projects, agricultural land, forestry, eco-tourism centres, industrial estates, research facilities or water storage systems, depending on environmental suitability, engineering feasibility and community needs.
Renewable Energy and Critical Minerals
She explained that renewable energy and mining are closely interconnected because critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, graphite, manganese and rare earth elements are essential for manufacturing solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles, batteries and modern electricity infrastructure.
She noted that as global demand for clean energy technologies continues to rise, recovering valuable materials from end-of-life batteries, solar panels, electronic waste and industrial equipment can reduce pressure on primary mining while improving resource efficiency and strengthening sustainable supply chains.
Although recycling alone cannot meet future demand, she said it will play an increasingly important role in supporting a more resilient and sustainable mineral supply chain.
Climate-Smart Sustainability Approach
She said the Climate-Smart Sustainability Programme (Nigeria & USA) recognises End-of-Life Management as a strategic pillar for advancing:
Circular economy development.
Sustainable mining.
Renewable energy transition.
Carbon emission reduction.
Resource efficiency.
Green industrialisation.
Environmental restoration.
Climate resilience.
Green job creation.
She noted that Nigeria possesses abundant renewable energy resources and significant deposits of critical and industrial minerals, including lithium, gold, iron ore, limestone, barite, tin, lead-zinc, bitumen and gemstones.
According to her, integrating End-of-Life planning into renewable energy deployment and mining operations will strengthen environmental stewardship, attract responsible investment, create employment opportunities and improve long-term resource security.
She concluded that environmental sustainability is not achieved solely by producing cleaner technologies but by responsibly managing resources throughout their entire life cycle—from extraction and production to use, recovery, recycling and environmental restoration.
She said the end of a product’s life should not be seen as the end of its value but as the beginning of a new cycle of resource recovery, innovation, environmental restoration and sustainable development.
“The true measure of sustainability is not only how responsibly we extract and use our natural resources, but also how wisely we recover, restore and regenerate them at the end of their life cycle. Every End-of-Life asset represents an opportunity to build a cleaner environment, a stronger economy and a more resilient future.” – Dr. Abiola Bashorun
