It is difficult to make blanket statements about the volumes of recyclable raw materials as the situation differs greatly between the various types of material. Indeed, it can almost be called a case of historical inequality. Well-functioning collection schemes and recycling systems have been in place for standard materials such as old paper, old glass and old metal for many years now. Which is why not only the recycling rates are high here but also the use of the recycled materials to make new products. At the other end of the scale is a range of substances such as rare earths. A nationwide recycling scheme – for example to recover them from e-waste – is still very much in its infancy and investment in this area is needed urgently. This is especially true as rare earths are being installed in more and more products in our high-tech world even though there are only limited primary resources available. Rare earths are mined in some areas of South America and Africa – the majority of them, though, are supplied by China. Germany and Europe, therefore, rely on imports which makes them highly dependent on other countries and prone to supply insecurity.