article_snippet: Using these three categories, researchers from Yale University led by Professor Thomas Graedel were able to see which metals and metalloids are most at risk within each group.
article_snippet: Many of the metals traditionally used in manufacturing, including zinc, copper, and aluminum, are not at risk, explained Professor Thomas Graedel.
article_snippet: However, which metals and metalloids, are vulnerable.
article_snippet: Platinum group metals including gold and mercury have the highest environmental implications.
article_snippet: The metals we've been using for a long time probably won't present much of a challenge,' said Professor Thomas Graedel.
article_snippet: Many metals traditionally used in manufacturing, including zinc, copper, and aluminum, are not at risk .
article_snippet: Gold and mercury have some of the highest environmental implications (B).
article_snippet: Professor Graedel also looked at the effect recycling can have on these elements and explained that lead is highly recyclable, but materials that are only used in trace amounts are harder to extract. '
article_snippet: So much of what makes the recycling of these materials difficult is these materials design.