Waste Electronic Equipment Research Articles

Composition and Volume of Electrical and Electronic Equipment Waste in Togo: Case of District Autonome Du Grand Lome and the City of Kara

Composition and Volume of Electrical and Electronic Equipment Waste in Togo: Case of District Autonome Du Grand Lome and the City of Kara

Problems of recycling polystyrene plastics from waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE)

The problem of restoring the life cycle of polymers using the example of waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) consists in carefully separating polymers by type and increasing the mechanical characteristics of polymers after their aging. It is shown that when separating polystyrene plastics based on impact-resistant polystyrene, the material also includes polyolefins, in particular, filled polypropylene. On this basis, a model system containing high-impact polystyrene and chalk-filled polypropylene was chosen. The effect of modifying additives such as SEBS, maleinated polystyrene and polypropylene on the physical and mechanical characteristics of impact-resistant polystyrene, including in the presence of filled polypropylene, has been studied. The influence of the composition of the composition on its thermal stability, as well as the thermal stability of industrial batches of secondary impact-resistant polystyrene from the WEEE has also been determined. As a result, using the example of a model system, ways of possible modifycation of the high-impact polystyrene from WEEE are shown in order to obtain a commercial product with improved characteristics.

Application of IoT technology for enhancing the consumer willingness to return E-waste for achieving circular economy: A Lagrangian relaxation approach

Poor management of waste electronic and electrical equipment (e-waste) has resulted in serious challenges to the environment and, consequently, to living organisms. Increasing consumer willingness to return household e-waste is a practical solution for better e-waste management. In this paper, for the first time, a circular supply chain network is structured by applying internet of things (IoT) technology to increase consumer willingness to return household e-waste and to manage the network more effectively. For this purpose, we formulate a mixed-integer linear programming model whose objective is to minimize strategic costs (setup costs and IoT deployment costs) and operational costs (transportation costs, costs associated with IoT, and processing costs in centers), simultaneously. In addition, we developed a heuristic algorithm based on Lagrangian relaxation to solve the proposed MILP model. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated by comparing its results with GAMS results using eight small-sized simulated problems. Furthermore, eight large-size problems are simulated and solved by the proposed algorithm. Finally, the data of an Iranian knowledge-based company is employed to validate the presented mathematical model and algorithm, and the sensitivity analysis process is used to examine the accuracy of the obtained results.

The potential impact of the new ‘Right to Repair’ rules on electrical and electronic equipment waste: A case study of the UK

Every year an estimated two million tonnes of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) are discarded by householders and companies in the United Kingdom (UK). While the UK has left the European Union (EU), its waste-related policies still mirror those of the EU, including the WEEE-related policies. Motivated by the recent introduction the so-called ‘Right to Repair’ policy for electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) across the EU and UK, this paper aims to demonstrate that, depending on the commitment and behavioural changes by the consumers and the government, the future of the WEEE management of the UK will vary. To this end, focusing on landfilled WEEE reduction we develop a generic system dynamics model and apply it to eleven WEEE categories. They depict the flow of EEE and WEEE representing the interaction among the stakeholders (e.g., consumers and producers of EEE) and relevant government regulations of the UK. Our four scenario analyses find that longer use of EEE and better WEEE collection seem to be effective in reducing landfilled WEEE, while more reuse and more recycling and recovery have negligible impacts, despite excluding the additional generation of landfilled WEEE as a result of recycling and recovery. Comparing with the business-as-usual scenario, one year longer EEE use and 10% more of WEEE collection could at maximum reduce landfilled WEEE by 14.05% of monitoring and control instruments and 93.93% of display equipment respectively. Backcasting scenario analyses reveal that significant efforts are required to reduce the targeted amounts.

Pyrolysis Processing of Polymer Waste Components of Electronic Products

The recycling of ABS plastic as a component of electronic and electrical equipment waste by the method of low-temperature pyrolysis is shown and substantiated as well as obtaining alternative sources of energy: pyrolysis liquid, gas mixture, and pyrocarbon. The main components of electronic and electrical equipment waste, which consists of plastic and refractory oxides, along with copper and iron compounds, were analyzed. The composition of precious, toxic, rare, basic metals, and plastic waste is given. It is shown that the waste of electronic and electrical equipment is a valuable secondary raw material and requires separate environmentally friendly processing technologies. The thermal destruction of ABS plastic as a component of waste electronic and electrical equipment at a technological installation of periodic action in the absence of air oxygen and an acid-type catalyst was investigated. Gasoline, naphtha, kerosene, and diesel fractions were obtained by distillation of the pyrolysis liquid, and their qualitative and quantitative composition was studied by gas chromatography. It was established that the vast majority of compounds in different fractions are saturated С8–С16 hydrocarbons of normal and isomeric structure.

Ti3AlC2 MAX Phase: A surprising candidate material for highly selective and efficient gold recovery from strong acid solutions

Given the scarcity of natural gold sources and associated mining challenges, the recovery of gold from secondary sources, such as electronic equipment waste (e-waste), becomes imperative. E-waste is typically treated with aqua regia to obtain highly acidic gold-containing solutions, which are subsequently processed by various methods to recover gold. Gold recovery materials offer numerous benefits but often exhibit insufficient selectivity, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. To address this problem, we herein used a nonmodified pristine Ti-Al-C MAX phase (Ti3AlC2) to realize the one-pot room-temperature recovery of gold from highly acidic solutions (pH < 1) in the form of easily collectable bulky ball-shaped Au0 aggregates. High gold selectivity (Kd = 2.03 × 106 mL/g) and extraction efficiency (∼99 %) were observed even in the presence of interfering metal ions (Pd2+, Pt4+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+), and the maximum gold extraction capacity (>6000 mg/g) surpassed that of previously reported gold recovery materials. The recovered gold was highly pure (>90 mass%) and contained minimal amounts of the original MAX phase, which obviated the need for intensive postpurification. The results of instrumental analyses suggested that gold recovery relied on electron transfer, similar to cementation, and primarily involved the reduction of solution-phase Au3+ to Au0via electron transfer from the Ti and Al of Ti3AlC2. Thus, our work demonstrates the significant potential of pristine Ti3AlC2 for the energy-efficient recovery of gold from highly acidic solutions and paves the way for the efficient valorization of e-waste.

The Potential Material Flow of WEEE in a Data-Constrained Environment—The Case of Jordan

The rising concerns about electric and electronic equipment waste (WEEE) come from the rapid increase in demand for appliances and the decreasing lifetimes of equipment. Setting a sustainable WEEE management system that exploits this secondary resource is paramount to maximize resource efficiency, mitigate its environmental impact, and stimulate the circular economy. This paper aims, for the first time, to quantify the material flow expected from recycling the generated WEEE, propose the number of plants required to recycle this secondary resource, and outline the expected economic and environmental benefits that could be achieved from recycling operations. The findings of material flow calculations show that the amount of steel, copper, and aluminum is predominant in the WEEE composition. Also, the expected metal content in WEEE in 2022 is approximately 26 kt, 3.3 kt, and 2.5 kt, respectively. These are expected to substantially increase to approximately 109 kt, 11.9 kt, and 9 kt for the three metals in 2050, respectively. Other valuable metals are doubling their quantities between 2022 and 2050 to reach approximately 1133 kg silver and 475 kg gold. Approximately, four treatment plants are required to recover these materials in 2030 with relative installation costs of USD 100 million. The forecasted financial revenues of recovering materials included in WEEE and indicators for environmental impact based on life cycle assessment (LCA) are calculated. The results of this study can serve as a preliminary reference for future usage in guiding effective planning for WEEE recycling and sustainable management in the country.

ЦИФРОВІ РІШЕННЯ В УПРАВЛІННІ ЕЛЕКТРОННИМИ ВІДХОДАМИ

The article is devoted to the actual problem of substantiating directions for the use of innovative digital solutions in the management of waste electrical and electronic equipment. The structure of e-waste in developed countries in 2022, which includes IT and telecommunications devices, consumer devices and solar panels, power tools and medical devices, was analyzed and it was found that the largest share is household large-sized appliances (52.7%). Analysis of the dynamics of electronic waste generation per capita in industrialized countries in 2013–2022 showed that in 2022, each resident of Australia – 22.42 kg, Canada – 20.58 kg, Israel – 14.56 kg of electronic waste was generated, Japan – 20.55 kg, Korea – 16.80 kg, Great Britain – 24.63 kg, USA – 21.50 kg, EU – 28.54 kg. Considered the practice of waste management in industrially developed countries. For example, Japan (18–25%) is most actively involved in the processing of electronic waste. The EU has developed a strategy - an action plan for the closed cycle economy, in which the reduction of electrical and electronic waste is a key priority, and a number of proposals have been submitted to promote the repair of goods. The well-founded role of digitalization in the management of electronic waste, which consists in increasing the speed of waste processing and increasing its economic efficiency. The areas of use of innovative digital solutions in electronic waste management are defined, such as: robotics, artificial intelligence and neural networks, the Internet of Things, cloud solutions and data analytics. The advantages of digitization in waste management are disclosed, which includes: automation in waste disposal; improvement of the recycling process; ensuring waste minimization and saving natural resources; creating opportunities to identify problem areas and assess the efficiency of electronic waste disposal; helps to save money, energy and time for waste collection and disposal. The directions for handling electrical and electronic equipment waste have been defined, which consist in preventing the generation of waste, its collection, separation, processing, extraction of secondary raw materials through reuse, recycling and other forms of recovery, which will contribute to the realization of the goals of sustainable production and consumption and the improvement of environmental indicators.

Characterization and Toxic Potency of Airborne Particles Formed upon Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment Waste Recycling: A Case Study.

Manual dismantling, shredding, and mechanical grinding of waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) at recycling facilities inevitably lead to the accidental formation and release of both coarse and fine particle aerosols, primarily into the ambient air. Since diffuse emissions to air of such WEEE particles are not regulated, their dispersion from the recycling plants into the adjacent environment is possible. The aim of this interdisciplinary project was to collect and characterize airborne WEEE particles smaller than 1 μm generated at a Nordic open waste recycling facility from a particle concentration, shape, and bulk and surface composition perspective. Since dispersed airborne particles eventually may reach rivers, lakes, and possibly oceans, the aim was also to assess whether such particles may pose any adverse effects on aquatic organisms. The results show that WEEE particles only exerted a weak tendency toward cytotoxic effects on fish gill cell lines, although the exposure resulted in ROS formation that may induce adverse effects. On the contrary, the WEEE particles were toxic toward the crustacean zooplankter Daphnia magna, showing strong effects on survival of the animals in a concentration-dependent way.

High resistivity free-standing crosslinked graphene oxide substrates: hopping conduction mechanism and application to recyclable electronics

Graphene oxide (GO) is an oxidized derivative of graphene that can be formed into free-standing wafers by aqueous processing methods. We propose GO as a potential alternative printed electronic substrate material to mitigate the waste electronic and electrical equipment problem. By dissolving these substrates in water, GO permits the mechanical separation and recovery of discrete components from defunct circuits, thus closing the life cycle of printed circuits. In this work we measure the anisotropic, frequency dependent resistivity of free-standing GO wafers under DC and AC (f = 0.1 Hz–500 kHz) excitation and in varying relative humidity (RH) conditions. Unmodified GO and GO crosslinked with calcium ions, borate ions, and glutaraldehyde were characterized. AC resistivity measurements reveal charge transport in free-standing GO occurs by several distinct hopping conduction mechanisms that are sensitive to the crosslinking formulation. GO crosslinked with calcium ions exhibits the highest DC resistivity, 4.6 × 105 Ωm and 2.6 × 104 Ωm, for out-of-plane and in-plane directions, respectively, at 17% RH. Both AC and DC resistivities decrease with increasing RH. We demonstrate that GO wafers can be used as dielectric substrates in the construction of simple electronic circuits with discrete electronic components. Finally, we present a proof-of-concept for electrical trace and component recovery via disassembly of GO wafers in water.

Chemical Characterization of an ARDUINO® Board and Its Surface Mount Devices for the Evaluation of Their Intrinsic Economic Value

The remarkable technological development observed in recent decades has led to an exponential increase in the production of electrical and electronic devices. Regardless of their field of application or the type of device, electronic boards are a common feature of all these devices. For this reason, electronic boards represent a constant in electrical and electronic equipment waste. Knowing their composition and intrinsic economic value is essential for identifying sustainable disposal and valorization processes. In the literature, several articles report typical compositions of electronic boards, but it is rare to find a component-by-component characterization. This procedure is important to determine the components that need to be removed to increase the recovery yields of materials or to identify components with high concentrations of hazardous substances. For this reason, in this scientific article, we propose to examine the chemical composition of all the components of the Arduino® electronic board using advanced chemical analysis techniques. Arduino is a popular electronic board mainly used to prototype electronic projects rapidly. The chemical composition of the Arduino board has yet to be entirely determined to date. The decision to use the Arduino board is due to the fact that this board is widespread globally and could represent a reference study.

The Role of Particle Size and Shape on the Recovery of Copper from Different Electrical and Electronic Equipment Waste

The increasing world population and the development of technology have boosted the demand for electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). Equipment that has completed its life cycle causes serious damage to the environment due to its toxic components. In addition, it contains many more base metals (copper, aluminum, nickel, lead, tin, etc.) and precious metals (silver, gold, palladium, platinum, etc.) compared with a run of mine ore. Recycling these values with an economic and environmental understanding will ensure sustainability and prevent the rapid depletion of natural resources. Specific gravity, magnetic, electrostatic, optical, surface, thermal, and other property differences between particles as well as the shape, size, and distribution of individual particles directly determine the success of the recycling process. By determining the behavior of the particles during enrichment and producing grains suitable for enrichment with better performance in the size reduction stage, the quality of the concentrate to be subjected to the final chemical/metallurgical treatment will be enhanced. The main aim of this study is to reveal the effect of particle size and shape properties on the recovery of valuable metals from two different waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) sources, end-of-life printed circuit boards and waste electric wires, using environmentally friendly, easier-to-use, and cost-effective mechanical, physical, and physiochemical processes. Deciding on the most suitable enrichment process after detailed characterization of the products obtained from different comminution equipment and their particle size and shape directly affected the amount, content, and recovery of the final concentrate.

Synthesis of novel magnetic pitch-based hypercrosslinked polymers as adsorbents for effective recovery of Ag+ with high selectivity

Silver is an important precious metal with superior ductility, electrical and thermal conductivity, photosensitivity, and antibacterial properties. However, without proper recycling and treatment, silver emissions may pose a threat to the human health and subsistence environment due to their toxicity. Therefore, it is environmentally and economically important to recover Ag from waste electronic equipment and anode slime. Herein, carboxyl functionalized modified magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4@3-phenylglutaricacid nanoparticles) were designed and prepared to obtain the low-cost magnetic pitch-based HCP adsorbents (MPHCP and P-MPHCP). The novelty of present work is that superior adsorption capacity and magnetic responsiveness of adsorbent can be obtained by a simple one-step Friedel-Crafts reaction with very low-cost raw material. The maximum Ag+ adsorption capacity of MPHCP and P-MPHCP were 321 and 353 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption was completed within a short duration of 15 min for MPHCP and P-MPHCP at an initial Ag+ concentration of 100 mg/L. Moreover, the most selective is P-MPHCP wherein Ag+ is α = 61 times more selective than Pb2+ at a concentration of 100 mg/L.The adsorption capacity of MPHCP and P-MPHCP towards Ag+ still maintains above 89% after ten cycles of adsorption-desorption. This study not only provides new guidance for the development of porous polymeric adsorbents but also provides technical feasibility for the field of recovery and reutilization of precious metals, which has a very extensive practical application prospect.

Efficient gold recovery from waste electronic and electric equipment by amino-modified covalent triazine frameworks

Recycling gold from e-waste is not only conducive to alleviating the pressure on resources and environment, but also has high economic value. Therefore, construction of adsorbents with high capacity and selectivity and low cost is significative for gold recovery from waste electronic and electric equipment (WEEE). Herein, amino-functionalized covalent triazine frameworks (NH2-CTFs) were synthesized by ionothermal conditions. NH2-CTF-1 and NH2-CTF-2 with high porosity and good thermal stability exhibit excellent gold recovery performance. Meanwhile, gold ions can be in situ reduced into gold nanoparticles by NH2-CTFs along with the adsorption process. Furthermore, NH2-CTF-1 and NH2-CTF-2 present good gold adsorption selectivity from WEEE. Notably, NH2-CTF-1 possesses high gold adsorption capacity (909 mg g−1) and outstanding recovery profit. These excellent performances confirm the potential of NH2-CTF-1 and NH2-CTF-2 for gold recovery from WEEE.

Compatibilized PC/ABS blends from solvent recycled PC and ABS polymers from electronic equipment waste

This study encompasses the development of high-performance PC/ABS blends utilizing recycled PC (r-PC) and recycled ABS (r-ABS) polymers from waste electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) fractions heavily contaminated by flame retardants (FRs). Upgrading of mechanical properties was facilitated by addition of virgin ABS and additives. In total three different WEEE fractions -containing high concentrations of bromine, chloride and phosphorous were purified from polymers other than PC and decontaminated from halogenated contaminants by dissolution-precipitation CreaSolv® Process. In two studied cases the WEEE fractions were optically pre-sorted for PC before purification and decontamination. Gas chromatography (GC-ECD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses were performed to validate efficient removal of contaminants from r-PC.The targeted mechanical properties of polymers to upgrade are notched impact strength and elastic moduli. Upgrading was achieved by using the suitable compatibilizers, and, optionally by a chain extender. First, small-scale laboratory screening test series were conducted for three compatibilizers and different ABS polymers based on micro-compounding experiments. Upscaling test series based on the pre-screening data was then organized on a conventional bench scale twin-screw extruder.SEM microstructural characterizations of the blend morphology and fractured surfaces are done to correlate structure to the mechanical properties.Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and Rheological Dynamic Analysis (RDA) and Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) provided some insight to the chain branching and molecular weight distribution of r-PC, respectively. Moreover, melt rheology and solid-state mechanical properties of the compatibilized r-PC/ABS blend were thoroughly investigated.Addition of virgin ABS polymer and a suitable compatibilizer enhance the properties of the recycled PC/ABS 60/40 blends towards virgin-like, allowing easily >55% r-PC content, or in favourable cases much higher than 75% recycled polymer content when applying significant concentration of recycled ABS from CreaSolv® together with some virgin ABS.

Performance of EU Countries in Managing Electrical and Electronic Equipment Waste in the Context of the Circular Economy

Performance of EU Countries in Managing Electrical and Electronic Equipment Waste in the Context of the Circular Economy

A study of hybrid fibre reinforced concrete with E-plastic waste

Electronic waste, also known as electronic and electrical equipment waste, poses significant pollution issues for people and the environment. It's essential to think about new, efficient waste management methods, particularly those that emphasise recycling. Glass fibre and polypropylene fibre have the benefit of being lightweight, lowering the overall cost of building and promoting construction efficiency. The effectiveness of hybrid fibre-reinforced concrete using E plastic waste as coarse aggregate was investigated in the current study. The concept behind the research study is to replace 0% to 30% of the concrete's coarse aggregates with E-waste and 1% glass and 1% polypropylene fibres (each by weight of concrete). The results demonstrated that E-plastic aggregate may be successfully used in fibre-reinforced concrete, up to 20% of the weight of the coarse aggregate with hybrid fibre, leading to resource and waste depletion.

English

Studies on waste management in C&ocirc;te d&#39;Ivoire are mostly focused on household and solid waste. It is appropriate to take a sustained look at the management of electrical and electronic equipment waste to better guide policies in this area. This work is a cross-sectional study covering the period from April 1, 2022 to June 30, 2022. The aim was to determine the knowledge and practices of the independent electrical and electronic repairers of the city of Bouak&eacute; in terms of electrical and electronic equipment waste (WEEE) management. A comprehensive sample of 307 people was interviewed by means of a questionnaire. The repairers interviewed had already heard of WEEE in 47.2% of cases. They had a good level of knowledge of WEEE in 85.5% of cases. In the final model in multivariate analysis, only the possession of a radio set at home had a significant influence on knowledge of WEEE. Repairers were unaware of the existence of D3E management legislation in 60.7% of cases; apart from humans (84.8%) who were most exposed to the dangers of inappropriate management of WEEE, other entities (air, soil, water, animals) would be polluted according to 36.6, 35.2, 4.1, and 3.4% of repairers, respectively. The most feared type of harm reported is injury (95.65%). Subjects dumped WEEE in a municipal landfill in 32.4% of cases. Sale, empowerment of pre-collection agents, and handing over to a recycling professional, cumulatively represent the most common practice (66.9%). Key words: Electrical and electronic equipment waste (WEEE), repairers, knowledge, management, C&ocirc;te d&rsquo;Ivoire.

Electric and electronic equipment waste: reuse in elastomeric composites

Electric and electronic equipment waste: reuse in elastomeric composites

The environmental and health impact generated by waste electrical and electronic equipment

A serious problem that arose with the evolution of modern industry is generation of electrical and electronic equipment waste. In the last decades, the generation of electronic waste has increased a lot and it is estimated that in 2030, almost 74 tons of electronic waste will be generated, which will represent a significant threat to the environment. The purpose of this article is to track the potential impacts on the environment, to highlight the importance of waste management strategies and to provide the latest information in the field. A presentation of the countermeasures that must be taken at the national and international level to address the sensitive problem of waste management is also realized.