Recycling Workshops Research Articles

Exposures of lead to adolescent workers in battery recycling workshops and surrounding communities

In the present study, the environmental and occupational exposure of lead (Pb) has been assessed by analyzing the whole-blood samples of early adolescents (boys) aged 12-15 years working for the past 1-3 years in battery recycling workshops (BRW). For comparative purpose, boys of the same age group residing in the vicinity of BRW (exposed non-workers) and who lived in domestic areas devoid of any industrial activity (referents boys) were selected. The blood samples were analyzed for Pb, along with biochemical parameters of blood. Both biological samples were oxidized by acid in a microwave oven before determination of Pb by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean value of Pb concentration in blood samples of working boys was threefold higher as compared with referent boys. The significant negative correlations of blood Pb level with % Hb (r=-0.862) were observed in working boys.

On-site and off-site atmospheric PBDEs in an electronic dismantling workshop in south China: Gas-particle partitioning and human exposure assessment

Gas samples and total suspended particle during work and off work time were investigated on-site and off-site electronic waste dismantling workshop (I- and O-EWDW), then compared with plastic recycling workshop (PRW) and waste incineration plant (WIP). TSP concentrations and total PBDE were 0.36–2.21 mg/m 3 and 27–2975 ng/m 3 at different workshops, respectively. BDE-47, -99, and -209 were major ∑PBDE congeners at I-EWDW and WIP, while BDE-209 was only dominant congener in PRW and control sites during work time and all sites during off work time. The gas-particle partitioning result was well correlated with the subcooled liquid vapor pressure for all samples, except for WIP and I-EDWD, at park during work time, and residential area during off work time. The predicted urban curve fitted well with measured φ values at O-DEWD during work time, whereas it was slightly overestimated or underestimated for others. Exposure assessment revealed the highest exposure site was I-EDWD.

Source identification and health risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated with electronic dismantling in Guiyu town, South China

In this study the concentrations and distribution of sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in gas and total suspended particle (TSP) samples collected during daytime and night time. The sampling locations included an electronic waste dismantling workshop (EW), a plastic recycling workshop (PW) and a waste incineration field (WF) in Guiyu, China. A large residential area (RA) in this region was used as a control site. In the daytime, the highest concentration was found at WF (1041 ng m −3); while in the night time the highest concentration was found outside of EW (744 ng m −3). Comparison between work hours (daytime) and rest hours (night time) displayed that the total PAHs (gas + particulate phase) concentrations and the percentages of PAHs associated with TSP were higher at night than those in the daytime in all sampling workshops except WF. Source diagnostic-ratio analysis revealed that unwanted materials and smoldering honeycomb coals were the main sources of PAHs in EW, WF and PW. Benzo[ a]pyrene equivalent [BaPeq] concentrations calculated by using the toxic equivalent factors [TEFs] suggested that the occupational exposure levels were not significantly high when compared with other occupational exposure. Additionally, our study suggested that the smoldering of unwanted materials could produce much more toxic PAHs compounds.

The cytotoxic and genetoxic effects of dust and soil samples from E-waste recycling area on L02 cells

Electrical and electronic waste (E-waste) has now become the fastest growing solid waste around the world. Primitive recycling operations for E-waste have resulted in severe contamination of toxic metals and organic chemicals in the related areas. In this study, six dust and soil samples collected from E-waste recycling workshops and open-burning sites in Longtang were analyzed to investigate their cytotoxicity and genotoxicity on L02 cells. These six samples were: dust No. 1 collected at the gate of the workshop; dust No. 2 collected from air conditioning compressor dismantling site; dust No. 3 collected from where some motors, wires, and aluminium products since the 1980s were dismantled; soil No. 1 collected at the circuit board acid washing site; soil No. 2 collected from a wire open-burning site; soil No. 3 collected near a fiber open-burning site. At the same time, two control soil samples were collected from farmlands approximately 8 km away from the dismantling workshops. The results showed that all of these samples could inhibit cell proliferation and cause cell membrane lesion, among which dust No. 3 and soil No. 2 had the strongest toxicity. Moreover, the comet assay showed that the dust No. 3 had the most significant capability to cause DNA single-strand beaks (SSB), while the road dust (dust No. 1) collected at the gate of the workshop, a relatively farer site, showed the slightest capability to induce DNA SSB. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection showed that ROS level was elevated with the increase of dust and soil samples concentration. Dust No. 3 and soil No. 2 had the highest ROS level, followed by dust No. 2 and 1, soil No. 3 and 1. All of the above results indicated that polluted soil and dust from the E-waste area had cytotoxicity and genotoxicity on L02 cells, the mechanism might involve the increased ROS level and consequent DNA SSB.

Exposure to PCBs, through inhalation, dermal contact and dust ingestion at Taizhou, China – A major site for recycling transformers

Air samples containing gaseous and particulate phases were collected from e-waste workplaces and residential areas of an intensive e-waste recycling area and compared with a reference site. The highest total concentration of PCBs was detected at transformer recycling workshops (17.6 ng m −3), followed by the residential area (3.37 ng m −3) at Taizhou, and the lowest was obtained at the residential area of the reference site, Lin’an (0.46 ng m −3). The same trend was also observed with regards to PCB levels in dust samples. The highest average PCBs level of 2824 ng g −1 (dry wt) was found in the transformer recycling workshops, and was significantly higher than that of residential areas of Taizhou (572 ng g −1 dry wt) and Lin’an (42.4 ng g −1 dry wt). WHO-PCB-TEQ level in the workshops of Taizhou was 2216 pg TEQ 1998 g −1 dry wt or 2159 pg TEQ 2005 g −1 dry wt, due to the high abundance of PCB 126 (21.5 ng g −1 dry wt), which contributed 97% or 99% of WHO-PCB-TEQs. The estimated intake of PCBs via dust ingestion and dermal absorption by transformer recycling workers were 77.5 × 10 −5 and 36.0 × 10 −5 pg WHO-PCB-TEQ 1998 kg −1 d −1, and 67.3 × 10 −5 and 31.3 × 10 −5 pg WHO-PCB-TEQ 2005 kg −1 d −1, respectively.

Levels and distributions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in agricultural soils in an emerging e-waste recycling town in Taizhou area, China

The present study investigated the levels, distributions, profiles and possible sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in agricultural soils around Zeguo, an emerging e-waste recycling town in Taizhou area, China. Concentrations of sixteen USEPA priority PAHs and soil organic matter were analyzed in 59 agricultural soil samples. The total PAH concentrations ranged from 262.6 to 3,420.2 μg/kg, with the average values in a gradually descending order: agricultural soil near e-waste recycling plants and workshops (1,336.0 μg/kg) > agricultural soil in villages with open burning and e-waste recycling activities (945.8 μg/kg) > agricultural soil in other villages (466.5 μg/kg). Analysis of the distribution patterns of the PAHs showed that phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene and pyrene were the dominant species. The significant correlations among individual, low-molecular-weight (LMW), high-molecular-weight (HMW) and total PAHs and the very similar PAH profiles in the three sampling areas indicated that the PAHs might have come from similar sources. The ratios of Anthracene to sum of Anthracene and Phenanthrene concentrations (Ant/(Ant+Phe)) and fluoranthene to sum of fluoranthene and pyrene concentrations (Flt/(Flt+Pyr)) were calculated and principal component analysis (PCA) was performed and the results suggested that an anthropogenic source such as the combustion of a petroleum product or coal during the e-waste recycling process seemed to be the main source of PAHs in the Zeguo agricultural soil. In conclusion, soils taken from Zeguo agricultural areas were considered to be heavily polluted, and the emerging e-waste recycling activities had definite effects on PAH soil concentrations.

An analysis of E-waste flows in China

In Europe, legislation about waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) recovery and recycling has been introduced in 2002, and corresponding legislation in the EU Member States was in place in August 2005 (EU-EC 2003). In the same period, China has been developing WEEE regulation as well. The main contribution to date to the Chinese legislative framework is the ‘Circular Economy Promotion Law of the People’s Republic of China’ that was approved on August 29, 2008, and came into force as of January 1, 2009. Both these legislative systems contain the Extended Producer Responsibility as a core concept, as well as a formal, and, in the case of China, centralised, recovery system. Given the conceptual similarities of legislation on WEEE, but striking differences in the product recovery systems in China and the EU, it is of interest to investigate if the existing recovery and recycling system in China actually fits the new legislation. Currently, there is anecdotal evidence that, in China, much of the WEEE flows into informal recycling channels such as secondhand market and manual recycling workshops. Not much is known otherwise because a formal governance system and official statistics collection do not exist yet. More particularly, the actual WEEE flow in China, or in particular cities, is virtually unknown, as is the relationship between collection, treatment, re-selling and disposal. This paper suggests a Markov chain model that allows for the analysis of the flow of WEEE through the reverse chain from point of collection through to final disposal. We analyse this system in its equilibrium state and investigate the impact of scenarios that reflect key elements of the new WEEE regulation in China. In addition, we offer a qualitative analysis of the various scenarios for the three dimensions of sustainability: people, planet and profit. This research offers specific suggestions to strengthen the Chinese WEEE recovery and recycling system that would bring the actual system more in line with the current policy.

Bioaccumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in wild aquatic species from an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling site in South China

Water and several wild aquatic species including Chinese mysterysnail, prawn, fish, and water snake were collected from a reservoir surrounded by several e-waste recycling workshops in South China. The samples were examined to investigate the levels and bioaccumulation extent of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) released from electronic waste (e-waste) which was processed by crude recycling method. Elevated levels of PBDEs [52.7 to 1702 ng/g wet weight (ww)] and PCBs (20.2–25958 ng/g ww) were found in the collected biota species compared to that in the reference samples (13.0–20.5 ng/g ww for PBDEs and 75.4–82.8 ng/g ww for PCBs). log BAF (bioaccumulation factor) ranged from 2.9 to 5.3 for PBDEs and from 1.2 to 8.4 for PCBs, depending on congeners and species. The relationship between log BAFs and log K OW (octanol–water partition coefficient) can be adequately described by species-specific parabolic models wherein log BAFs generally increased at log K OW < 7 then decreased with further increasing log K OW both for PBDEs and PCBs. The exceptions were for Chinese mysterysnail and prawn, in which the log BAFs showed a positive linear correlation with log K OW for PBDEs. Some PBDE and PCB congeners showed BAF values declining from the general trend predicted by K OW, largely attributing to metabolism of these congeners in species sampled.