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CRUZIN, RAYMOND B.

STO. DOMINGO, JEZIEL DANDY C.

RECYCLING OF WASTE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT

Journal Review

Problem Statement

The main purpose of the study is describing the current status of the recycling and disposal of

the electrical and electronic equipment waste in Europe, emphasizing its impact on the environment

and human life.

The general problem state that the waste from this electronic and electrical equipment depends

on the type and the age. The type of the equipment that uses precious metals and organic compounds

(example are appliances) has a higher content of hazardous waste. Also if the equipment has long-lived,

its waste will develop to numerous quantities. Generally, both older and newer devices that contain

valuable metals will still have the same quantity of hazardous substances.

Methodology

Its objective is to recycle waste electrical equipment due to a numerous increase in the

production of this equipment. The developing countries have potential of increasing their electronic

waste (WEEE) due to its engagement to the evolving technology. In simple term, their methodology

should find ways on how to limit the total quantity of the waste going to final disposal.

For the Process of Recycling, the methods used for treatment of WEEE are the following:

1. Mechanical Separation

2. Thermal Treatment

3. Hydrometallurgical Treatment

4. Electrochemical Treatment

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Equipment with different substances is separated based on the kind of the material (ceramic,

paper, woods, plastic, etc.) and then treated using Mechanical Separation for each material. Then build

the equipment after the treatment.

For Thermal Treatment, the electronic scrap is being inserted to the Blast Furnace, and to theConverter, Anode Furnace and Electrolysis to have an output of cathode copper that would be useful.

The Pyrolysis is the process used here where the material is heated up in an inert gas atmosphere.

The Hydrometallurgical treatment, the main steps are acid or caustic leaching of solid material.

The process requires a small grain size to increase the metal yield. The metals of interest that will be

produce are then isolated and concentrated for recycling.

Electrochemical Treatment uses refining steps that are then carried out in aqueous electrolytes.

Examples are the iodide electrolysis where an aqueous KI/KOH solution is used to recover gold, silver

and palladium from plated or coated metal scrap.

Insights

The importance of WEEE recycling has become more evident after implementing the Directive

on the Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment and the Directive on the Restriction of Hazardous

Substances (RoHS). Environmental restrictions on processing and disposal of the scrap are very much

considered.