Can e-waste be recycled?
E-waste recycling is the reuse and reprocessing of electrical and electronic equipment of any type that has been discarded or regarded as obsolete. Recycling of e-waste is a growing trend and was initiated to protect human and environmental health mainly due to the widespread environmental pollution impacts of e-waste.
What does e-waste contain?
E-waste stream contains diverse materials, which requires special treatment and cannot be dumped in landfill sites, most prominently, hazardous substances such as lead, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), mercury, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs).
What harmful materials are in e-waste?
As mentioned, electronic waste contains toxic components that are dangerous to human health, such as mercury, lead, cadmium, polybrominated flame retardants, barium and lithium. The negative health effects of these toxins on humans include brain, heart, liver, kidney and skeletal system damage.
What materials that e-waste contains can be re used?
Electronic waste contains many valuable, recoverable materials such as aluminium, steel and copper. Things like printed circuit boards, cabling, glass and plastics can be used to produce new products. More than 90 per cent of the material in mobile phones, for example, can be recovered and used for new products.
How are e-waste recycled?
e-Waste management process includes the following: Recycling: complete segregation of parts and materials that is then used to build new electronic products. Refurbishing: reuse of the working, good quality products to replace parts and extend the life of other electronic equipment.
How is e-waste recycled?
Efficient separation of materials is the foundation of electronics recycling. Initial shredding of e-waste stream facilitates sorting and separation of plastics from metals and internal circuitry. So, e-waste items are shredded into pieces as small as 100mm to prepare for further sorting.
Which waste is recyclable?
Recyclable materials include many kinds of glass, paper, cardboard, metal, plastic, tires, textiles, batteries, and electronics. The composting and other reuse of biodegradable waste—such as food and garden waste—is also a form of recycling.
How does recycling e-waste help the environment?
Recycling the waste from electronics saves space in the landfills and prevents the environmental pollution caused by the toxins. Recycling also reduces the need for landfills in the first place. Goods made from recycled materials use less water, create less pollution, and uses less energy.