THE
RECYCLING OF ELECTRONIC WASTE
The life of technological products is not
inherently lasting. The technological environment is multi-dynamic and
multi-sector, what was good yesterday, today may no longer be useful:
objectives, trends, desires and programs change. The need to dispose of
technological and electrical materials is increasing. Let's think about the
number of TV screens, PCs, keyboards, mobile phones ... considering how many
have been produced and how many new models will be produced, recycling becomes
more than essential. This type of electronic and technological waste is a big
problem for the environment and the conservation of our planet.
Guaranteeing a second life to materials of this
type therefore becomes a challenge of environmental and economic
sustainability. A single company, has
managed to recover around 2,500 tons of glass in just over a decade.
The industrial production of the future focuses on
elements such as innovation, high quality and recycling,
Using them independently of each other. The
orientation is that of a new competitive strategy that can bring forward a
productivity that is attentive to the environment, reducing the dependence on
the import of raw materials.
Less than 40% of all electronic waste is recycled,
while the rest ends up in undifferentiated. Recycling practices vary from one
member state to another: in 2017 Croatia recycled 81.3% of all electrical and E-waste
recycling service, while in Malta the percentage was 20.8%. India
recorded a percentage of 32.1%.
In March 2020, the European Commission presented a
new action plan for the circular economy (PAEC) which includes the reduction of
electronic and electrical waste as
one of its key priorities. The proposal specifically defines immediate
objectives such as the "right to repair" and the improvement of reuse
in general, the introduction of a standardized charger and the establishment of
a rewards scheme to encourage the recycling of electronics.
E-waste
is set to increase, and it is estimated that in 2030 it could reach 75 million
tons per year globally. The problem is amplified by the fact that in the world
less than 20% of electronic waste is recycled: much of what is not recycled
ends up in open landfills in Africa or Asia, where inhabitants become
intoxicated by burning and melting in the acid the circuits of our old PCs and
smartphones to extract precious metals.
Once a rural area in the southern province of
Guangdong is now considered the largest open-air landfill of electronic waste
in the world.
Every single piece of the device is separated,
melted, dissolved with acids and subsequently stored, all using backward
techniques and almost always without protection, to be then resold in bulk.
What cannot be disposed of is abandoned or burned, with serious consequences
for the environment. Very high levels of dioxins and polluting metals have been
recorded in the surrounding environment and a close correlation has also been
demonstrated with diseases such as cancer and respiratory problems.
In a study published in Materials Horizons, a new
technology of extracting precious metals from electronic waste is presented.
Through a controlled oxidation process, which exploits the different reactivity
of the components, the system allows to separate the metals that are inside the
circuits. The process appears to be economical and can be carried out at
relatively low temperatures, ranging from 270 to 370 ° C.
The path for the disposal of e-waste is still long,
but the first step must be done by us, recycling correctly what we throw away
and doing so that it does not end up in hellish places. How important it is to
recycle reminds us of the World
Recycling Day, which this year has as its theme "The heroes of
recycling", or "people, places or activities that demonstrate the
importance of waste recovery"
Read also: World Green E-Waste: We Are One Of The Best
E-Waste Recycling Companies in India.
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