Assessment of element-specific recycling efficiency in WEEE pre-processing

Abstract

Pre-processing is a crucial step to ensure the efficiency of subsequent processes and the quality of recyclates. The efficiency of pre-processing can be affected by high losses to undesignated output fractions. Standard batch tests usually provide mass balances and are a good proxy for bulk materials balances (iron/steel, aluminum, plastics). This article aims at harmonizing methodologies and recommends a strategy for further study in pre-processing on a plant scale. We have developed an “extended batch test” method, which should help to • describe the fates of materials and elements, • assess the quality of output fractions, • identify access points for critical metals and other valuable elements to enable their recovery. A methodical approach was compiled with common material flow analysis methods and an extended set of methods, which improve the reliability via the assessment of uncertainties. This applies to systematic effects and random effects. This extended batch test was performed with a 40 Mg Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) batch to trace the flows of industrial base metals, precious metals and critical metals in a WEEE pre-processing plant. Results show that one-third of the input was separated and sorted manually, while the remaining material was subsequently crushed and automatically sorted. Copper and precious metals are distributed to various output fractions but are most concentrated in the sorting residues. Critical metals like cobalt and rare earth elements are mainly concentrated in the manually sorted materials but also appear in the ferrous metals scrap and the shredder light fraction

Backlighting the European Indium Recycling Potentials

“…Indium concentrations in some finished goods are comparable with those in minerals, and in some cases they are even higher (figure ), but the huge variety and number of single products to be collected and processed have to face the issue of dispersion (Ueberschaar et al. ).…”

Shedding Light on the Anthropogenic Europium Cycle in the EU–28. Marking Product Turnover and Energy Progress in the Lighting Sector

“…The total cost for europium recycling from spent lamps includes costs for collection at end-of-life and further processing for elemental recovery. In addition, the grade of europium recovered, reagent costs, energy consumption, inefficiency during end-of-life collection and sorting, mandatory recycling quotas based on the mass of product, and decreasing concentrations in products are limiting factors in the recovery efficiency process [10,47,60,65]. Second, the transition from fluorescent lamps to SSL technology is expected to make the demand for europium peak and then decline [66] because the quantities of REEs required per unit of SSL are up to some orders of magnitude lower than those needed to produce fluorescent lamps.…”

Applied WEEE pre-treatment methods: Opportunities to maximizing the recovery of critical metals

“…For efficient recycling of e-waste, pre-treatment as a combination of manual (dismantling and separation) and physical processes (size reduction and different physical separation) represent a first and indispensable step. The main task of WEEE pre-processing is to ensure that liberated materials enter the appropriate recovery processes (Ueberschaar et al, 2017a). Before final metal recovery in hydro and/or pyro metallurgical processing, appropriate pre-treatment steps, are crucial.…”

“…To improve the recovery of precious and other critical metals, it is essential to manually remove the components containing important raw materials such as PCBs and batteries and feed these components separately to recycling facilities. Based on elemental material flow analysis Ueberschaar et al (2017a), concluded that in pre-sorting step due to battery removal, about 46% of cobalt and 38% of a group of REEs are separated from the input WEEE flow. High concentrations of cobalt and REEs (about 30% and 60%, respectively) were also found within ferrous metals fraction after use of magnet separator (Figure 3).…”

“…High concentrations of cobalt and REEs (about 30% and 60%, respectively) were also found within ferrous metals fraction after use of magnet separator (Figure 3). Ueberschaar et al, 2017a) In order to examine the losses of precious metals due to shredding of PCBs, Chancerel et al (2009), through an industrial test, determined the difference in concentration between unshredded and preshredded PCBs. The results showed 7% less precious metals in the preshredded PCBs compared with the un-shredded PCBs.…”