Go-ahead for shredding of electronic waste components

Citation

(2007), "Go-ahead for shredding of electronic waste components", Circuit World, Vol. 33 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/cw.2007.21733aab.005

Go-ahead for shredding of electronic waste components

Go-ahead for shredding of electronic waste components

Recycling firms processing electronic equipment are likely to be allowed to shred appliances without first removing hazardous components. Defra has said as long as any pollutants are contained within the recycling process, and do not harm the suitability of materials for reprocessing, hazardous materials can be separated from waste electronics after the shredding stage. Defra does recommend removal of items like cathode ray tubes whole, but other hazardous components can be shredded under the new guidance is recommending removing ten components whole, before shredding, including hazardous batteries, lamps and cathode ray tubes.

It suggests items like circuit boards, brominated plastics, certain batteries and liquid crystal displays (LCDs) can be removed after the shredding stage.

Guidance

The direction comes within draft treatment guidance issued by the department to lay out how it intends to interpret Europe's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, which is to come into force in the UK next year.

The WEEE Directive makes producers responsible for funding collection and recycling activities for WEEE. It also sets certain restrictions on the treatment and recycling of WEEE, in order to protect the environment.

Some 900,000 tonnes of waste electrical appliances are generated in the UK by households alone, while the Directive will also require the recycling of unwanted electrical equipment from shops, offices and industrial premises.

All separately-collected WEEE will have to be sent for treatment under the terms of the WEEE Directive. Defra's treatment guidance will take effect when the WEEE Licensing Regulations come into force, expected to be December 2006.

Annex II

The WEEE Directive's Annex II lists a series of potentially hazardous components – including capacitors, mercury switches, batteries, circuit boards and cathode ray tubes – within electrical equipment, which must be removed when WEEE is recycled.

Defra points out in its draft guidance that “removal is not defined in the WEEE Directive” and therefore, argues that it could legally take place “at any stage in the treatment process”.

The draft treatment guidance states: “In relation to components, whilst it is arguable that they should be removed intact, this may only be the best option if the component is to be reused, or if the result is that the separated materials can be more easily recycled.”

Whilst it is arguable that they should be removed intact, this may only be the best option if the component is to be reused.

Defra's draft treatment guidance department officials believe requiring pre-treatment of WEEE before shredding to remove hazardous components would be seen as “over- prescriptive” interpretation of the Directive.

Defra said the exact manner in which components would be treated would depend on the nature of the WEEE being recycled. Authorised treatment facilities will be restricted by their operating licences in the way they handle waste equipment.

Items may be removed as components where they can be re- used, while components can be shredded into materials where health and safety or environmental impacts are disproportionate to the costs involved, Defra said.

Removal

The department has listed ten components it believes should be removed as whole, before shredding, due to their hazardous nature:

1. 1.

   capacitors;

2. 2.

   mercury-containing components;

3. 3.

   toner cartridges;

4. 4.

   asbestos;

5. 5.

   components containing refractory ceramic fibres;

6. 6.

   components containing radioactive substances;

7. 7.

   gas discharge lamps;

8. 8.

   cathode ray tubes;

9. 9.

   electrolyte capacitors containing substances of concern; and

10. 10.

    batteries that can be removed prior to treatment and internal hazardous batteries.

It is recommending that items such as brominated plastics, CFC or hydrocarbon coolant systems, electrical cables, circuit boards, LCD displays and batteries other than those hazardous or easily removed could be recycled as materials, rather than whole components.