How Is Modern Technology Recycled – Mocomi.com

How is modern
technology
recycled
Copyright 2012 Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.©
Environment for kids
mocomi.com/learn/environment/

DEFINITION
Electronic waste, e-waste, e-scrap, or Waste Ele
ctrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) describes
discarded electrical or electronic devices.
Office electronic equipment, discarded compu
ters, entertainment device electronics, mobile
phones, television sets and refrigerators are all
examples of e-waste.
This definition also includes used electronics for
reuse, resale, salvage, recycling, or disposal.
How is modern
technology recycled

The multi-million dollar electronic waste recycling
business is found in all parts of the developing
world and is a rapidly consolidating business.
Part of this evolution has involved a greater diver-
sion of electronic waste where equipment once
recycled is reverted to a raw material form.
This diversion is achieved through reuse and
refurbishing.
RECYCLING How is modern
technology recycled

The environmental and social benefits of reuse
include a far lesser demand for new products and
virgin raw materials, pure water, electricity for
manufacturing, less packaging, diminished need
of landfills .
Audiovisual components such as televisions, VCRs,
stereo equipment, mobile phones, other hand
held devices, and computer components contain
valuable elements and substances suitable for
reclamation, including lead, copper, and gold.
One major challenge is recycling printed circuit
boards from electronic waste.
Mobile phones Computer Stereo
How is modern
technology recycled

The circuit boards contain precious metals as gold,
silver, platinum, etc. and base metals such as
copper, iron, aluminum, etc.
The conventional method of mechanical shred-
ding and separation is employed but the recycling
efficiency is low.
Alternative methods are being tried and tested to
see how these circuit boards can be recycled in the
best possible manner.
Circuit
How is modern
technology recycled

In developed countries, electronic waste proces
sing usually first involves dismantling the equi
pment into various parts (metal frames, power
supplies, circuit boards, plastics), often by hand,
but increasingly by automated shredding equi
pment.
A typical example is the NADIN electronic waste
processing plant in Novi Iskar, Bulgaria.
The advantages of this process is our ability to rec-
ognize and save working and repairable parts, in-
cluding chips, transistors, RAM, etc.
PROCESSING
TECHNIQUES
How is modern
technology recycled

The disadvantage is that even though labour is
cheap, these factories have the lowest health and
safety standards implemented.
Another alternative bulk system used for the dis-
mantling of equipment and shredding is the
'Hopper'.
This is an unsophisticated mechanical separator,
that uses screening and granulating machines to
separate metal and plastics, which are then sold to
How is modern
technology recycled

smelters or plastics recyclers. This kind of recycling
machinery is enclosed and employs a dust collec-
tion system.
Some of the emissions are caught by scrubbers
and screens. Magnets, eddy currents, and trommel
screens are employed to separate glass, plastic,
and ferrous and nonferrous metals, which can
then be further separated at a smelter.
Leaded glass from CRTs is reused in car batteries,
ammunition, and lead wheel weights. Copper,
gold, palladium, silver and tin are valuable metals
sold to smelters for recycling.
Car Batteries
How is modern
technology recycled

Hazardous smoke and gases are captured,
contained and treated to mitigate environmental
threat.
These methods enable the safe reclamation of all
valuable computer construction materials.
An ideal electronic waste recycling plant
combines dismantling for component recovery
with increased cost-effective processing of bulk
electronic waste.
Reuse is an alternative option to recycling because
it extends the lifespan of a device. Devices still
need eventual recycling, but by allowing others to
purchase used electronics, recycling can be post-
poned and value gained from device use.
How is modern
technology recycled

BENEFITS OF
RECYCLING
Recycling of raw materials from electronics that
are to be scrapped is the most effective solution to
the growing e-waste problem.
Most electronic devices contain a variety of mate-
rials, including metals that can be recovered for
future uses. By dismantling and providing reuse
possibilities, intact natural resources are con-
How is modern
technology recycled

How is modern
technology recycled
served and air and water pollution caused by
hazardous disposal is avoided.
Additionally, recycling reduces the amount of
greenhouse gas emissions caused by the manu-
facturing of new products.
It simply makes good sense and is efficient to
recycle and to do our part to keep the environ-
ment green.

Rapid changes in technology, changes in media
(tapes, software, MP3), falling prices, and planned
phasing out of electrical equipment have all
resulted in a fast-growing surplus of electronic
waste around the globe.
Technical solutions are available, but in most cases
a legal framework, a collection system, logistics,
and other services need to be implemented
before a technical solution can be applied.
Display units (CRT, LCD, LED monitors), Processors
(CPU chips, RAM), and audio components have dif-
ferent useful lives. Processors are most frequently
PROBLEMS How is modern
technology recycled

out-dated (by software) and are more likely to
become "e-waste", while display units are most
often replaced without making any repair
attempts, due to the demand for new display
technology.
It is estimated that 50 million tons of E-waste is
produced each year.
The United States alone, discards about 30 million
computers each year and 100 million phones are
disposed of in Europe each year.
LCD
How is modern
technology recycled

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates
that only 15-20% of e-waste is recycled, the rest of
these electronics go directly into landfills and
incinerators.
According to a report by UNEP the amount of
e-waste being produced - including mobile
phones and computers - could rise by as much as
500 percent over the next decade in some
countries, such as India.
The United
States is the
world leader in
producing elec-
tronic waste,
tossing away
about 3 million
How is modern
technology recycled

tons each year.
China already produces about 2.3 million tons,
second only to the United States. And, despite
having banned e-waste imports, China remains a
major e-waste dumping ground for developed
countries.
Electrical waste contains
hazardous but also
valuable and scarce ma-
terials. Up to 60 elements
can be found in complex
electronics.
In the United States, an
estimated 70% of heavy
metals in landfills comes
How is modern
technology recycled

from discarded electronics.
While there is agreement that the number of
discarded electronic devices is increasing, there is
considerable disagreement about the relative risk
and strong disagreement whether curtailing trade
in used electronics will improve conditions, or
make them worse.
How is modern
technology recycled

PROJECT
Find out about the NADIN electronic waste pro-
cessing plant.
Who is a smelter?
What is a landfill?
How is modern
technology recycled
Image Source: www.wikipedia.org
All images are public domain, sourced from the wikipedia commons
For more Educational articles and video for kids, visit:
mocomi.com/learn/

How Is Modern Technology Recycled – Mocomi.com

Recomendados

Recomendados

Más contenido relacionado

Más de Mocomi Kids

Más de Mocomi Kids (20)

Último

Último (20)

How Is Modern Technology Recycled – Mocomi.com