Waste from Electrical and Electronic

In the past, product-related standards in the European waste law were rare. This changed with the triumphal success of everyday electronic gadgets and the associated increase in e-scrap. The EC Directive 2002/96/EC - better known as the WEEE directive - aimed to combat the increasing amount of e-waste from electrical and electronic devices [8]. Goal is the avoidance, reduction, and environment-friendly disposal of increasing amounts of electronic waste through extended producer responsibility. This goal has been hindered by a number of pollutants that are included in the devices (RISKCYCLE). 

Isolating agent in small capacitors Cl < 42% Closed Waste from electric and electronic equipment/ household waste Possible in state-of-the-art sorting plants... 

EEA - European Environmental Agency (2003) Waste from electric and electronic equipment -quantities, dangerous substances and treatment methods. http //eea.eioneLeuropa.eu/Public/irc/ eionet-circle/etc waste/library l=/working j>apers/weeepdf/ EN 1.0 a=d. Accessed 12 Nov 2010... 

This directive accompanies directive 2002/96/EC, also known as WEEE, which addresses the handling of wastes from electrical and electronic wastes. These wastes cover a wide range of electrical and electronic products from household appliances such as refrigerators, freezers and microwaves to personal computers, cell phones to electrical toys, medical devices and electrical tools. As specified in Article 4 (1) of directive 2002/95/EC the following substances which are contained in all of the defined product groups have to be substituted from lJuly 2006on ... 

Waste from electrical and electronic equipment arises at the sorting plant, where the frame, the printed circuit board PCB, the cathode ray tube, etc. are separated for recycling. The remaining plastics fraction is in part flame-retarded, hence contains brominated and antimony compounds. The number of WEEE recycling plants is growing, so that the logistics are no longer a major problem. 

The European Union s directive on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) requires companies selling electronic products in Europe to set up end-of-life collection and recycling systems for these products by August 2005. 

Significant effort has recently been put in for the elimination of polymer wastes from electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) by pyrolysis. WEEE includes mainly epoxy resins and styrene polymers. They often contain brominated aromatics, which are highly contaminant. However, their elimination by simple thermal treatments is no longer possible as one of the most important drawbacks in dealing with thermal treatment of WEEE is the likely production of supertoxic halogenated dibenzodiox-ins and dibenzofurans. A pyrolysis method at low temperature range was developed, which limited the formation of such toxic by-products and reduced pyrolysis costs, even at relatively long residence times in the reactor. 

LEGISLATION ON THE RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES (ROHS) AND THE WASTE FROM ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT (WEEE) DIRECTIVES IS THE BIGGEST CHANGE THE SMT INDUSTRY HAS FACED IN MORE THAN A DECADE. AS THE COMPLIANCE DATES DRAW NEAR, MANY COMPANIES ARE EXAMINING THEIR CHECKLISTS TO BE SURE THEY HAVEN T MISSED ANYTHING. SMT MAGAZINE SPOKE WITH SOME INDUSTRY EXPERTS TO SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH LEAD-FREE. 

This chapter explores the environmental implications of lead-free vs. lead-based solder. It presents an environmental approach known as industrial ecology and analyzes the present lead-based vs. lead-free systems using this approach. The sources, availability, and extraction of required alternative metals are explored. The quantity of lead utilized for electronics is put into perspective relative to other lead applications. Disposal concerns regarding landfill and incineration are addressed. Finally, the value of recycling electronics at end-of-life is illustrated by the anticipated copper recovery required under the European Directive on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). 

Proposal for a Directive on Waste from Electric and Electronic Equipment 76/769/EEC, Fourth Draft, European Commission Directorate General XI Brussels, Belgium May 10, 2000. 

Statutory Order No. 1067 on Management of Waste from Electrical and Electronic Products, December, which went into effect December 1999. 

European Environmental Bureau (EEB) s Comments on the Commission s Proposal for a Directive on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), and the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electronic and Electrical Equipment (EEE), Sep. 2000. 

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