CRUZIN, RAYMOND B. STO. DOMINGO, JEZIEL DANDY C.

RECYCLING OF WASTE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT Journal Review Problem Statement The main purpose of the study is describing the current status of the recycling and disposal of the electrical and electronic equipment waste in Europe, emphasizing its impact on the environment and human life. The general problem state that the waste from this electronic and electrical equipment depends on the type and the age. The type of the equipment that uses precious metals and organic compounds (example are appliances) has a higher content of hazardous waste. Also if the equipment has long-lived, its waste will develop to numerous quantities. Generally, both older and newer devices that contain valuable metals will still have the same quantity of hazardous substances. Methodology Its objective is to recycle waste electrical equipment due to a numerous increase in the production of this equipment. The developing countries have potential of increasing their electronic waste (WEEE) due to its engagement to the evolving technology. In simple term, their methodology should find ways on how to limit the total quantity of the waste going to final disposal. For the Process of Recycling, the methods used for treatment of WEEE are the following: 1. Mechanical Separation 2. Thermal Treatment 3. Hydrometallurgical Treatment 4. Electrochemical Treatment

Equipment with different substances is separated based on the kind of the material (ceramic, paper, woods, plastic, etc.) and then treated using Mechanical Separation for each material. Then build the equipment after the treatment. For Thermal Treatment, the electronic scrap is being inserted to the Blast Furnace, and to the Converter, Anode Furnace and Electrolysis to have an output of cathode copper that would be useful. The Pyrolysis is the process used here where the material is heated up in an inert gas atmosphere. The Hydrometallurgical treatment, the main steps are acid or caustic leaching of solid material. The process requires a small grain size to increase the metal yield. The metals of interest that will be produce are then isolated and concentrated for recycling. Electrochemical Treatment uses refining steps that are then carried out in aqueous electrolytes. Examples are the iodide electrolysis where an aqueous KI/KOH solution is used to recover gold, silver and palladium from plated or coated metal scrap. Insights The importance of WEEE recycling has become more evident after implementing the Directive on the Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment and the Directive on the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). Environmental restrictions on processing and disposal of the scrap are very much considered.