Grantee Research Project Results
Identification and Sorting of Printed Wiring Boards (PWBs) Within an E-Waste Recycling Stream
EPA Contract Number: EPD05031Title: Identification and Sorting of Printed Wiring Boards (PWBs) Within an E-Waste Recycling Stream
Investigators: Sommer, Edward J.
Small Business: National Recovery Technologies Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: March 1, 2005 through August 31, 2005
Project Amount: $70,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2005) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: SBIR - Pollution Prevention , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
Electronic waste (e-waste) is one of the most rapidly growing waste problems worldwide. Improper handling of e-waste results in vast amounts of toxic waste being sent to landfills and leaching into the water supply. Because of these concerns, e-waste recycling is a rapidly growing industry. Unfortunately, most current e-waste recycling processes rely on manual hand sorting or differential density sorting methods. Manual hand sorting is expensive in the United States and has been associated with major environmental damage overseas. Differential density sorting is expensive and not very effective for sorting e-waste plastics by polymer type. Currently developing plastics sorting technologies are incompatible with the differential density sorting technology.
When properly sorted, there is a significant amount of valuable recyclable materials in e-waste. Recycling rates for e-waste currently are low, in part because e-waste recyclers charge a fee for recycling. Legislative action in many states may increase these rates, but the long-term viability of e-waste recycling depends on economical approaches for recovering these valuable materials.
The goal of this research project is to determine the feasibility of developing a high-speed automated sorting system for sorting printed wiring boards (PWBs) from e-waste plastics. This automated sorting system would allow e-waste recyclers to more efficiently process PWBs and obtain a pure plastics stream. This pure plastics stream then could be more efficiently sorted into pure polymer streams, which can be sold for a premium to plastics manufacturers.
A significant increase in the anticipated amount of e-waste has been observed during the last few years and is expected to continue as the time between introduction and obsolescence becomes shorter. Most electronic devices contain a significant number of plastic parts. The separation of PWBs and the recovery of these materials is crucial for the long-term viability of environmentally friendly recycling of e-wastes. It is anticipated that upon the successful completion of Phase I and Phase II, the application of this technology will decrease the cost of recycling e-waste and improve the rate at which e-waste is recycled.
National Recovery Technologies, Inc., is a major manufacturer of recycling equipment for the postconsumer plastics recycling industry, and has received considerable interest in developing a sorting system for PWB materials from e-waste plastics. As a result of this interest, the technology is expected to have a strong market in the e-waste recycling industry.
Supplemental Keywords:
small business, SBIR, electronic waste, e-waste, e-waste recycling, e-waste plastics, polymer, differential density sorting, recyclable materials, sorting system, printed wiring board, PWB, PWB materials, EPA, Sustainable Industry/Business, RFA, Scientific Discipline, POLLUTION PREVENTION, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, Waste, POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, Hazardous, Technology for Sustainable Environment, recycling, Sustainable Environment, Municipal, Chemistry and Materials Science, Hazardous Waste, waste reduction, cleaner production/pollution prevention, Chemicals, Environmental Engineering, municipal waste, municipal waste plastics, waste minimization, municipal solid waste, material recovery facility, plastics, printed wiring boards, automated waste recycling, computer scrap, recovery, polymers, e-waste, waste recycling, materials recovery facility, high speed automated sorting, electronic waste recycling, plastics sorting, electronic waste, electronics industry, polymer sortingProgress and Final Reports:
SBIR Phase II:
Identification and Sorting of Printed Wiring Boards (PWBs) Within an E-Waste Recycling StreamThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.