High temperature characterisation and technoeconomics of e-waste processing

Abstract

The elemental composition of selected e-waste materials has been determined through fusion in a metal and slag bath. During this process the elemental components of the inhomogeneous pulverized material distributed to the copper, slag and fume process streams. Through the analysis and mass of these streams the composition of the original e-waste was calculated. This characterization information was used as the basis of a techno-economic study of the collection and processing of e-wastes in the Melbourne (Australia) metropolitan area. Four consumer electronic items were considered in the study and included: mobile phones, DVD players, televisions and personal computers. In this, the first part of the study, the value contained in these representative items of e-waste was calculated based on the composition, the e-waste disposal rate, the population of the Melbourne region, and the proportion of PCB’s to the total mass of the consumer item. The results showed that the total contained value of elements in the e-waste disposed in the Melbourne region was $19.8 million/year. The consumer item which had the largest contribution was to the total was personal computers at about $9.8 million/year. Most of the value contained in the e-waste is associated with precious metals ($9.0 million/year) and with transition elements ($8.8 million/year).