The possibility for environmental friendly recycling of printed circuit boards

Abstract

The goal of this work is to find a solution for disposal of Vitroplast FR4, a material found in waste printed circuit boards. In this study, the influence of addition of Vitroplast, generated by mechanical treatment of printed circuit boards waste on concrete properties such as compressive strength was investigated in laboratory conditions. By substitution of filler (i.e. sand) in a mass ratio of 5, 10, 15 and 20% with Vitroplast in concrete mixture, the compressive strength decreased into 57.5, 84.5, 95.0 and 95.9%. The results of leaching tests have shown that by incorporating Vitroplast in concrete mixtures in a 10% mass ratio, the elution of arsenic and cadmium is below the limitations prescribed for inert wastes. The studied approach offers the possibility for environmental friendly recycling of printed circuit boards.