Materials recycling technology for recovering rare earth fluorescent powder from fluorescent lamp sludge: Pioneering near-future resource circulation

Abstract

A materials recycling technology to recover green phosphor, including terbium, which is a heavy rare earth, from fluorescent powder in waste lamp sludge was realized by collaborating with researchers who specialize in materials and powder sorting. There are few cases worldwide in which materials circulation from post-consumer waste has been established in loops further inside than horizontal recycling. This is a recycling system which is described as an ideal circulation system for the near future in Europe’s circular economy (CE)/resource efficiency (RE) policies, etc. This study is a successful example of Japan leading the world in urban mine development to establish a resource circulation system of various waste products, and becoming a pioneer in near-future resource recycling.