Circulating the E-Waste Recovery from the Construction and Demolition Industries: A Review

Abstract

E-waste or electronic waste uses electrical power from a power cord/plug/battery. Construction and demolition (C&D) industries use various electronic components such as cables, switches, sockets, electrical heat pumps, air conditioning systems, and solar panels, which become e-waste at the end-of-life-cycle stages. E-waste contains valuable metals/non-metals/plastics that are recoverable and recyclable. E-waste disposal is banned from landfills in Victoria (Australia), because of their toxic components that require an additional waste separation process to avoid considerable environmental emissions and costs of separation and safe disposal. This paper aims to review the alternative circularity scenarios for recoverable materials from e-waste the C&D industries. Alternative scenarios for e-waste handling and management originating from the C&D industries are assessed in the current study. We identify and assess the important circularity indicators and waste management steps that would drive towards the identification of future initiatives or policy development to increase the resource recovery from e-waste. The policies would help to advocate for policy development for the C&D industries’ e-wastes.