WEEE
Recycling of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
WEEE
Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) are the electric or electronic equipments being wastes according to Article 183, para 1, letter a), of the Legislative decree April 3rd,2006, no. 152, including all components, sub-assemblies and consumables which are part of the device when the customer discards it or intends or has the obligation to do that.
Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) are the equipment which is dependent on electric currents or electromagnetic fields in order to work properly and equipment for the generation, transfer and measurement of such currents and fields and designed for use with a voltage rating not exceeding 1 000 Volt for alternating current and 1 500 Volt for direct current.
ERP recipients
Companies that produce or import equipment and products such as –
electrical or IT products, PCs, computers, printers, large and small household appliances, IT and telecommunications equipment, consumer equipment and air conditioners, lighting equipment, electrical and electronic equipment, toys and leisure and sports equipment, medical devices, monitoring and control instruments, vending machines, batteries and accumulators, and photovoltaic panels
– can use an international compliance scheme for the collection and recycling of B2C and B2B WEEE in Italy and abroad and to comply with regulatory obligations in the various countries in which they are present, using a single operator.
Financing model for WEEE
Legislative Decree 49/14, recently amended by Legislative Decree 118/2020, provides for the obligation of EEE Producers to organize and finance WEEE collection, treatment and recycling operations. This on the basis of the Extended Producer Responsibility Principle and in order to achieve the minimum collection and recycling objectives, imposed by the European Union and implement the so-called Circular economy.
Cooling devices
his type of WEEE includes refrigerators, freezers and appliances equipped with refrigeration devices, such as water chillers. Some appliances contain refrigerating gases which are classified as ODS (ozone-depleting substances) such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) which are now banned.
These gases are captured and treated in ODS recovery facilities. Cooling equipment decontamination implies a series of processes. The compressors are decontaminated to recover ODS and oils. Insulating foam is treated for ODS recovery. Metals are recovered and resold. Plastic can be re-used for new products. Recovered ODS and oils are destroyed by a special treatment process.
Discover the recycling cycle of refrigerators, freezers and water coolers.
Recycling process
1. Decontamination
2. Crushing
3. Separation
4. Decontamination with foam
Recovered materials
Gas
Oil
Non-Ferrous Metal
Plastic
Ferrous Metal
Foam
Devices with a display screen
Display equipment includes cathode ray tubes (found on older generation TVs and monitors), flat-screen monitors and TVs, such as plasma and liquid crystal displays (LCD).
Cathode ray tubes (CRT) contain harmful phosphorus powders, leaded glass, copper and other rare metals. These materials can be reused to make new products. The panel and the tapered glass of cathode ray tubes can be recovered. The tapered glass coating is removed, and the glass cleaned to allow the production of a new CRT.
Most LCD TVs use mercury lamps to illuminate the screen. To remove the lamps, the device must be dismantled before the LCD screen is processed. Studies to develop more effective automated solutions are underway.
If you want to receive more information, contact us via the contact area.
Recycling process
1. Manual dismantling
2. Cathode ray tube separation (Pb, Ba)
3. Compression and removal of metals
4. Glass cleaning
Recovered materials
Ferrous Metal
Non-Ferrous Metal
Monitor body and electronics
Circuit Board
Leaded glass
Unleaded glass
Small household appliances
This WEEE category is the most complex because it contains a wide range of substances that can be recovered: wood, metal, plastic, glass and cardboard.
The category includes: cleaning appliances, vacuum cleaners, mechanical brooms, sewing, knitting, weaving and other fabric processing machines, irons and other equipment for ironing, pressing and further processing of clothes, toasters, fryers, electric grinders, coffee machines and equipment for opening or sealing containers or packages, electric knives, hair-clippers, hair-dryers, electric brushes, razors, massage and body care devices, clocks, alarm clocks and equipment for measuring, indicating and recording time, etc. These devices are dismantled, and the plastic parts are separated from the metal parts. Initial decontamination includes the removal of toner, cartridges, batteries and cables.
If you want to receive more information, contact us via the contact area.
Recycling process
1. Manual pretreatment
2. Compression
3. Collection station: batteries, capacitors, printed circuit boards, electric motors, large objects, other hazardous components
4. Crushing
5. Separation
Recovered materials
Cables
Waste
Plastic
Fine materials
Ferrous Metal
Non-Ferrous Metal
Individual Components
Lamps
This grouping includes neon tubes and energy-efficient light bulbs, known as compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), while old filament bulbs and halogen lamps are not classified as WEEE.
Lamps are crushed and washed or treated in pressurised containers.
Special machines are used for the removal of phosphorus and mercury. The remaining material is divided into glass, metal and plastic.
The recovered phosphorus powder and mercury can be reused to produce new lamps. Shattered glass can be used to cover ovens or, if sufficiently pure, make new lamps. Aluminium bases are melted while other metals are recycled.
ERP Italia is the founder of the WEEE Coordination Centre (CDCRAEE) and the National Coordination Centre for Batteries and Accumulators (CDCNPA) and is recognised as an authoritative, efficient and reliable organisation to simplify the management of contributions and its members’ regulatory compliance.
Recycling process
1. Crushing
2. Separation
3. Powder recovery
Recovered materials
Ferrous Metal
Non-Ferrous Metal
Mercury
Photovoltaic panels
Silicon based photovoltaic panels require normal flat glass treatment and no special removal of the semiconductor layer.
Non-silicon photovoltaic panels require special semiconductor removal technology and the isolation of toxic heavy metals.
If you need assistance with the disposal of your photovoltaic panels, contact ERP.
Recycling process
1. Remove cables, plug and semiconductor
2. Separate aluminium and glass from the photovoltaic panel
3. Removing labels
4. Reusing or recycling the EVA film and recovering chemical elements such as cadmium and selenium
5. Separating into different components (EVA film, aluminium, wafer, plastic cable and plug, semiconductor, glass)
6. Recycling the glass components in a foundry
Recovered materials
Leaded glass
Individual Components
Plastic
Unleaded glass
Cables
Metal
Cadmium
IT Equipment
Computers, printers, GPS, mobile phones, routers, and mousepads
Recycling process
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Recovered materials
Plastic
Lead
Cobald
Nickel
Metal
Manganese
Mercury
Acid
Zinc
Cadmium