Recycling

What can be recycled?

We believe recycling should be simple.

However, with so many types of products and materials, and multiple packaging symbols, it’s not always easy to distinguish what is recyclable from what isn’t.

To help simplify things, we’ve assembled an interactive guide of what you can and can’t recycle, with some general information about what happens during recycling and what can be reused.

Learn about the recycling process by selecting the icons below.

Large household appliances

This category includes WEEE products such as washing machines, stoves, dishwashers and dryers.

The first phase of recycling is decontamination. Cables and other electrical components are removed while resistors, plastics and iron components and other metals are separated and recovered. These materials are sent for further processing and recovery.

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. Decontamination with Pre-crushing

2. Crushing

3. Separation

Recovered materials

Cables

Concrete

Capacitor

Plastic

Ferrous Metal

Non-Ferrous Metal

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.