Task Force 4: ReCycle

assessing the most relevant environmental, economic and social characteristics of e-waste recycling in the industrialized world

considering the main steps in the recycling chain: collection – dismantling – pre-processing – end-processing of metal and non-metal fractions

performing recycling system evaluations leading to recommendations for long-term development of eco-efficient resource cycles

analysis of the trans-boundary shipments and logistics of e-waste and its underlying driving forces, dynamics, regulations and the constraints for sustainable resource cycles

description of best available and emerging technologies for e-waste treatment in industrializing and industrialized countries

support of legislative and policy development bodies with roadmaps and strategies to reduce environmental and social problems

investigation on appropriate financing mechanisms for different countries and markets

definition of the smallest throughputs of necessary material recycling process technology to work eco-efficient

description of the required cross-border infrastructure including the possibilities to control safe treatment and corresponding policy implications

enhancing communication and transfer

• of e-waste treatment technologies to facilitate growth in capacity and environmental/social quality of electronics recycling infrastructure
• of the implications of treatment technologies, environmental issues, economic possibilities and social dimensions into e-waste management strategies

activation and improvement of networks for monitoring and supervising relevant waste streams

Ongoing and planned projects of this Task Force or Consortia of TF Members are:

Research project: The Best of Two Worlds

The research project investigates the eco-efficiency of manual dismantling of domestic e-waste in China with control over all environmentally relevant fractions.

Research study: Web of metals

This study focuses on the global dynamic “Web of Metals” with the overall aim of mapping the global flow of selected elements contained within electronics through a dynamic system modelling. This project is strongly interlinked with TF 1 Policy to include the political and social dimension of this topic.

Project: Global e-waste programme

Objective of this programme is to improve local recycling processes in the informal sector, to raise public awareness and clean the e-waste channels.

White Paper: Sustainable Material Flows for Secondary Materials from End-of-Life Electronics in the Industrialized and Industrializing World

This paper will describe material pathways for secondary materials flowing from the industrialized world to the industrializing world. These pathways will be compared with alternative flows within the industrialized world.

Research study: Future options for CRT glass

Based on the fact, that CRT production is going down, but applications are going up, this study will investigate which kind of new applications are of interest, what are interests of stakeholders etc. to define future options for management of CRT glass.

Research study: The global recycling supply chain

This research study will look into environmental, economic and social constraints and optimisation e.g. export licences, economies of scale and other related topics along the global recycling chain.