Analysis of Polymer Components in Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31649/1997-9266-2024-174-3-21-26Keywords:
polymer, polymer waste, waste electrical and electronic equipment, plastic, waste managementAbstract
Polymer components have a significant share in the composition of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). About 28,000 tons of WEEE are generated annually in Ukraine, with the share of plastic up to 30%. To date, the content of polymer components in various WEEE remains insufficiently studied. The purpose of this study is to analyze the types and volumes of polymers in waste electrical and electronic equipment. The use of different types of polymers in waste electrical and electronic equipment was studied through an analysis of literature and open sources, in particular materials of electrical and electronic equipment manufacturers. Also, based on literature and technical data of manufacturers, the content of plastic in typical electrical and electronic devices was analyzed: monitor, keyboard, computer mouse, hair dryer, landline phone, camera, video camera, web camera, DVD player, TV, microwave oven. All of the tested devices have a case made of ABS plastic. Besides, all devices with a power cable are made of polyvinyl chloride. Polycarbonate elements are also quite common: parts of the screen, lens. Other types of polymers identified by the authors in WEEE include polybutylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyphenylene sulfide. At the same time, the polymer content in WEEE reaches an average of 50 % by mass, and up to 60 % in some devices. Other polymers, used in electrical and electronic devices include high-impact polystyrene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyoxymethylene, styrene-acrylonitrile, polyamide, polymethyl methacrylate, polyphenylene oxide, modified polyphenylene ether, styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene (synthetic rubber). The main field of polymer application in electrical and electronic equipment is providing electrical insulation. However, there are also polymers used as conductors and semiconductors: polyaniline, polyacetylene, polythiophene and polyfluorene. The variety of polymer types in WEEE highlights the importance of developing effective sorting and recycling strategies to ensure environmentally sustainable waste management. Besides, the analysis highlights the potential for WEEE plastic components reuse in the circular economy.
References
Л. Ю. Главацька, «Аналіз системи поводження з відходами електричного та електронного обладнання в Україні,» Ekologìčna bezpeka ta zbalansovane resursokoristuvannâ, no. 1 (23), pp. 102-108, Jul. 2021, https://doi.org/10.31471/2415-3184-2021-1(23)-102-108 .
Л. Ю. Главацька, і В. А. Іщенко, «Аналіз складу компонентів електронних та електричних відходів,» Вісник Вінницького політехнічного інституту, №1, с. 42-48, 2021. https://doi.org/10.31649/1997-9266-2021-154-1-42-48 .
T. G. Townsend, “Environmental Issues and Management Strategies for Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment,” Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, vol. 61, no. 6, pp. 587-610, 2011, https://doi.org/10.3155/1047-3289.61.6.587 .
M. Bigum, C. Petersen, T. H. Christensen, and C. Scheutz, “WEEE and portable batteries in residual household waste: Quantification and characterisation of misplaced waste,” Waste Management, vol. 33, no. 11, pp. 2372-2380, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2013.05.019 .
A. Ranskiy, et al. “Pyrolysis Processing of Polymer Waste Components of Electronic Products,” Chemistry & Chemical Technology, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 103-108, 2024. https://doi.org/10.23939/chcht18.01.103 .
R. Grigorescu, M. Grigore, L. Iancu,, P. Ghioca, and R. Ion, “Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment: A Review on the Identification Methods for Polymeric Materials,” Recycling, vol. 4, no. 3, p. 32, 2019. https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling4030032 .
P. A. Wäger, M. Schluep, E. Müller, and R. Gloor, “RoHS regulated Substances in Mixed Plastics from Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment,” Environmental Science & Technology, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 628-635, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1021/es202518n .
L. Frisk, S. Lahokallio, J. Kiilunen, and K. Saarinen-Pulli, “Stability and properties of PET Films in Electronics Applications in Hygrothermal Environments,” MRS Advances, vol. 1, no. 51, pp. 3477-3482, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2016.538 .
T. H. Chang, Y. H. Jung, D. Liu, H. Mi, J. Lee, and J. Gong, Z. Ma, “The applications of polyethylene terephthalate for RF flexible electronics,” in Polyethylene Terephthalate: Uses, Properties and Degradation, Barber, NA, Ed, 2017, pp. 103-153.
A. Hashim, A. Hadi, and N. A. H. Al-Aaraji, “Exploring the AC Electrical Properties of PMMA/SiC/CdS Nanocomposites to Use in Electronics Fields,” Наносистеми, наноматеріали, нанотехнології, т. 21, № 3, с. 553-559, 2023.
G. Choi, “Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT),” Engineering Plastics Handbook, 2nd ed., McGraw-Hill, Blacklick, OH, USA, 2005, pp. 131-154.
Downloads
-
PDF (Українська)
Downloads: 4
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
