ECYCLE process of ecycling

the ecycle process

how is e-waste recycled?

What happens at ecycle?

All electric or electronic waste (e-waste) collected by ECYCLE will be dismantled and divided into the different material groups, which are mainly steel, light steel, plastic, aluminium, copper and several other materials. Hazardous materials will be cautiously removed and safely disposed so they cannot harm the life and health of others. The recovered materials will be sold to other companies that specialize in the recycling of each specific material, for further processing. Opposed to plastics, metals can be reused without limits and forever. Nevertheless there are numerous items that can be produced out of old plastic as for example garden furniture. Printed circuit boards contain many precious and special metals. These metals can be recovered by specialized smelters.

Ecycle Electronic Recycling (PTY) LTD will make sure that all data on received electronic devices will be physically or technically destroyed. We will issue destruction certificates if required.

What is e-waste made of?

Electronic waste substances

Substances found in large quantities include epoxy resins, fibreglass, PCBs, PVC (polyvinyl chlorides), thermosetting plastics, lead, tin, copper, silicon, beryllium, carbon, iron and aluminium.

Elements found in small amounts include cadmium, mercury, and thallium.

Elements found in trace amounts include americium, antimony, arsenic, barium, bismuth, boron, cobalt, europium, gallium, germanium, gold, indium, lithium, manganese, nickel, niobium, palladium, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, selenium, silver, tantalum, terbium, thorium, titanium, vanadium, and yttrium.

Almost all electronics contain lead and tin (as solder) and copper (as wire and printed circuit board tracks), though the use of lead-free solder is now spreading rapidly. The following are ordinary applications:

Hazardous substances!!!

Americium: smoke alarms (radioactive source).

Mercury: fluorescent tubes (numerous applications), tilt switches (pinball games, mechanical doorbells, thermostats). With new technologies arising, the elimination of mercury in many new-model computers is taking place.

Sulphur: lead-acid batteries.

PCBs: prior to ban, almost all 1930s–1970s equipment, including capacitors, transformers, wiring insulation, paints, inks, and flexible sealants.

Cadmium: light-sensitive resistors, corrosion-resistant alloys for marine and aviation environments, nickel-cadmium batteries.

Lead: old solder, CRT monitor glass, lead-acid batteries, some formulations of PVC. A typical 15-inch cathode ray tube may contain 1.5 pounds of lead, but other CRTs have been estimated as having up to 8 pounds of lead.

Beryllium oxide: filler in some thermal interface materials such as thermal grease used on heat sinks for CPUs and power transistors, magnetrons, X-ray-transparent ceramic windows, heat transfer fins in vacuum tubes, and gas lasers.

Polyvinyl chloride: Third most widely produced plastic, contains additional chemicals to change the chemical consistency of the product. Some of these additional chemicals called additives can leach out of vinyl products. Plasticizers that must be added to make PVC flexible have been additives of particular concern.

By ecycling your e-waste you can lower your carbon footprint...