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Yang W, Lee H, Park YK, Lee J. Recovery of non-metallic useable materials from e-waste. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 352:141435. [PMID: 38346511 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Tremendous amounts of electric and electronic wastes (e-waste) are generated daily, and their indiscriminate disposal may cause serious environmental pollution. The recovery of non-metallic materials from e-waste is a strategy to not only reduce the volume of e-waste but also avoid pollutant emissions produced by indiscriminate disposal of e-waste. Pyrolysis, sub/supercritical water treatment, chemical dissolution, and physical treatment (e.g., ball milling, flotation, and electrostatic separation) are available methods to recover useable non-metallic materials (e.g., resins, fibers, and various kinds of polymers) from e-waste. The e-waste-derived materials can be used to manufacture a large variety of industrial and consumer products. In this regard, this work attempts to compile relevant knowledge on the technologies that derive utilizable materials from different classes of e-waste. Moreover, this work highlights the potential of the e-waste-derived materials for various applications. Current challenges and perspectives on e-waste upcycling to useable materials are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wooyoung Yang
- Department of Global Smart City, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Heesue Lee
- Department of Global Smart City, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Kwon Park
- School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, Seoul, 02504, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jechan Lee
- Department of Global Smart City, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea; School of Civil, Architectural Engineering, and Landscape Architecture, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea.
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Kumar H, Kumagai S, Saito Y, Yoshioka T. Latest trends and challenges in PVC and copper recovery technologies for End-of-Life thin cables. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2024; 174:400-410. [PMID: 38103350 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2023.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
This review investigates the latest trends in separation technologies regarding hard-to-recycle thin cables, specifically in the form of end-of-life wire harnesses (WHs). The cables in WHs mainly contain copper (Cu) and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), which is commonly used to insulate and sheath cables. This review reveals that most separation technologies prioritize the recovery of Cu and overlook that of PVC. The recovery of high-purity PVC is very important because of its incompatibility with other plastics or Cu during recycling treatments. Through this investigation, we confirm that physical treatments, such as stripping and chopping, are insufficient to recover high-purity PVC from thin cables. Instead, a combination of chemical (e.g., swelling of PVC insulation or sheathing of cables under a suitable solvent) and physical (e.g., ball or rod milling and mechanical agitation of swollen cables) treatments can be used to achieve the recovery of high-purity PVC and Cu both for recycling. We believe that recovering metals and plastics from end-of-life cables is vital for sustainable waste management, offering several environmental and economic benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harendra Kumar
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aoba, Aramaki-aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Shogo Kumagai
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aoba, Aramaki-aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan.
| | - Yuko Saito
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aoba, Aramaki-aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Yoshioka
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aoba, Aramaki-aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
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Wędrychowicz M, Kurowiak J, Skrzekut T, Noga P. Recycling of Electrical Cables-Current Challenges and Future Prospects. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:6632. [PMID: 37895613 PMCID: PMC10608251 DOI: 10.3390/ma16206632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Civilization and technical progress are not possible without energy. Dynamic economic growth translates into a systematic increase in demand for electricity. Ensuring the continuity and reliability of electricity supplies is one of the most important aspects of energy security in highly developed countries. Growing energy consumption results not only in the need to build new power plants but also in the need to expand and increase transmission capacity. Therefore, large quantities of electric cables are produced all over the world, and after some time, they largely become waste. Recycling of electric cables focuses on the recovery of metals, mainly copper and aluminum, while polymer insulation is often considered waste and ends up in landfills. Currently, more and more stringent regulations are being introduced, mainly environmental ones, which require maximizing the reduction in waste. This article provides a literature review on cable recycling, presenting the advantages and disadvantages of various recycling methods, including mechanical and material recycling. It has been found that currently, there are very large possibilities for recycling cables, and intensive scientific work is being carried out on their development, which is consistent with global climate policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Wędrychowicz
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Materials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Zielona Gora, Prof. Z. Szafrana 4 Street, 65-516 Zielona Gora, Poland;
| | - Jagoda Kurowiak
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Materials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Zielona Gora, Prof. Z. Szafrana 4 Street, 65-516 Zielona Gora, Poland;
| | - Tomasz Skrzekut
- Faculty of Non-Ferrous Metals, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30 Mickiewicza Ave., 30-059 Krakow, Poland; (T.S.); (P.N.)
| | - Piotr Noga
- Faculty of Non-Ferrous Metals, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30 Mickiewicza Ave., 30-059 Krakow, Poland; (T.S.); (P.N.)
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Lu L, Li W, Cheng Y, Liu M. Chemical recycling technologies for PVC waste and PVC-containing plastic waste: A review. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 166:245-258. [PMID: 37196390 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2023.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The extensive production and consumption of plastics has resulted in significant plastic waste and plastic pollution. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) waste has a high chlorine content and is the primary source of chlorine in the plastic waste stream, potentially generating hazardous chlorinated organic pollutants if treated improperly. This review discusses PVC synthesis, applications, and the current types and challenges of PVC waste management. Dechlorination is vital for the chemical recycling of PVC waste and PVC-containing plastic waste. We review dehydrochlorination and dechlorination mechanisms of PVC using thermal degradation and wet treatments, and summarize the recent progress in chemical treatments and dechlorination principles. This review provides readers with a comprehensive analysis of chemical recycling technologies for PVC waste and PVC-containing plastic waste to transform them into chemicals, fuels, feedstock, and value-added polymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihui Lu
- School of Environmental Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, Liaoning, China
| | - Weiming Li
- School of Environmental Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, Liaoning, China
| | - Ying Cheng
- School of Environmental Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, Liaoning, China
| | - Meng Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, Liaoning, China.
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A Brief Review of Poly(Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Recycling. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14153035. [PMID: 35893999 PMCID: PMC9332854 DOI: 10.3390/polym14153035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Bearing in mind the aspiration of the world economy to create as complete a closed loop of raw materials and energy as possible, it is important to know the individual links in such a system and to systematise the knowledge. Polymer materials, especially poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), are considered harmful to the environment by a large part of society. The work presents a literature review on mechanical and feedstock recycling. The advantages and disadvantages of various recycling methods and their development perspectives are presented. The general characteristics of PVC are also described. In conclusion, it is stated that there are currently high recycling possibilities for PVC material and that intensive work is underway on the development of feedstock recycling. Based on the literature review, it was found that PVC certainly meets the requirements for materials involved in the circular economy.
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Lu J, Borjigin S, Kumagai S, Kameda T, Saito Y, Yoshioka T. Machine learning-based discrete element reaction model for predicting the dechlorination of poly (vinyl chloride) in NaOH/ethylene glycol solvent with ball milling. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL ADVANCES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceja.2020.100025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
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Kumar H, Kumagai S, Kameda T, Saito Y, Yoshioka T. Simultaneous recovery of high-purity Cu and poly(vinyl chloride) from waste wire harness via swelling followed by ball milling. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10754. [PMID: 32612201 PMCID: PMC7329881 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67795-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) swelling coupled with ball milling was employed for the simultaneous recovery of high-purity Cu and PVC from waste wire harness under ambient conditions. The experimentally determined performances of 15 organic solvents for PVC swelling and phthalate plasticiser extraction were compared with those predicted considering Hansen solubility parameters. As a result, n-butyl acetate and acetone were identified as the two best solvents for adequate PVC swelling without PVC dissolution and almost complete plasticiser extraction within 60 min. The swelling was concluded to contribute to the control of phthalate plasticisers, the use of which in wire harness has recently been limited by the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive. Cables swollen with n-butyl acetate or acetone were subjected to dry ball milling for ~ 60 min to completely separate PVC and Cu and achieve the quantitative recovery of these components from 20-cm-long cables. Thus, this work unveils the high potential of recycling the otherwise non-recyclable long and non-uniform waste wire harness cables and is expected to impact the related (e.g., automotive, electrical, and electronics) industries, contributing to the establishment of a more sustainable society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harendra Kumar
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aoba, Aramaki-Aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8579, Japan
| | - Shogo Kumagai
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aoba, Aramaki-Aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8579, Japan.
| | - Tomohito Kameda
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aoba, Aramaki-Aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8579, Japan
| | - Yuko Saito
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aoba, Aramaki-Aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8579, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Yoshioka
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-07 Aoba, Aramaki-Aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8579, Japan
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Kumar H, Kumagai S, Kameda T, Saito Y, Yoshioka T. Highly efficient recovery of high-purity Cu, PVC, and phthalate plasticizer from waste wire harnesses through PVC swelling and rod milling. REACT CHEM ENG 2020. [DOI: 10.1039/d0re00303d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Schematic pathways of dry and wet rod milling processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harendra Kumar
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies
- Tohoku University
- Sendai
- Japan
| | - Shogo Kumagai
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies
- Tohoku University
- Sendai
- Japan
| | - Tomohito Kameda
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies
- Tohoku University
- Sendai
- Japan
| | - Yuko Saito
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies
- Tohoku University
- Sendai
- Japan
| | - Toshiaki Yoshioka
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies
- Tohoku University
- Sendai
- Japan
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