A Scoping Study

End-of-Life Printed Circuit Boards

August 2002

by
Dr Martin Goosey and Dr Rod Kellner
Supported by
Department of Trade and Industry
Intellect
Shipley Europe Limited

A Scoping Study
End-of-Life Printed Circuit Boards
Contents

Executive Summary

1. Introduction

2. Review of Current Situation

3. Emerging Technologies and Developments

13

4. Emerging Technologies

16

5. Hydrometallurgical Approachesv

19

6. Summary and Conclusions

22

7. hamos ERP Electronic Scrap Recycling System

26

8. Visit Reports

28

References

41

Bibliography

43

Executive Summary
In recent years there has been increasing concern about the growing volume of end-of-life
electronics and the fact that much of it is consigned to landfill without any attempt being
made to recycle the materials it contains. The limited availability of landfill and the need for
society as whole and industry in particular to adopt a more sustainable approach to materials
consumption has led to greater attention being given to the problems associated with endof-life electronics. Additionally, implementation of emerging legislation such as the draft
Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive will necessitate the
increasing recovery and recycling of materials found in scrap electronics.
In a recent printed circuit board (PCB) Industry Sustainable Technology Scoping Study, a key
issue highlighted was the disposal of end-of-life PCBs and the lack of established
methodologies and infrastructure capable of handling the increasing volumes of scrap
boards that would need to be recovered following implementation of the WEEE directive.
It is estimated that as much as 50,000 tonnes of PCB scrap is produced each year in the UK
and of this only around 15% is currently subjected to any form of recycling. The remaining
85% is consigned to landfill. Currently, the only board waste being recycled is the proportion
having an inherent value because of its precious metal content and this is limited to recovery
of the metal content via smelting. With growing pressure to recycle more end-of-life circuit
boards there is a clear need to develop and implement recycling methodologies that enable
more of the materials and the components to be recycled.
This study has identified and assessed the existing and potential technologies that may be
used for the recycling of end-of-life circuit boards and their components. It is clear that there
is, as yet, no single solution capable of viably handling all types of PCB scrap. However, the
technologies are being developed and solutions do exist. There is a clear window of
opportunity for the UK to establish and implement a PCB recycling capability using this
technology before the WEEE directive has a major impact in 2006.
Another key finding from this work is that there is an increasing and controversial export of
scrap PCBs from Europe to China for recycling. There has recently been much adverse
publicity regarding the fate of this electronic waste, largely because of the use of unskilled,
low cost labour and the dangerous and hazardous conditions to which workers are exposed.
As the shipping of end-of-life electronics to China is undesirable and that boards containing
low levels of precious metals are uneconomic to recycle via smelting, it is clear that
alternative recycling strategies will need to be implemented before new legislation will force
more recycling of electronics waste.

Martin Goosey
Chairman of PCIF Environmental Working Group

1. Introduction
1.1 Background and Strategic Importance
In 1996 the Printed Circuit Industry Federation (PCIF), now a division of Intellect, formed an
Environmental Working Group, which set itself the objectives of assisting the UK PCB
industry to adopt environmental and waste minimisation best practices and to understand
the implications of increasingly stringent legislation. The group has been very active over the
past six years and has undertaken numerous projects with support from government
organisations including the Department of Trade and Industry, Envirowise, the Environment
Agency and Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), as well as from individual
companies such as Shipley Europe Limited.
Since its formation, the PCIF's Environmental Working Group's key activities and main
emphasis have been in addressing the environmental issues impacting the PCB industry
and in helping with its environmental concerns. More recently, it has also sought to address
these issues via sustainable approaches and through the definition and implementation of
best practices. Projects undertaken by the Working Group have resulted in such deliverables
as:
An Environmental Legislation Database
New tin-lead recovery equipment incorporating a novel and patented technology
The PCB industry Environmental Best Practice Guide
The PCB industry Sustainable Technology Scoping Study
Several good practice guides covering specific topics important to the PCB
industry, such as water use optimisation, copper waste and lead-free assembly
An ISO 14001 Environmental Management System 'fast track' accreditation
programme
Work is also currently drawing to a close on an investigation into the technical and economic
viability of recycling the 25 litre plastic drums used to supply process chemistry to the PCB
and related industries and a full report will be issued in the near future. Members of the
Working Group have also recently expanded their activities through involvement in two panEuropean projects that are being supported with funding from the European Union. The
results and reports from many of the above projects, and other related relevant information,
have been widely disseminated within the UK. Additionally, the dissemination activities have
been augmented (and publicised) via conferences, joint programmes with Envirowise,
working group meetings and the publication of environmental information via the PCIF's
website (www.pcif.org.uk).*
There has also been much consolidation and contraction of PCB manufacturing capacity in
the UK, especially in the last two years, and the remaining manufacturers are facing
increasing pressure on margins, especially from producers in countries in the Far East such
as China. With environmental compliance and associated costs often being of the order of
7% to 8% of overall manufacturing costs, any reductions that can be made in this figure will
enhance the ability of the remaining industry to compete with overseas competition.
Consequently, it has become clear that a more co-ordinated and strategic approach to
environmental issues is required if the UK PCB industry is to be able to implement best
practices effectively whilst simultaneously enhancing its performance.
It is through the adoption of such a co-ordinated approach that the UK PCB industry will be
able to make significant cost savings via increased efficiency, not only in its use of raw
materials and by embracing waste minimisation techniques but also through its ability to
comply in a proactive manner with the plethora of new and emerging legislation that is
increasingly impacting the whole electronics supply chain. Additionally, reductions in the use
of raw materials and the generation of waste and the ability, wherever possible, to recycle
4

and reuse valuable resources will help both to sustain finite resources for future generations
and to reduce the ultimate impact on the environment.
The PCB industry Sustainable Technology Scoping Study completed in 2001 identified and
prioritized several key environmental issues that need to be addressed if the UK PCB
manufacturing industry is to operate effectively within a climate of increasingly stringent
environmental regulation and to do so in a sustainable manner, minimising its impact on the
environment and conserving raw materials for future use. For example, a programme to
develop UV-ozone-based oxidative destruction techniques for the removal of organic
contamination in effluent streams may offer considerable benefits to both the environment
and the PCB industry, as well as to other industry sectors such as general metal finishing.
The Environmental Working Group has also identified the need to establish a UK packaging
recycling scheme to enable used chemical containers, especially 25 litre plastic drums, to be
recycled. Following the identification of these two projects in the Sustainable Technology
Scoping Study both are now underway following the successful submission of proposals to
appropriate funding bodies. New UV-ozone-based oxidative destruction techniques for the
removal of organic contamination in effluent streams are now being developed in
collaboration with Shipley Europe Limited and C-Tech, in the UK, as part of a European
Commission funded CRAFT project that includes UK PCB manufactures as well as
companies in Germany and Sweden. The 25 litre plastic drum recycling evaluation project
has also been funded and, at the time of writing (August 2002), it is nearing completion, with
the final report issue and dissemination programme scheduled for the early Autumn.
A third key project identified in the Sustainable Technology Scoping Study was related to
the issue of end-of-life and scrap PCBs and the need to implement new recycling
technologies in order to enable industry to meet its obligations under forthcoming legislation.
In fact, the need to address this issue was identified as the top priority in the Scoping Study
(along with the plastic drum recycling project).
* (It is important to note that the PCIF has recently become part of a larger trade organisation
known as Intellect, which represents a much broader cross section of the UK Electronics
Industry, but which nevertheless includes the PCB Industry as a very important sector. In
September 2002, it is anticipated that the PCIF's website will be incorporated into, and
become part of, Intellect's website which is at www.intellectuk.org).

1.2 Programme and Project Content

The work programme undertaken in this project has been directed towards an overall
assessment of the current magnitude of the problem relating to the issue of end-of-life and
scrap PCBs within the UK. It has also sought to identify and define the suitability of available
and emerging technologies that may be applicable either in isolation, or in combination, for
recycling materials from both populated and unpopulated circuit boards. The project has
been pursued under the auspices of the PCIF for the benefit of the UK PCB industry.
Specialist input has been utilised wherever possible and this has included representation
from board manufacturers, recyclers and academia. Visits to individual companies,
universities and other organisations were also undertaken, within both the UK and the rest
of Europe, and these were augmented with information gained from telephone interviews
and literature searches etc as appropriate. The project has additionally been extended to
include wider international inputs as much of the recycling of PCBs involves movement of
materials over borders and long distances, often to countries as far apart as Canada and
China.
The majority of the work in this project was undertaken by Dr Rod Kellner, an environmental
consultant working within the PCB industry, and Dr Martin Goosey, Chairman of the PCIF's
Environmental Working Group, (both of whom are members of the PCIF's Environmental
Working Group). Project management has been provided by the PCIF.
The programme has proceeded via an initial compilation of existing published information
5

from various public sources such as company literature, technical reports and literature
searches. Subsequent to this initial information gathering stage, specific input was sought
from various identified experts via a programme of visits and discussions with personnel
from industry and academia. This was complemented by a research review of potential new
approaches and practices embracing individual technologies that had been identified on a
global basis. These have been used to outline potential methodologies that could be
adopted if the level of board recycling is to be enhanced in order to enable compliance with
the broader end-of-life electronics recycling requirements defined in the draft Waste from
Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive which is likely to come into force in
2006.
In recent years there has been increasing concern about the growing volume of end-of-life
electronics and the fact that much of it is consigned to landfill without any attempt being
made to recycle the materials it contains. The limited availability of landfill and the
implementation of emerging legislation, such as the proposed WEEE directive, will
necessitate the increasing recovery and recycling of materials found in scrap electronics.
This study has identified and assessed the existing and potential technologies that may be
used for the recycling of end-of-life circuit boards and their components. It is clear that there
is, as yet, no single solution capable of handling all types of PCB scrap. However, the
technology is being developed and solutions do exist. There is a clear window of opportunity
for the UK to establish and implement a PCB recycling capability using this technology
before the WEEE directive comes into force in 2006.

2 Review of Current Situation

2.1 Overview
Whilst information in respect of the amount of electronic scrap generated within the UK is
published by Industry Council for Electronic Equipment Recycling (ICER), specific figures
relating solely to PCB scrap are less readily available and perceived quantifications vary
greatly. It appears from discussions with key recycling industry personnel that ~50,000
tonnes per annum of PCB scrap is currently generated within the UK of which an estimated
40,000 tonnes per annum comprises populated boards. The remaining 10,000 tonnes is
either unpopulated boards or associated board manufacturing scrap, such as off-cuts.
Of this 50,000 tonnes per annum of estimated PCB scrap, it is further estimated that only
~15% is subject to any form of recycling with the remainder being consigned to landfill.
Approximately 60% of the estimated landfill demand of 42,500 tonnes per annum is believed
to be consigned within the total redundant equipment package. A proportion of what would
primarily be landfill demand is met by off-shore shipments to China for disassembly and
pyrolysis. The recycled board waste effectively comprises only those boards having inherent
value by virtue of their contained precious metal content. Recycling in the current sense is
purely in respect of the recovery via smelting of the metal content, with the vast majority of
boards being refined at either:

? Union Menieur (Belgium)

? Boliden (Sweden)
? Noranda (Canada)
Within the UK, both Johnson Matthey and Engelhard accept scrap PCBs through their
smelters, but the costs are such that only boards with very high precious metal content are
processed. Boards shipped for smelting have invariably been subject to 'upgrading' via
shredding and magnetic and additional classification.

2.2 Recycling
Populated PCB assemblies typically have the following approximate material composition:
Non - metallic eg glass-reinforced polymer

70%

Copper

16%

Solder

4%

Iron, ferrite (from transformer cores)

3%

Nickel

2%

Silver

0.05%

Gold

0.03%

Palladium

0.01%

Other (bismuth, antimony, tantalum etc)

<0.01%

General routes which may be followed for recycling comprise:

Component recycling via disassembly
Materials recycling via mechanical processing, pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy or
a combination of these techniques.
Scrap PCBs forwarded to a smelter are rarely subject to any form of upgrading other than
selective disassembly, grading and shredding to reduce bulk volume in order to avoid the
inherent loss in precious metal content that is perceived to occur within additional
separation-classification processes. It is not uncommon for companies engaged in general
waste recycling of PCBs to have a precious metal content loss of ~10%, even with wet
7

mechanical separation processes. With dry mechanical separation processes the potential
loss may be somewhat higher than this and levels of up to 35% loss have been reported in
some instances of boards having high precious metal group (PMG) bearing component
populations. This is considered in the main to be a function of the nature of the interface at
which the precious metal is present within populated components and its adherence to
comminuted plastic particulates.
Specialist markets exists in the USA and Europe for the recovery and refurbishment of
components from PCBs for sale in the second user marketplace. However, although robotic
technologies operating from maintained populated board databases offer the capability for
cost effective component identification and disassembly, there are experts who consider that
the low cost and high technology of new components will place serious limitations on the
long-term viability of component recycling. There continue to be, however, emerging
techniques for disassembly such as those embrace a thermal approach and, in concert with
solder removal, via the deployment of shearing rollers.
Pyrolytic treatment normally comprises the ignition and melting of ground feedstock within a
furnace at temperatures of ~1200C via air injection and, although a small amount of oil is
normally required, much of the energy is provided by the organic components of the scrap.
The organic constituents of scrap boards are destroyed at these temperatures and any toxic
emissions are addressed via afterburners in the off-gas ducting operating at 1200C to
1400C. The metal produced is called 'black metal' and is generally a copper-rich product
that is subject to electrorefining with the precious metals being ultimately recovered from the
anodic sludge via a leaching, melting and precipitative route.
The vast majority of scrap or redundant PCB assemblies that currently enter the recycling
route, primarily for their precious metal content, are subject to pyrolytic treatment (smelting)
via initial primary mechanical treatment. However, there are a number of enhanced
mechanical treatment approaches, either commercialised or in the course of being
commercialised, that seek to add value prior to pyrolysis and to generate a separated
polymeric component to effect true recycling. In Germany, for example, Fuba (see 8.2) have
commercialised the generation of a 92% to 95% metal stream output from scrap
unpopulated PCBs via a mechanical process route involving shredding, granulation,
magnetic separation, classification and electrostatic separation. Polymer stream output from
this facility has found application in extrusion casting in the instance of a fibreglass-rich
component and as a filler in building materials in the instance of a powder generated fraction.
These downstream applications for separated plastic fractions have recently been
superseded by Fuba's own development of their combined use in chemical-resistant
polymer based pallets. This represents both a higher added value application and one that
overcomes market restrictions and cost barriers in the commercial supply of additive
materials. Commercial mechanical recycling systems are also being currently offered as
turnkey plants deploying comminution, magnetic and eddy current separation (for ferrous
and aluminium fractions), classification, electrostatic separation and secondary treatment to
generate metallic fractions, non conductive and ferrous fractions from scrap PCB
assemblies.
Although scrap laminate materials, in the form of offcuts etc, are more accurately defined as
associated PCB waste and may be subject to pyrolysis for both ultimate copper recovery or
the generation of a copper ash for application in fertiliser production, hydrometallurgical
approaches have been commercialised in the USA for the treatment via dissolution in
sulphuric/nitric acid leachants and subsequent electrolytic copper recovery. In addition to
processing scrap unpopulated PCBs, Fuba's German facility also processes materials such
as laminate offcuts.

2.3 Current Disposal Hierarchy

The existing treatment/disposal hierarchy for scrap PCBs is depicted below in Figure 1.

Figure 1

OEM

PCB
Manufacturer

Dismantler

Component
Re - Use

End - User

Disposal
Contractors

Recyclers

Specialist
Recovery/Recycling
Operations

Disassembly

Sort

Grade

Metal
Recovery

Dedicated
Plastic
Products

Shred
Secondary Metals
Iron, Ferrite,
Aluminium
Upgrade

Landfill/Secondary
Options

Smelter

Residual
Destruction

Recovered
Metals

The primary sources of scrap PCBs are from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs),
PCB manufacturers, end-users (corporate or individual) and equipment dismantlers. Output
from these sources is either directly to recyclers or specialist recovery operations or
indirectly to recyclers via disposal contractors. Component disassembly may be effected
either by the OEMs for resale or reuse within the supply chain or by recyclers and is
invariably undertaken manually. The result of manual disassembly is that the cost impact
renders component recovery viable only in instances of relatively high value elements or, in
the case of recyclers, where the component presence, such as transformer cores, may
either detract from the final residual value at a smelter or hinder any shredding/ granulation
processes.
Larger recyclers generally effect a level of disassembly of scrap PCBs followed by sorting,
grading and shredding operations with added value to the final ground product possibly
being effected via removal of iron and aluminium content by the deployment of magnetic and
eddy current separation. The output from the recycler will be either to landfill or to a smelter
and the only boards being forwarded for smelting and subsequent recovery of the metallic
constituents are those that have been graded as containing sufficient gold or precious metal
content to recovery economically viable. All non precious metal bearing board scrap is
consigned to landfill.
The input to landfill currently represents ~85% of all the PCB scrap board waste generated
and is generally a combination of that arriving from recyclers, disposal contractors or
specialist recovery operations with ~60% of the scrap being consigned to landfill within its
original equipment. It is estimated that approximately 30 companies within the UK are
actively engaged in the handling of scrap PCBs with approximately 15 of these companies
supplying the input directly to smelters.
Scrap PCBs are generally subject to grading into three categories that essentially mirror their
inherent precious metal content. These are referred to as H (high-grade), M (medium-grade)
and L (low grade) scrap.
Low grade material comprises television boards and power supply units having
heavy ferrite transformers and large aluminium heat sink assemblies; laminate
offcuts would also be considered as low grade material.
Medium grade scrap is that from high reliability equipment with precious metal
content from pin and edge connectors and with little incumbent material such as
aluminium capacitors etc.
High grade material comprises discrete components, gold-containing integrated
circuits (ICs), opto electronic devices, high precious metal content boards, gold pin
boards, palladium pin boards and thermally coupled modules from mainframes etc.
These gradings essentially represent the inherent precious metal content and even the low
grade material will tend to have a very small PMG content. It is possible to effect a regrading
from low to medium category via selective manual disassembly of high percentage mass
ferrous and aluminium components.
Within the UK a small amount of scrap PCBs does find its way through what may be termed
specialist recycling operations although, (with the notable exception of FUBA in Germany
which is taking some UK unpopulated scrap boards), these tend to be limited to operations
concerned solely with precious metal recovery. It is estimated that of the total amount of
board scrap generated less than 1% finds its way to specialised recycling operations.
As more than 70% of the mass of boards forwarded to smelting comprises GRP, which is
destroyed pyrolytically, it is clear that of the estimated 50,000 tonnes per annum of UK
generated scrap, only ~15% of the metals content is recovered with ~95% of all the scrap
being either consigned to landfill or subject to thermal destruction.

10

It should be noted that there is an increasing trade in the export of scrap PCBs offshore into
mainland China for 'recycling'. Within Europe, between 1000 euros to 5000 euros per tonne
are currently being offered for PCB scrap on a three level grading basis. It is apparent from
recent studies that the methodology pursued within China embraces the use of cheap labour
for disassembly in a uncontrolled manner with subsequent smelting of the depopulated
board assemblies. The European Union is a signatory to the Basel Convention, which has
sought to adopt a total ban on the export of all hazardous waste from rich to poor countries
for any reason, including recycling. PCB scrap does, however, fall largely outside the
definitions of hazardous waste, which gives a limit of lead at 3% as a threshold. On the
assumption that other specifically noted hazardous elements such as mercury or cadmium
are absent, the level of lead within populated PCB waste is generally in the region of 2% and
it is considered that the majority of scrap PCBs would fall outside the restrictions imposed
by the Basel Convention. In respect of defined hazardous wastes, the Basel Convention
additionally calls on all countries to reduce their exports of such to a minimum and, to the
extent possible, to deal with their waste problems within national borders. Indeed, this is an
obligation of the Basel Convention regardless of the level of waste management technology
in the importing country.

11

2.4 Economics of Recycling

To appreciate the economic drivers involved in the recycling of scrap PCBs the following is
a tabulation of the approximate intrinsic value of typical medium graded populated circuit
board waste*:
Component
Gold
Palladium
Silver
Copper

Wt.
(by %)
0.025
0.01
0.1
16

Value
(by kg)
6500
8000
70
0.8

Tin
Lead
Nickel
Aluminium

3
2
1
5

3
0.3
5
0.9

0.01
0
0.05
0.05

Iron
Zinc

5
1

0.1
0.8

0
0

Total

Intrinsic Value Intrinsic Value

( per kg)
(%)
1.63
59.4
0.8
29.2
0.07
0.13

Value from Smelter

(%)
98
92
95
96

2.74

* Metal values are based on June 2002 London Metal Exchange (LME) levels
The major points from this breakdown and related cost factors are:
Approximately 90% of the intrinsic value of scrap boards is in the gold and
palladium content
Commercial smelter operations typically credit between 92% - 98% of the
sampled precious metal value
Basic charges levied by commercial smelters are of the order of 400 - 1000
per tonne inclusive of sampling and shipping costs.
It is clear that for scrap PCBs containing less than such levels of precious metals and which
would be classified as low grade, it would be uneconomic to process via smelting. It is
equally clear, bearing in mind that recyclers have to purchase scrap PCB assemblies, that
the maximum yield of contained precious metals is realised and that currently this is best
attained via shredding of boards without additional comminution and classification to reduce
bulk volume.

12

3 Emerging Technologies and Developments

3.1 Overview
The cost effectiveness of pyrolytic recycling for scrap board assemblies, apart from those
with relatively high precious metal content, coupled with increasing ecological concerns has
cast doubt over the long-term viability of this methodology and has provided impetus for the
development of more sustainable approaches embracing mechanical and hydrometallurgical
technologies.
To effect significant increases in the levels of recycling being undertaken it is clear that any
approaches must embrace, in a cost effective manner, the treatment of scrap board
assemblies other than those bearing precious metal content. Newer approaches should also
seek to address more realistically the issues of total recycling with recovery and downstream
applications developed for the GRP element of scrap boards which represents in excess of
70% of the total input.
All existing and potential treatment approaches involve mechanical or mechanicalhydrometallurgical methodology. Owing to the nature of the input material base, even the
most sophisticated hydrometallurgical treatment models involve a level of mechanical
treatment. Mechanical treatment systems have currently realised a far greater level of
development than hydrometallurgical ones and, although the output from such invariably
finds final treatment pyrolytically within a commercial smelter, there are many distinct
advantages in the operation of enhanced mechanical treatment systems. The major
advantages of mechanical systems lie in their basically 'dry' mode of operation without the
use of any operational chemistry as would be necessitated with a hydrometallurgical based
system. The use of any chemical approach will create a downstream environmental demand,
either from liquid or gaseous pollution. This must be addressed by deploying a developed
sustainable approach which that does not itself create an off-site disposal demand from
secondary waste. It should be noted, however, that hydrometallurgical approaches do offer
a genuine treatment alternative to smelting and the possibility of realising higher metal
recovery yields. This latter point is of great significance when dealing with high value scrap
PCBs and the inherent loss from process of precious metals that may be evident within a
mechanical route involving comminution, separation and classification of all materials.
Ultimately, the issues of cost effectiveness and ecological concerns must be addressed and
both of the stated approaches may be fundamentally improved by being deployed on input
material that is more primarily metallic and that has been optimised by the prior removal of
plastic fractions for downstream applications. It appears that the constraints on total
recycling would even be far better addressed via the development of hydrometallurgical
approaches for high value board scrap whilst utilising a total mechanical approach for low
grade scrap.

3.2 Characteristics of PCB Scrap

PCB scrap is characterised by significant heterogeneity and relatively high complexity, albeit
with the levels of complexity being somewhat greater for populated scrap boards1. As has
been seen in respect of materials composition, the levels of inorganics in particular are
diverse with relatively low levels of precious metals being present as deposited coatings of
various thicknesses in conjunction with copper, solders, various alloy compositions, non
ferrous and ferrous metals6 . In spite of the inherent heterogeneity and complexity, there are
too many differences in the intrinsic physical and chemical properties of the many materials
and components present in scrap PCBs, and indeed electronic scrap as a whole, to permit
recycling approaches that separate such into their individual fractions. The following
characteristics ultimately govern mechanical and hydrometallurgical separation and it is
based upon such that current and potential recycling techniques and infrastructures have
been envisaged, developed and implemented.
13

3.2.1 Density Differences

Differences in density of the materials contained within scrap PCBs has formed the basis for
separation methods subsequent to their liberation as free constituents. The specific gravity
ranges of typical materials are as shown below.

Materials

Specific Gravity Range (g/cm3)

Gold, platinum group, tungsten

19.3 - 21.4

Lead, silver, molybdenum

10.2 - 11.3

Magnesium, aluminium, titanium

1.7 - 4.5

Copper, nickel, iron, zinc

7.0 - 9.0

GRP

1.8 - 2.0

With these densities not being significantly effected by the addition of alloying agents or
other additives7 , it is predictable that the deployment of various density separation systems
available within the raw materials process industry may be utilised to effect separation of
liberated constituents of a similar size range. The utilisation of density differences for the
recovery of metals from PCB scrap has been investigated on many occasions and air
classifiers have been used extensively to separate the non metallic (GRP) constituents,
whilst sink-float and table separation techniques have been utilised to generate non ferrous
metal fractions4,5,8. Air techniques that effectively combine the actions of a fluidised bed, a
shaking table and an air classifier, have been successfully implemented in applications
involving a diversity of electronic scrap separations10-13. It is essential, as has been noted,
that the feed material must be of a narrow size range to guarantee effective stratification and
separation.

3.2.2 Magnetic and Electrical Conductivity Differences

Ferrous materials may be readily separated with the application of low intensity magnetic
separators that have been well developed in the minerals processing industry.
Many non ferrous materials in respect of their high electrical conductivity may be separated
by means of electrostatic and eddy current separators. Eddy current separation has been
developed within the recycling industry since strong permanent magnets, such as ironboron-neodymium, have become available. Rotating belt type eddy current separation is the
most extensively used approach for the recovery of non-ferrous metal fractions10-12,14,15. In
application, the alternating magnetic fields caused by the rapidly rotating wheel mounted
with alternating pole permanent magnets result in the generation of eddy currents in non
ferrous metal conductors, which in turn, generate a magnetic field that repels the original
magnetic field. The resultant force, arising from the repulsive force and the gravitational force
permits their separation from non conducting materials.

3.2.3 Polyformity
One of the important aspects of both PCB and electronic scrap is the polyformity of the
various materials and components and the effect this can have on materials liberation. It is
essential that any shredding and separation processes take this into account. In eddy
current separation, the shape of conducting components, in addition to their particle sizes
and conductivity/density ratios, has a significant effect on the generated repulsive forces that
ultimately govern the separation efficiency. For instance, multiple induced current loops may
be established in conductors with irregular shapes with the induced magnetic fields
counteracting each other and reducing the net repulsive force 14.

14

3.2.4 Liberation Size

The degree of liberation of materials upon shredding and comminution is crucial to the
efficiency and effectiveness of any subsequent separation process in respect of yield, quality
of recovered material and energy consumption of the process. This is especially critical in
mechanical separation approaches. The comminution of scrap PCBs has been shown to
generate a high level of material liberation and levels as high as 96% to 99% have been
reported for metallic liberation after comminution to sub 5 mm particulates 12. It must noted,
however, that a continual observation from recyclers is that liberation levels such as these
are atypical of actual yields and that a fundamental constraint on mechanical processing is
the loss, particularly of precious metal content, that appears to be inherent due primarily to
the nature of many plastic-metal interfaces.

3.2.5 Chemical Reactivity

Hydrometallurgical approaches depend on selective and non selective dissolution to achieve
a complete solubilisation of all the contained metallic fractions within scrap PCBs. Although
all hydrometallurgical approaches clearly benefit from prior comminution this is primarily
undertaken to reduce bulk volume and to expose a greater surface area of contained metals
to the etching chemistry. Selective dissolution approaches may utilise high capacity etching
chemistries based on cupric chloride or ammonium sulphate for copper removal, nitric acid
based chemistries for solder dissolution and aqua regia for precious metals dissolution,
where as non selective dissolution may be carried out with either aqua regia or chlorine
based chemistry.

3.2.6 Electropositivity
Dissolved metals generated via chemical dissolution are present as ionised species within
an aqueous media and may be recovered via high efficiency electrolytic recovery systems.
In the instance of selective dissolution, a single metal is recovered as pure electrolytic grade
material, usually in sheet form, from the spent etching solution with certain etching
chemistries permitting regeneration of the liquors for reuse as etch chemistries. In the
instance of selective dissolution, use may be made of the differing electropositivities of the
contained ionised metallic species to selective recovery metals at discrete levels of applied
voltage.

15

4 Emerging Technologies
4.1 Mechanical Approaches
As may be anticipated, all of the work undertaken on mechanical systems has been with the
primary objective of enhancing separation yield of the various fractions, particularly the
precious metal bearing ones. The basic mechanical techniques deployed in the treatment of
scrap PCBs and electronic assemblies have been adapted or adopted from the raw
materials processing sector and refinement has sought to address both yield constraints and
ultimately cost effectiveness of the approaches, either used singly or in an integrated
manner. The problems associated with yield were apparent from early attempts to produce
a model methodology for handling all types of electronic scrap as instanced by the US
Bureau of Mines (USBM) approach in the late 1970s and early 1980s3-5. The separation
route, developed up to a 250 kg per hour pilot plant, comprised shredding, air separation,
and magnetic, eddy current and electrostatic separation to generate aluminium rich, copper
rich (including major precious metal fraction), light air classified and ferrous fractions5. The
yield, however, was such that no commercial uptake of this approach has been instanced.
The relatively poor yields or levels of separation obtained from this approach were
undoubtedly a result of the use of a standard hammer mill having no provision, or levels of
refinement, to cope with clear comminution of aluminium, the use of a ramp type eddy
current separator of low capacity and selectivity and the use of a high tension separator for
metals/non metals, which has been since demonstrated as having low capacity and high
susceptibility to humidity.
There was little further meaningful development work on the implementation of mechanical
treatment approaches until the early 1990s when Scandinavian Recycling AB in Sweden
implemented their mechanical concept for electronic scrap handling which did not
specifically address the treatment of scrap PCBs but rather removed PCBs for specialist
treatment as part of the pre sorting stage. Subsequent to this development, work in both
Germany and Switzerland has seen the implementation of mechanically based approaches
for the handling and separation of electronic scrap with the work at FUBA dedicated to scrap
PCBs being a notable example of this activity.
In 1996, Noell Abfall and Energietechnik GmbH in Germany implemented a 21,000 tonnes
per annum plant with the capability of handling a wide variety of electronics scrap but
specifically intended for redundant telecommunications scrap10. The system again involves
PCB scrap and the inherent precious metal content being subject to prior manual
disassembly. The overall methodology deploys a three stage liberation and sequential
separation route with ferromagnetic removal via overhead permanent magnets and eddy
current techniques because of their ability to optimise the handling of fractions in the 5 to
200 mm particle size range. Air table techniques were utilised for the separation of
particulate fractions in the 5 to 10 mm, 2 to 5 mm and less than 2 mm ranges respectively.
Mechanical and physico mechanical approaches to the treatment of scrap PCBs may be
deployed as stand alone treatment stages, (i.e. pulverisation, magnetic separation, or
integrated into a complete treatment system with the output being metallic and non-metallic
fractions). The metallic output would be destined for pyrometallurgical refinement via
smelting where as the non metallic output would find applications in the secondary plastics
marketplace or be utilised within dedicated developed applications. As reported, FUBA has
developed its total mechanical treatment system, albeit only currently utilised for nonpopulated board scrap or ancillary laminate waste through this latter route.

16

There are commercially available turnkey mechanical systems for the treatment of a wide
range of electronic scrap materials including populated and non populated PCBs. One such
is that developed by hamos GmbH in Germany which is an automated integrated
mechanical system comprising the following stages:
primary coarse size reduction, accomplished with a shredder having
multi-use rotational knives;
coarse ferrous metal separation, accomplished with rare earth magnets sited
above an oscillating conveyor belt feed to allow high efficiency ferrous separation
across a range of particle sizes;
pulverisation in which circuit board assemblies are pulverised within a hammer mill
utilising high abrasion resistance hammers and liners and proprietary grates with
the action of the mill inducing a 'spherising' effect on the metallic particulates;
classification, utilising self-cleaning sieves;
electrostatic separation, allowing virtually complete separation of metallic fractions
with recirculation of mid-range particulate fractions
further size reduction, cosisting of secondary pulverisation to effect size reduction
on oversized particulates.
The hamos system can additionally incorporate density separation for aluminium extraction
and dust generation treatment of any such outfall from the hammer mills via secondary
electrostatic separators. The complete conveyor based systems are operated at negative
pressures to eliminate any airborne pollution and are currently available with treatment
capabilities up to 4 tonnes per hour of input feed. All product from the system, viz mixed
plastic, metallic and extracted ferrous and aluminium is bagged automatically for onward
shipment.
Considerable work has been undertaken on enhancing the effectiveness of mechanical
treatment systems. For example, the development of newer pulverising process technology
via the application of multiple pulverising rotors and ceramic coated systems has enabled
the generation of sub-millimetre particulate comminution and this is shown in Figure 2. This
in turn has enabled the efficiency of subsequent centrifugal separation techniques to realise
97% copper recovery yields. The effectiveness of the pulverising process has been
improved by the adoption of dual pulverising stages: a crushing process and a fine
pulverising process. The crushing process combines cutting and shearing forces and the
fine pulverising process combines shearing and impact forces. With such effective
particulate comminution both screen separation and gravity separation have been
investigated and conclusions drawn that the most effective approach was by gravity using a
centrifugal classifier with a high air vortex system 18 .
Researchers at Daimler-Benz in Ulm, Germany, have developed a mechanical treatment
approach that has the capability to increase metal separation efficiencies, even from fine
dust residues generated after particulate comminution in the treatment of scrap PCB
assemblies. They considered a purely mechanical approach to be the most cost effective
methodology and a major objective of their work was to increase the degree of purity of the
recovered metals such that minimal pollutant emissions would be encountered during
subsequent smelting. Their process comprises the initial coarse size reduction to
~2 cm x 2 cm dimensioned fractions followed by magnetic separation for ferrous elements.
This is then followed by a low temperature grinding stage. The embrittlement of polymeric
components at temperatures less than 70C was found to enable enhanced separation from
non-ferrous metallic components when subjected to grinding within a hammer mill. In
operation the hammer mill was fed with liquid nitrogen at minus 196C, which served to both
impart brittleness to the plastic feedstock constituent and to effect process cooling.
Additionally, the grinding of material within such an inert atmosphere eliminated any
17

likelihood of oxidative by product formation from the plastics, such as dioxins and furans.
Subsequent to this enhanced grinding stage the metallic and non metallic fractions were
separated via sieving and electrostatic stages. Cost analyses undertaken by Daimler-Benz
engineers have indicated that such a process may be economically viable even when
dealing with relatively low grade PCB scrap having little precious metal content. Ongoing
activities are concerned with development of the treatment of separated polymeric fractions
in conjunction with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries that have set up a gasification and
methanolysis plant to such effect19 .
Air table separation systems have been researched with a view to effecting separation of
metallic and plastic components from an input feed of screened 7 mm shredded particulate
scrap PCBs post ferromagnetic separation. Recovery rates for copper, gold and silver of
76%, 83% and 91% respectively were considered to validate the approach, but only for low
grade PCB scrap or general electronic scrap20 .
Figure 2
PWB Waste

Crushing Process

Pulverising
Process

Fine Pulverising
Process

Gravity Separation

Copper Rich
Powder

Recycling of
Copper
97% Copper Recovery

18

Glass Fibre &

Resin Powder

Filler in
Consruction
Materials

5 Hydrometallurgical Approaches
A number of hydrometallurgical approaches have been developed through to pilot plant
stage with preliminary cost studies indicating the potential recovery of all materials, with the
exception of discrete components, at an operational profit of some US$200 per tonne.
In the USA, a methodology based on solvolysis has been developed to enable both the more
efficient recovery of metals and the recovery of plastic materials such as epoxides at high
quality and with the additional benefit of having the capability to extract both halogens and
brominated hydrocarbon derivatives. (BIGAT: www.recyclers-info.de/de/bigat/prasengl.htm)
On a relatively small scale there have been a number of hydrometallurgical approaches
traditionally pursued in the recovery specifically of gold from pins and edge connectors. Such
methodologies have usually been deployed on discrete edge connectors and gold coated
assemblies that have been manually separated from the scrap board via the use of air knives
etc. The approaches have either liberated gold as metal flake via acidic dissolution of the
copper substrates or dissolution of the gold in cyanide or thiourea based leachants followed
by electrowinning or chemical displacement or precipitation with powdered zinc.
The use of non selective leachants to dissolve the non precious metal content of scrap PCBs
has also received attention. Various studies have been undertaken into the viability of
utilising dilute mineral acids in conjunction with subsequent metal recovery techniques
based on concentration and separation such as solvent extraction, ion exchange, adsorption
and cementation21.
In the UK, there have been two potentially significant development projects undertaken on
hydrometallurgical approaches to the recycling of scrap PCBs with both having
demonstrated viability to a pre pilot plant stage. Both of these are reported in some detail
within Section 8. The first of these approaches is from a Cambridge University led
consortium which deploys a selective dissolution-electrolytic recovery route for discrete
metal constituents23. The solder recovery stage employs a solder selective (non copper
etching) regenerable leachant based on fluoroboric acid. This may or may not be deployed
prior to mechanical pre treatment, from which the dissolved solder can be electrolytically
recovered in pure metallic form. Subsequent selective leaching of copper and PMG metals
is then carried out. The ability to remove selectively solder prior to mechanical comminution
has specific advantages in enabling disassembly and component integrity and recovery.
Mechanical pre treatment methodologies followed by the Cambridge group have included
shredding, magnetic separation, eddy current separation and classification.
The second development is that of the Imperial College, London (ICL) consortium which has
taken shredded and classified sub 4mm PCB populated PCB scrap through a single
leachate route comprising electro-generated chlorine in an acidic aqueous solution of high
chloride ion activity24-26. This has produced a multi metal leach electrolyte containing all of
the available metal content at generally mass transport controlled rates with respect to
dissolved chlorine. The viability of subsequent metal recovery via electrolytic membrane
cells with discrete metal separation has also been demonstrated.

5.1 Disassembly
Disassembly is considered an integral element of realising intrinsic value on a scrap PCB
assembly. As such it is carried out at a number of levels; by the OEM or equipment
manufacturers themselves for recovery of components from faulty products or over capacity
manufacture for reuse or replacement, by a specialist contractor performing this function for
the manufacturer; or by a recycler or disassembler for resale in the secondary component
market. As has been noted levels of disassembly may also be undertaken as a preparation
stage within primary upgrading operations, (e.g. removal of transformer cores). Practically
all such disassembly operations are carried out manually, which in itself places limits on the
operation in respect of the costs involved. Manual disassembly of scrap is essentially carried
out with the aid of tools such as chisels, screwdrivers, pliers and pincers which may be
19

driven electrically or pneumatically. It is of course of significance that the extent to which

PCBs and electronic equipment in general is or is not designed to facilitate recycling at endof-life can significantly influence the dismantling process. Disassembly is considered to be
an area of increasing significance in a marketplace of low cost components and the
necessity to address such in an automated low cost manner. Disassembly may also be
considered to have an impact on overall future recycling strategies. As noted prviously that
the limitations of purely mechanical process routes are effectively concerned with precious
metal loss from component structures on populated boards (owing to the nature of the metalnon metal interface) and an effective automated disassembly methodology could well
expand the potential for mechanical turnkey approaches for all grades of scrap PCBs.
In respect of both cost reduction and the ensurance of safety objectives, mechanical
dismantling and automated and robotic dismantling techniques have been considered 16,17 .
In Austria, the organisation SAT has developed an automated component disassembly
methodology for the dismantling of components from scrap, redundant or malfunctioning
PCB assemblies. The existing production facility deals with the recovery of relatively
expensive components from faulty products and overcapacity manufacture from a number
of German, Hungarian and Austrian OEMs but the potential exists to expand the application
of this technology to complete component disassembly. SAT concurs that the dismantling of
components by any manual approach will be both time and cost intensive and have little
future applicability within the overall treatment of scrap PCBs (which SAT currently estimate
quantitatively as 400,000 tonnes per annum within Europe). SAT's technology essentially
comprises automated component scanning and dual beam laser desoldering with vacuum
removal of selected components. The component disassembly operation comprises the
following stages:
scanning - read all component identification data
reading stored component database to dtermine their value
determining how the identified components are soldered or mounted
if mounted, disassembling via robot in 3 to 5 seconds (cost = 0.5 euro)
if soldered, desoldering by using laser or infra red, with a method determined by
package type
In concert with their work on mechanical treatment of scrap PCBs, the NEC Group in Japan
has also sought to address the automation of disassembly via a mechanical approach22.
Equipment has been developed to remove components in a conveyorised mode via heating
with infra red and shearing and as a separate development having a higher throughput rate
via crushing with impacting rollers shown in the following Figure 3. Although both of these
approaches leave the bare board intact, the former results in removal of both surface mount
and soldered components without loss of integrity. The NEC team additionally extended the
heat impacting equipment to effect residual (~4%) solder removal via automatic belt sanding.
A clear objective of this work was to reduce the intrinsic material loss from mechanical
treatment and to utilise more fully the uneven material distribution between the bare boards
and components.

20

Figure 3
Scrap Populated
PCB

Disassembly

Components

Heat & External

Force

Solder
Removal

Solder

Heat, Impacting Force,

Surface Abrasion

Pulverisation

Crushing, Fine
Pulverisation

Separation

Gravity & Electrostatic

Copper Rich
Powder

Glass Fibre &

Resin Powder

21

6 Summary
6.1 Discussion
The increasing rate and levels of redundancy of PCBs is a function of that being realised for
all electrical and electronic equipment. There are some significant differences, however, in
that the greatest intrinsic material value, specifically precious metals, within scrap equipment
invariably is in the contained PCBs. This has led to the development of a commercial
infrastructure based on the dedicated collection of PCBs and subsequent grading of such
with those having significant precious metal content to justify recovery being processed
within a smelter. The vast majority of scrap PCBs (~ 85%) are consigned to landfill, either
directly or within their original equipment. This represents a non sustainable loss of finite
materials resources and is placing a dramatically increasing burden on landfill.
The solution to the problem of discarded PCBs, as indeed with discarded electronic goods,
is recycling. This will reduce the landfill disposal demand and encourage recovery of
valuable materials and the reuse of components. A total recycling approach will provide a
substantial source of both ferrous, non ferrous and precious metals together with non
metallic plastic materials. The necessity of focusing on new and viable recycling approaches
has been acknowledged and addressed within the European EUREKA project (EU 1140) 'A
Comprehensive Approach for the Recycling of Electronics (CARE) "VISION 2000". This
project was initiated to enhance the value of the recycling of electronics by developing
methods for disassembly, materials separation, and identification and recovery of
marketable products. The driving forces behind the EUREKA project were the high value of
many parts in electronic scrap and the difficulty and inappropriateness of landfill as a
disposal option2. Although the intrinsic value of electronic components has decreased
dramatically over the past five years there is undoubtedly still a significant market for many
recovered components and the landfill disposal option has taken on everincreasing
significance since the EUREKA project was launched (1994).
In terms of the products obtained from scrap PCBs there may be considered two recycling
categories - component recycling and materials recycling - but in terms of recycling
techniques five categories have been noted1. Various recycling approaches that have been
detailed within this scoping study have embraced some or all of these categories and
techniques, the relationships between which are shown below in Figure 4.
Figure 4
Disassembly

Components
Recycling

Mechanical Processing
Pyrometallurgy
Hydrometallurgy
Combination Of These
Techniques

22

Materials Recycling

As has been seen, it is not uncommon for the disassembly process to be employed to
segregate components and/or materials that are reusable, identifiable or hazardous in such
a manner as to maximise economic return and to minimise environmental demand enabling
subsequent processes to be performed more effectively and efficiently.
From the early attempts and approaches towards recycling of PCB scrap that have been
noted in this study together with historic work on total mechanically based routes carried out
in the United States in the late 1970s and early 1980s by the USBM3-5, mechanical recycling
techniques have been enhanced and evolved through to commercial implementation in
Germany (FUBA). The deployment of such enhanced mechanical separation and treatment
techniques either as a dedicated recycling approach or in concert with hydrometallurgical
and pyrolytic methodologies does provide the basis of a recycling approach to address both
the level of redundant board scrap currently consigned to landfill or off-shore and the
diminishing level of boards with high precious metal content levels. It is considered highly
unlikely that a single universal approach will be evolved but rather a variety of treatment
options based on hydrometallurgy, mechanical and pyrolytic technologies integrated with
higher levels of automated disassembly will be used. Such flexibility is considered necessary
to address the variability of input material and the related variable intrinsic content value. The
necessity to develop real downstream applications for liberated polymer based waste is an
issue that must be addressed within a truly sustainable recycling scenario, and the efforts of
FUBA in Germany have demonstrated what is possible.
The studies undertaken to date have confirmed both the level of circuit board scrap being
generated within the UK marketplace and the current destination of such with only those
elements of scrap having precious metal content following an essentially pyrolytic-smelting
recycling route. The cost effectiveness of such a pyrolytic approach for all but high value
scrap boards (currently ~15% of the total, and declining with current reduced precious metal
content of assemblies) together with increasing ecological concerns has led to the
commercialisation of enhanced mechanical methodologies and the development of a
number of hydrometallurgical approaches. There appears to be a very real possibility that
the integration of these second generation mechanical and hydrometallurgical treatment
routes will offer a cost effective and more sustainable alternative methodology to pyrolysis
and one that will viably permit the recycling of scrap board assemblies that are currently
consigned to landfill.

6.2 Key Points

Points of significance that have emerged from this scoping study are as follows:

? An estimated 50,000 tonnes per annum of PCB scrap is generated within the
UK comprising ~40,000 tonnes per annum of populated boards, with the
remainder being unpopulated boards and associated board waste such as
laminate off-cuts.

? Only approximately 15% of this scrap is subject to any form of recycling, with
the balance being consigned to landfill or off-shore processing.

? The scrap subjected to recycling is only that which contains a relatively high
proportion of precious metals (usually gold and palladium) and thus is
economically viable.

? All of the scrap subjected to such recycling is treated pyrolytically within a

smelter.

? Greater than 90% of the intrinsic material value of boards which may be
classified as medium grade scrap is in the gold and palladium content.

? Mechanical upgrading other than disassembly, grading and shredding for bulk

volume reduction prior to pyrolysis is not undertaken because of inherent yield

loss, particularly of precious metals. This loss may be typically in the order of
10% but may be much higher.
23

? Yield problems with mechanical treatment methodologies are more a function

of the plastic-metal interface on components. For unpopulated or depopulated

boards this is less of a constraint and successful commercial total mechanical
recycling has been implemented for such assemblies (See section 8.2).

? Disassembly has traditionally been undertaken manually but newer developed

automated systems will have an impact on future recycling strategies to

maximise cost effectiveness for low value component recovery and as an initial
stage for recycling approaches to maximise yield of residual intrinsic material
value.

? Hydrometallurgical approaches offer the opportunity to eliminate metal yield

loss from recycling processes but have a potentially more significant
environmental impact in implementation.

? Mechanical treatment approaches appear to offer significant environmental

and operational benefits and this is reflected in the amount of development

work undertaken on them during the past 20 years, with the focus having been
on improving yield and efficiency.

? Mechanical and hydrometallurgical recycling approaches have been able to

take advantage of intrinsic material physical and chemical property differences

respectively. These differences include density, magnetic and electrical
conductivity and chemical reactivity.

? PCB scrap is markedly heterogeneous in nature and the key to all mechanical
treatment methodologies is in the liberation of the component material
fractions. This is somewhat less of a constraint with hydrometallurgical
treatment approaches.

6.3 Conclusions
It is considered, particularly in relation to realistically addressing the problems of rapidly
increasing landfill demand caused by scrap PCBs and redundant electronic assemblies in
general, that the following conclusions may be drawn:
Developed treatment approaches must cost effectively embrace the recycling of
scrap other than that having inherent precious metal content value.
The issues of total recycling must be more realistically addressed particularly in
respect of recovery and downstream applications for GRP, which represents
>70% of the scrap board mass. The possibility of developing speciality products
from recycled PCB waste has been demonstrated by FUBA in Germany.
The constraints on yield from total mechanical recycling approaches should not
detract from the viability of such operations when applied to unpopulated,
depopulated or low precious metal bearing scrap, provided that there is evident
cost effectiveness in recycling. This will only effectively be brought about by
legislation, an incentive scheme or by a suitable charging mechanism.
Hydrometallurgical approaches offer a viable methodology in maximising the
recovery of intrinsic metal value, particularly precious metals, and should be
further developed through pilot plant stages to commercialisation.
No single treatment approach will be appropriate for the handling of all scrap
PCBs because of their diversity and varying intrinsic worth. Rather, an integrated
hierarchy of approaches that encompasses disassembly and mechanical and
hydrometallurgical methodologies will be needed to generate either materials and
components for direct reuse or downstream application or a non toxic feedstock
for pyrolytic refining.
24

6.4. Recommendations for Further Work

It is clear that significant reductions in landfill consignment and off-shore shipments will only
be effectively acheived by enabling profitable treatment via recycling of non precious metal
bearing scrap boards. This in turn highlights the need for the development of lower cost
treatment methodologies and possibly also a legislative constraint coupled with an effective
charging mechanism. The following recommendations are therefore primarily directed
towards the furtherance of development work that seeks to address these existing
constraints.
1. Development work should be undertaken on mechanical separation treatment
approaches for populated scrap PCB assemblies that enable yield enhancement,
particularly of the metallic bearing fractions.
2. Development work should be continued through to a pilot plant study on
hydrometallurgical approaches to generate operational cost data and to optimise
operational parameters and yields.
3. Detailed life cycle analyses should be undertaken on PCB assemblies.
4. Hydrometallurgical development work should be directed towards integration with
depopulation and other approaches to further optimise yields and to address the
elimination of secondary environmental impact.
5. Development activity should be pursued on the integration of automated depopulation m
ethodology with mechanical separation to generated separated fractions having
upgraded feedstock capability for either pyrometallurgical treatment or developed
hydrometallurgical treatment.
6. A detailed study should be carried out to identify downstream applications for separated
polymer fractions. It is not considered sufficient to merely state that there are secondary
applications within a filler-additive market and it is likely that defined products utilising
such feedstock and taking advantage of its specific physical and chemical properties
may require identification and development. FUBA's experience of recycling recovered
polymeric fractions from PCB scrap is an example of a route which gives true added
value to such material. This aspect is significant because of the fact that greater than
70% of PCB waste is polymer based.
7. There is a clear need to address the current clearly unacceptable issue of end-of-life
electronics scrap being exported to China. Although such widespread practices may not
yet be strictly illegal, there are clearly environmental, health and safety and even moral
issues that make the practice unacceptable.
8. With the likely implementation of the WEEE and RoHS directives in January 2006, there
are just over three years left for the UK to develop and implement the technology and
infra structure that will be needed to process and recycle the large amounts of end-oflife electronics that will be subject to these directives. The technology for handling this
type of electronic waste is becoming available but further development via a co-ordinated
and integrated approach is clearly required. This will require a partnership between
government and industry and it is proposed that an exploratory working group be
established forthwith.

25

7. hamos ERP Electronic Scrap Recycling System

The hamos ERP electronic scrap recycling system* is designed to recycle electronic items,
coming from production and post consumer electronics waste. Bare and populated circuit
boards, integrated circuits, cellular phones and even complex electronic components such
as whole computers, photocopiers, VCR's and other consumer electronics can be recycled.
After several stages of size reduction, a non-ferrous metal product is made with a high
degree of purity by a proprietary, dry separation system.
To recycle:
Printed circuit board base materials (Epoxy or phenolic resin)
Bare and populated printed circuit boards
Electronic elements
Power supply circuit boards
Power supply units with transformers (weight up to max. 4 kg each)
Telephones and Mobile (cellular) phones
Computers (without monitor) and Keyboards
and many more
the hamos ERP will help you to make the maximum profit by recovering the valuable
fractions from these materials.
The final products
By the use of the hamos ERP electronic scrap recycling system you will achieve the
following valueable fractions after a multi-stage, mechanical and electrostatic separation of
your electronic scraps:
A metallic fraction, which contents of a mixture of different metals and precious
metals
An almost metal-free non-conductor product, which consists mainly of plastics,
epoxy resin, fibers, ceramics and other organic and inorganic materials.
A ferrous fraction

26

The function
The recycling system hamos ERP contains the following process steps:
Pre- comminution for a rough liberation
Magnetic and eddy current separation of coarse ferrous and non-ferrous metals
Liberation of non-ferrous metals
Classifying for improved separation
Electrostatic Separation of the metal fraction
Subsequent comminution of unliberated materials
Dust extraction
Optional gravity or eddy-current separation of coarse metal fractions
Advantages
Dry mechanical process
High metal recovery rate, also for precious metals
Fully automatic, continuous process
High metal purity
Compact, turn-key solution
High economy due to low labour and operation costs
Low wear costs by high metal yield
Quick return on investment
The extension possibilities
Due to the modular construction, the basis unit can be modified for increasing the throughput
or the degree of automation.
By using other well-proven separation technologies like eddy-current separators,
air-knives, shaker tables and others, heavy electronic scraps like VCRs, radios,
non-disassembled computers etc. can also be recycled.
* The material in Section 7 is reproduced verbatum from material provided by hamos

27

8. Visit Reports
8.1 Visit Report to PGM Recycling Limited
Briton Ferry Industrial Estate
Neath
SA11 2HZ
recycle@pmigroup.co.uk
Date of Visit:

29th January 2002

Person Contacted:

Mark Wolle - Director

Visit by:

Dr Rod Kellner

Visit Notes
PGM is one of the largest acceptors of scrap computer and electronic waste equipment in
the UK. It has been involved in such core business on its current site for 15 years and, whilst
both dismantling and adding value via traditional mechanical methodology to scrap
components and PCBs, is aware of and has participated in programmes offering more
complete recycling opportunities. PGM has involvement in the Imperial College London
(ICL) consortium which has the broad objective of developing a single stage
hydrometallurgical total recycling approach to treating scrap PCB assemblies and has been
involved in hydrometallurgical development work aimed at selective dissolution and recovery
of metal content of scrap PCBs.
PGM consider it essential that new approaches to recycling PCBs should be based on 100%
recovery, certainly of the metals content. Its own experiences of hydrometallurgical
approaches gives it an awareness of the technical issues which would need to be overcome
to make it viable. In respect of the current route being followed with scrap PCBs, PGM stated
that pyrometallurgical routes via smelting are the only currently alternative to landfill and
current charges are circa US$1000 per tonne plus transport costs with credit only being
issued in respect of gold and precious metal content. These costs are basically those being
charged by Noranda and equivalent smelters in Sweden and Belgium. Engelhard's UK
facility was charging some 1500 per tonne and as such was only deemed suitable for very
high grade material.
Main outlets for gold and precious metal bearing board scrap are in Belgium, Sweden or
Canada (with a Hamburg refinery having some capability albeit restricted) because of
environmental controls. The only real smelting treatment as an alternative to these would be
in Australia. PGM emphasised that the only boards subject to metal recovery
pyrometallurgically via smelting were those that had inherent precious metal content. In
terms of component disassembly for reuse or resale, PGM was somewhat sceptical about
the long term viability of such - when the value of chips was high it was considered
worthwhile disassembling, testing and remarketing but the continuing slump in prices was
considered to leave many question marks over the continuance of such operations.
PGM currently receive electronic waste from end users and dismantlers and shred high
value sorted PCBs for assay and shipment to smelters via 2 x 40 kW twin-shaft shredders.
It stated that NECP, who as the largest acceptor of electronic scrap in the UK, takes in most
of the lower grade material and deploys a single 1000 kW single-stage shredder for
equivalent operations. Transport costs to the main operational smelter at Noranda were
quoted at circa 100 per tonne. PGM's estimate of the amount of boards and associated
waste being currently subject to any form of recovery via smelting was 25% with some 75%
being consigned to landfill. The essence of the overall approach being emphasised once
again that recyclers only recycle what is economic or profitable to recycle. PMG considered
that the overall treatment costs and hence the percentage of boards that could be effectively
recycled could only be increased via the development of a lower cost hydrometallurgical
approach that could accommodate the treatment of low value scrap boards and perhaps
have sufficient flexibility to handle small tonnages of waste input.

28

8.2 Visit to VOGT electronic FUBA GmbH

VOGT electronic FUBA GmbH
Bahnhofstrasse 3
D-37534 Gittelde
Germany
http://www.vogt-electronic.com
Date of Visit:

31st May 2002

Person Contacted:

Peter Kolbe

Visit by:

Dr Martin Goosey and Dr Rod Kellner

Visit Notes
FUBA is a wholly owned subsidiary of VOGT and is a substantial manufacturer of PCBs both
from its Gittelde and Dresden sites in Germany and from an equivalent facility in Tunisia.
Additionally, it has operational at Gittelde, a full production facility for the recycling of non
populated PCB scrap offcuts and PCB manufacturing scrap material offcuts.
The concept was initiated in 1991 via a combination of pressure from local 'green' political
demand and a genuine desire to implement a programme of waste management cost
reduction embodying raw material savings and in concert with a 'cradle to grave' product
manufacturing methodology. Through development and pilot plant stages a 100%
mechanical recycling process has been realised that has been operational on a production
basis since 1996. The production plant has the capability to accept some 5000 tonnes per
annum of scrap PCB and offcut feedstock and is currently running at levels approaching this
capacity. Feedstock material is primarily from Germany (circa 90%) with materials from
Austria, Switzerland, France and the UK also being processed.
A key consideration in the development of a totally mechanically based approach was the
demand to eliminate the necessity of integrated treatment equipment to process secondary
environmental demand which would have been inherent with either a chemical or a thermally
based processing approach. The actual input material comprises punching grids, sections,
frames, single-sided PCBs, double-sided PCBs, multilayer assemblies and laminate offcuts.
It has been estimated that some 1.26 kg of such waste is generated by a PCB manufacturer
for every square metre of finished product and laminators may generate up to 0.15 kg of
such waste per square metre of output.
The separation methods employed at FUBA are mechanical size-reduction, classification,
magnetic separation and electrostatic separation. The process flow is illustrated in the
following Figure 5. The incoming materials are initially crushed and ground via a swinghammer crusher with in-line magnetic separation to remove iron based contamination and
are thence directed to storage within silos from which they are subsequently directed
through secondary pulverisation and separation stages. The final product comprises a
copper fraction and two plastic fractions - a fibrous plastic fraction from the initial separation
process and a powdered plastic fraction from the secondary separation. The copper fraction
is granular in composition and comprises some 92% of copper. This metallic composition is
the forwarded for off-site smelting and specific applications have been developed for the
plastic fractions. Initially, the plastic fractions found downstream applications in both
extrusion casting and as fillers, but now FUBA have developed a dedicated product outlet
for all the plastic based fractions in the fabrication of chemically resistant pallets.
The essence of FUBA's approach is the total elimination of waste with all separated
elements being subject to total recovery and/or reuse. It is apparent that FUBA's approach
could not only be expanded to cope with a total demand for unpopulated scrap board input
but could also be integrated into and form the basis of a methodology for handling populated
board scrap materials.
As with most recycling systems, the main driver is cost. We have already seen that only
board waste with inherent precious metal value is generally subject to thermal recycling. The
FUBA system clearly adds value to this approach and offers a methodology wherein all the
component elements, metallic and non metallic, are truly recovered. All other classifications
29

of scrap PCBs are currently consigned either to landfill (or

perhaps more worryingly) to countries such as China for manual
working in the absence of either safety or environmental
controls.
FUBA's service enables true certification of recycling for the
scrap board producer and normally generates a credit to the
producer for base material waste of up to 100 euros per tonne
where as a charge of up to 150 euros per tonne would be
typically levied for scrap PCB waste. It should be noted that PCB
scrap is currently classified into three grades of material with
high precious metal content waste being Grade I through to
lowest value waste at Grade III. Off-continent values being
offered for this waste for manual treatment in China currently
range from 1000 euros per tonne for Grade III material up to 5000 euros per tonne for Grade
I material and these cost levels clearly indicate the treatment charges that must be
approached to offer a real environmentally benign end-of-life recycling option for scrap
PCBs.
Figure 5

Delivery

Magnetic Separator
Swing Hammer
Crusher
Pre - Comminution

Storage

Silo I

Silo II

Separation

Sifter

Sifter

Plastics
Fraction

Comminution

Impact Disk
Mill

Impact Disk
Mill

Grading

Sieving

Separation

Sifting

Twin Stage
Electrostatic
Separation

Separation

Copper
Fraction

30

Plastics
Fraction

Plastics
Fraction

8.3 Visit to the Austrian Society for Systems Engineering and Automation
(SAT) Eco-Life
Albert Schweitzer Gasse 11
A-1140 Vienna
Austria
http://www.ihrt.tuwien.ac.at/sat
Date of Visit:

26th April 2002

Person Contacted:

Dr Bernd Kopacek - Managing Director

Visit by:

Dr Martin Goosey and Dr Rod Kellner

Visit Notes
SAT has developed an automated component disassembly methodology for the dismantling
of components from scrap, redundant or malfunctioning PCB assemblies. Whilst the existing
production facility which has been set up deals with the recovery of relatively expensive
components from faulty products and over capacity manufacture from a number of German,
Hungarian and Austrian OEMs, the potential exists to expand the application of this
technology to complete component disassembly. It is considered that the dismantling of
components by any manual approach will be both time and cost intensive and have little
future applicability within the overall treatment of scrap PCBs, which SAT currently estimate
quantitatively as 400,000 tonnes per annum within Europe.
SAT's technology essentially comprises automated component scanning and dual beam
laser desoldering with vacuum removal of selected components. Process throughput is circa
1 board per 7 seconds for the scanning-database reading phase and approximately 20
seconds for each component desoldering operation with robotic removal taking 4 seconds
per component. Some 20,000 components per month are recovered by SAT within its
current facility during the processing of approximately 3000 - 4000 boards per month. The
operational desoldering laser system is based on a 2 x 50 Watt diode laser emitting at
350 nm and SAT intend to increase the laser power to 2 x 100 Watt operation in the future.
The component disassembly operation is described in Section 5.1.
SAT estimate that the reusable chip market is equivalent to 10 billion euros globally but notes
that this level is down from a figure of 30 billion euros some 2 years ago. The only perceived
competitive approach to SAT's methodology is considered to be manual re-work-component
desoldering. It considers that the OEM marketplace component recovery and reworking
demands may only effectively be addressed via laser technology but points out the necessity
for pulsed laser operation for reworking and a greater level of robotic accuracy.
Future development perceived by SAT is perhaps for scalable multiple treatment lines rather
than larger individual disassembly machines with an in-built flexibility of approach and
perhaps the capability for portability to OEM sites within a 40 foot containerised vehicle. SAT
further foresees possibilities for either leasing or franchising this technology to OEMs,
existing recyclers and emerging-new recycling companies on a global basis.

31

8.4 Visit to Imperial College London

Department of Engineering
Imperial College
University of London
London SW7 2BY
g.kelsall@ic.ac.uk
Date of Visit:

22nd February 2002

Person Contacted:

Professor Geoff Kelsall

Visit by:

Dr Rod Kellner

Visit Notes
Under the auspices of EPSRC funding, an Imperial College London (ICL) team with
Cookson Group plc as the prime industrial partner has developed a novel aqueous leaching
and electrowinning process for recycling metals (Au, Ag, Cu, Pd, Sn, Pb, etc.) from electronic
and similar scrap. Samples of such scrap have been processed physically and characterised
physically and chemically. Shredded scrap material, of particle size, less than 4 mm has
been leached by electrogenerated chlorine in acidic aqueous solutions of high chloride ion
activity. This has produced a multi metal leach solution, containing nearly all of the available
metal in the scrap, apparently at mass transport controlled rates with respect to dissolved
chlorine, for the majority of the metals. Electrochemical kinetic measurements and batch
electrowinning experiments, supported by thermodynamic predictions, have demonstrated
the feasibility of achieving high charge efficiencies for metal recovery and of selective metal
deposition from the leach solutions.
A prime driver behind the development work was that such a process would be a significant
improvement on currently operated pyrometallurgical processes as it would maximise metal
recovery with low specific energy consumption and obviate the need for treating the noxious
gaseous emissions from pyrometallurgical processes.
The objective of the work undertaken was to carry out a non selective metal dissolution
process, using anodically generated chlorine as oxidant, followed by metal recovery in an
electrochemical reactor, with the option of selective recovery. This involved the use of highly
concentrated HCl + NaCl electrolytes (ca. 5 M Cl -, pH < 1) to increase the solubilities of
various metals, with electrogenerated chlorine as the oxidant to drive a non-selective metal
dissolution process.
The overall process chemistry involved is set down in the following. In an electrochemical
reactor, chlorine is generated at a Ti / RuO2 anode in acidic aqueous chloride electrolyte:
1.
2ClCl
+
2e2

This is used in a leach reactor to drive the oxidative dissolution of those metals from
electronic scrap:
2.
Mscrap + (n - z) Cl- + 0.5z Cl2
MCln(n-z)The metals are recovered from solution by electrodeposition as the counter reaction for the
anodic generation of chlorine:
3.
MCl (n-z)- + zeM
+ nCln

won

Hence, the overall reaction in the electrochemical reactor is:

4.
MCl (n-z)M + + (n - z)Cl - (catholyte) + 0.5z Cl
n

won

Thus, the overall process involves inputting electrical energy to move the metals from the
scrap to the cathode and produces only a de-metallised waste, the net chemical change
being the sum of reactions (2) and (3):
5.

Mscrap

Mwon

The primary loss in cathode current efficiency arises from dissolved chlorine being returned
from the leach reactor and reduced at the catholyte, rather than on the metal scrap. An ion
32

exchange membrane allowing chloride ion transport, but inhibiting transport of large anionic
metal chloride complexes, must be incorporated in the reactor to enable recycling of chloride
from catholyte to anolyte.
Via the application of sequential applied varying deposition potentials, selective electrolytic
recovery of Au and Pd, Ag, Cu, and Sn and Pb under mass transport control was realised.
A clear significance of this technology is that a single dissolution stage for all the metals
contained within an input feed of shredded circuit board material may be effected within a
controlled reaction environment to obviate interstage pollution and contamination problems
that may be inherent in a multi-stage dissolution process, albeit with perhaps a less efficient
electrolytic recovery route.
ICL foresee the potential significance of this work and is currently negotiating with a number
of potential industrial partners to seek funding to progress the project through to a dedicated
pilot plant stage comprising a reactor system with the capability to process up to 100 kg per
day of scrap board material and which will be utilised to address outstanding issues
highlighted within the project development phase. Professor Kelsall noted the necessity for
complete life cycle analysis to be undertaken on electronic scrap within the context of the
planned work programme.

33

8.5 Visit to EA Technology Limited and University of Cambridge

EA Technology Ltd
Capenhurst
Chester
University of Cambridge
Dept of Materials Science
Cambridge
Dates of Visits:

January 2002 - EA Technology and

22nd March 2002 - University of Cambridge

Persons Contacted:

Ian Dalrymple, Jed Barlow - EA Technology

Professor Derek Frey - University of Cambridge

Visits by:

Dr Rod Kellner

Visit Subject:

Cambridge University/ Fry Technology/ EA Technology

Link Project on: The Recycling of Printed Circuit Boards

Visit Notes
It is considered appropriate to summarise both of these visits and the technical description
of the development work undertaken as a single document in respect primarily of both EA
Technology and Cambridge University having been within the Link Project consortium
relating to PCB recycling.
It should be noted that one of the main drivers to this project was the desire of Fry
Technology to recover and recycle solder contained within scrap PCBs. Although the
technology developed may have been perceived as a prime objective a logical extension of
the work was its integration of such within a complete hydrometallurgical treatment
methodology for scrap PCB assemblies.
The hydrometallurgical approach developed comprising selective dissolution of solder,
copper and precious metals was considered technically successful and to have set down a
blueprint for progression to pilot plant development stage. Preliminary estimates by both EA
Technology and Cambridge indicate the cost of a 10,000 tonne per annum capacity
treatment plant as being US$6 million and it such would show an operational profit on metals
recovered of $180 per tonne, with the value of recovered components being up to US$3000
per tonne of material processed.
At the time of initiation of the project, the perceived situation with regard to recycling was
very much as is currently the status quo, i.e. with only scrap boards having an inherent
precious metal content value being forwarded to those for smelting. Both EA Technology and
Cambridge foresee the next development phase as the generation of a business plan, the
development of a 100% security of supply situation and the building of a pilot plant to
quantify operational costs and long-term technical viability.
Professor Frey noted that a specific advantage of a hydrometallurgical approach was the
ability to process waste containing bismuth, which has a persistence when present in
smelter feedstock, and that a specific advantage of this hydrometallurgical approach was the
ability to initially desolder unshredded boards with the consequent opportunity for
component disassembly.

34

Technology
The process stages in the hydrometallurgical route developed are shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6
Shredding

PCB Scrap
If component
recovery is required

Magnetic and
eddy current
separation

iron/steel fraction
aluminium fraction

Solder leach

solder recovery;
electrowinning

Copper leach

copper recovery:
solvent recovery;
electrowinning

Precious metals
recovery

The method involves the selective dissolution of the solder that connects components to the
circuit board and tests undertaken by the consortium have indicated no loss in functionality
or performance of components recovered in such a manner. However, the reduction in
market potential for most component reuse applications means that shredding of the boards
prior to leaching may be undertaken which promotes both ease of handling and permits the
use of beneficial pre-treatment, namely magnetic and eddy current separation. Both eddy
current separation and magnetic separation may be simultaneously deployed to effect a
three-way separation of shredded particulate matter. A conveyor belt looping over a rapidly
rotating permanent magnet enables a current to be induced within conductors in the
shredded feedstock. The induced current tends to eddy around the randomly shaped
particles creating a secondary magnetic field around them. Interaction of this field with the
changing magnetic flux within the pulley head causes such particles to be ejected from the
falling stream of granulated matter. This separation is particularly effective in removing
aluminium. Ferrous conductors will experience a magnetic pull towards the belt that
overrides the eddy current induction and so cling to the belt long enough to be separated
from the main bulk of the falling feedstock.
A particular novel technology of this hydrometallurgical route lies in the leaching of the
solder, which is accomplished with no uptake of copper via the use of chemistry based upon
fluoboric acid in the presence of the titanium (IV) ion. Solder may be recovered
electrolytically from this leachant which may in turn be regenerated for closed loop operation
by subsequently increasing its oxidation state.

35

The reaction chemistry involved may be set down thus:

Leaching
1. Pb + 2HBF4 + 2Ti4+

Pb (BF4)2 + 2Ti3+ + 2H+

2. Sn + 2HBF4 + 2Ti4+ -

Sn (BF4)2 + 2Ti3+ + 2H+

Electrodeposition
3. Pb (BF4)2 + H2O

Pb + 2HBF4 + 0.5O2

4. Sn (BF4)2 + H2O

Sn + 2HBF4 + 0.5O2

Leachant Regeneration
5. 2H+ + 0.5O2 + 2Ti3+

2Ti4+ + H2O

Copper extraction and recovery follows a well-established route of dissolution via ammonium
or cupric based chemistry with subsequent electrolytic recovery which may be integrated
into a closed loop etchant regeneration system. Following copper extraction, the residues
containing precious metals may be dissolved in a chlorine based leachant and electrolytically
recovered or be subject to mechanical upgrading prior to smelting.

36

The Communications and Information Industries (CII) Directorate is one of the

sponsorship Directorates within the Department of Trade & Industry. CII Directorate was
formally created on 1st April 1996 and brings together responsibility for IT, electronics,
telecommunications, broadcasting technology and publishing. Thecreation of CII mirrors the
converging nature of the industries.
The key objective of the Directorate is to enhance the ability of the communications,
information and electronic industries (ITEC) to compete in existing and new markets. Areas
of manufacturing and services covered by the Directorate include:
Creative content - electronic publishing, games
Services - IT, telecomms operators (fixed, mobile, cable), VADS
Software - applications, languages, embedded
Hardware - CPUs, peripherals, networks, instrumentation, TVs, VCRs
Components - Semiconductors, optical components, displays, PCBs,
electronic design and manufacturing, etc.
The Electronics Unit, with responsibilities including the manufacturing and design of
electronics, has strong links with the PCIF and has supported several environmental projects
for the sector, including this Scoping Study. Another recent programme is Electronics Design
which makes companies undertaking electronics design aware of the latest methods and
adopt them.
Specific areas covered

Contact

Printed circuit boards, active and passive components,

contract electronic manufacturing services, and electronics
design.

Dr Tim Reynoldson
Tel: 020 7215 1337

Environmental issues in electronics manufacture,

microengineering.

Nick Jolly
Tel: 020 7215 1331

Further information on CII activities is available on:

Web: http://www.dti.gov.uk/cii
Further information on the Electronics Design Programme is available on
Tel: 020 7215 1909
Fax: 0148 353 8030
e-mail: info@e-design.org.uk
Web: http://www.e-design.org.uk

37

The PCIF is part of the Components & Manufacturing Services team of Intellect, the
Information Technology Telecommunications & Electronics Industries in the UK. Intellect
incorporate members of CSSA and FEI, and represents over 1000 organisations.
The PCIF team represents the UK PCB and EMS industries, from designers and suppliers,
to PCB fabricators and contract assemblers. In addition individual members are welcome
through the ICT (The Institute of Circuit Technology) and EDRG (Electronic Design
Realisation Group). Their work covers many areas directly relevant and beneficial to the
PCB industry and they are committed to improving the environment in which their members
do business, promoting their interests and providing them with high value services.
The continued success of the industry relies upon it remaining aware of the challenges
ahead and maintaining a sound knowledge of the market. To this end, Intellect's provision of
market information is a key service within the industry and one of the most important
functions of the association.
In order to keep its members informed of events pertinent to the industry, the PCIF team also
issues a monthly newsletter Short Circuit , Circuit Review twice a year and provides daily
updates through its powerful websites found at www.pcif.org.uk and www.intellectuk.org
The PCIF team also produces an on-line directory in which all corporate members are
featured in, and this has become the buyers' guide to the industry. It provides full company
information highlighting manufacturing capability and company specific technical
information. It is distributed to the electronics industry across the world, thereby maximising
members' exposure to potential buyers.
The PCIF team and Intellect also hold regular conferences and workshops that address a
wide range of pertinent topics from current technical developments to recent training
initiatives. Regular senior executive forums are also popular, as is the annual conference,
which continues to be the year's showcase event.
For further details of all these services, contact Claire Yarrow on
Telephone : 020 7331 2050
or visit http://www.pcif.org.uk or http://www.intellectuk.org

38

Shipley is committed to the development of products and processes that stress quality and
concern for our members, customers and the environment. Shipley recognises that as a
worldwide supplier of chemistry systems, we share a major responsibility with our customers
for the environmental health and welfare of our planet. We demonstrate this responsibility
through our commitment to Responsible Care and our Environmental Management System.
Shipley is proud to announce that we obtained certification to the ISO 14001 standard at our
Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA, facility in 1998, our Sasakami, Japan facility in 1999, our
Warrington, England facility in 2000 and our Coventry, England facility in 2001.
By responsibly managing our environmental aspects, we can move toward sustainable
development, reduce our operating costs, and increase our competitiveness. We all have a
personal interest in and responsibility to protect our environment for the enjoyment of our
children and our grandchildren.
Shipley looks to our members, distributors and customers to work in an environmentally
responsible manner. This will enable Shipley to achieve the following goals:
Continual, measurable progress in pollution prevention
Efficient resource utilisation
Production of the highest quality products without adversely impacting the
environment
There are also many things that we, as individuals, can do to be environmentally conscious
and enhance our natural surroundings. Reducing our consumption of natural resources,
decreasing pollution and using energy wisely, are just a few small measures which
collectively can make a difference.
For further information giving you a better understanding of Shipley's progress in living up to
our environmental commitment, please contact our Marketing Department for a copy of our
current Annual Environmental Report.
Shipley Europe Limited
Herald Way
Coventry CV3 2RQ
For further details of Shipley's environmental activities please contact Dr Martin Goosey on
Tel : 024 7665 4557
e-mail : mgoosey@shipley.com
or visit http://www.shipley.com

39

The Authors
Dr Martin Goosey
C.Chem. FRSC FIM FICT
Dr Goosey is Chief Scientist and Technology Fellow at Shipley's European headquarters in
Coventry, where he is responsible for emerging technology activities. He is also and in
recent years has led a number of environmental projects on behalf of the UK PCB industry.
A chemist by training, he has over 25 years experience in the electronics industry and has
spent much of that time on new electronic materials research and development. Prior to
joining Shipley, Martin worked at Plessey's Caswell Research Laboratories and at the
Morton Chemical Research Centre in Woodstock, Illinois. He has published numerous
papers, patents and articles and has edited several books on electronic materials. He is a
Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, a Fellow of the Institute of Materials and a Fellow
of the Institute of Circuit Technology.
Dr Rod Kellner
C.Chem. MRSC FIMF
Dr Kellner is a chemist with over 30 years experience in the environmental and waste
treatment fields. With an electronics and surface chemistry research and development
background and an awareness of the importance of environmental issues, Dr Kellner has
pursued his own manufacturing and consulting interests for many years. His approach to
waste treatment issues emphasises recovery based technology and he has designed and
installed numerous treatment plants within the electronics, surface treatment, aerospace,
graphic arts and extractive industries throughout the world. Dr Kellner has specific expertise
in implementing true zero discharge waste treatment systems. He is currently working with
both Shipley Europe Limited and the PCIF to promote and enhance their environmental
commitment to customers and member companies respectively.

Acknowledgments
This scoping study has been undertaken by Intellect (formerly the PCIF) and Shipley Europe
Limited on behalf of the UK PCB Industry. It has been possible through the provision of
funding by the Department of Trade and Industry and the authors and Intellect wish to thank
the DTI for its generous support.
We acknowledge Shipley Europe Limited in supporting both the project itself and the
preparation of this report.
We also wish to thank Gary Wilkinson for its design, preparation and publication and finally
we wish to record our sincere thanks to all the companies that provided us with valuable
information. Without these inputs and co-operation we could not have completed this study.

40

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42

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