Good Practices of Household Ewaste Collection and Recycling

in Other Countries
2 November 2015
Makoto YAMASHITA
JICA Expert team

Issues to be considered for E-waste

Collection

Who is going to collect E-wastes?

Where are we going to collect?
Where are collection points going to be?
How should we collect and transport?
Which items do we need special considerations for?

Issues to be considered for E-waste

Recycling
What are hazardous substances in E-wastes?
How to treat hazardous substances in E-wastes?
How to ensure hazardous substances are safely
treated?

Contents of Presentation
1. E-waste collection
1.1 Collection schemes
1.2 Cases in other countries
1.3 Nation-wide collection
1.4 Proper collection practice
1.5 Item-specific consideration

2. E-waste recycling technology

2.1 Hazardous substances in E-wastes
2.2 Recycling requirements in other countries
2.3 Environmentally sound recycling technology
2.4 Step-wise approach for E-waste recycling
2.5 Auditing Collection and Recycling

1.1 Collection schemes

Different types of E-waste Collection
Types

Drop-off

Collection
at
households

Methods

Explanations

Drop-off into the

collection box at fixed
locations

Consumers bring their own E-wastes to collection boxes.

More often for small E-wastes. These boxes are set up by
retailers or municipalities.

Drop-off at the buy-back

Consumers bring their own E-wastes to the buy-back
centers/collection centers
centers or collection centers set up by NGOs and others.
Drop-off at temporary
NGOs and citizen's groups encourage people to
collection points
discharge E-wastes at temporary collection sites for
recyclables.
Door-to-door Collection
Collectors from municipalities or private companies
come to the door to collect E-wastes.
Collection by retailers
(Take-back)

Retailers collect old E-appliances when they deliver

new E-appliances. More suitable for bulky and heavy
items.

Collection
services

Sell off E-wastes online. After the pick-up request,

collectors will come and collect.

by

web

1.1 Collection schemes

1. Collection boxes at public places.
Generators bring their E-wastes to drop it into the collection boxes located at
public places. More suitable and applicable to small E-wastes.

1.1 Collection schemes

2. Collection/buy-back centers
Generators bring their E-wastes to the collection and/or buy-back centers
run by NGOs, retailers, junkshops or some other organizations.

1.1 Collection schemes

3. Collection by retailers (take-back)
The retailers collects old E-appliances at the time of delivery of new Eappliances to a household. It will be an effective way of collecting E-wastes
with existing E-appliance delivery systems of retailers.

1.2 Collection in other countries

Different types of collection schemes

Households

Primary
Collection

Secondary
Recycling Facilities
Collection
Collection from
Operation of
Transportation
households
collection centers
from CCs to RFs.

Collection Centers

Countries

Types of collection

Japan

Collection at households/
Drop-off

Mainly retailers
(Also municipalities and
consumers)

Manufacturers

Manufacturers

Holland

Mainly drop-off/
door-to-door

Consumers / Retailers
Municipalities

Municipalities

Recyclers

Germany

Mainly drop-off

Consumers / Retailers
Municipalities

Municipalities

Manufacturers

France

Mainly drop-off

Consumers / Retailers
Municipalities

Municipalities/
Manufacturers

Manufacturers

Taiwan

Collection at households/
Drop-off

Consumers, Retailers
Municipalities,
Collectors

Collectors

Collectors/
Recyclers

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1.2 Collection in other countries

Holland
E-wastes are collected by municipalities and retailers.
Municipalities
(400~500)
Consumers

E-wastes

Segregation
sites

Recycling
Facilities
(9)

Retailers
(3,000)

Area
Local
Regional
Country-wide

Collectors
Municipal collection sites
Retailers
Door-to-door collectors
Treatment facilities
Metal scrap dealers
Refurbishers
Recycling facilities

Numbers
400-500
3,000+
500-1,000
70
15
4
9

Total
Approx.
8,000
Approx. 100
9

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1.2 Collection in other countries

Holland

Source: The Dutch WEEE Flows, United Nations University, 2012

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1.2 Collection in other countries

Germany

Federal Government
Central Registration
Agency(EAR)

Report
Report
Individual Maker Group
Management
Organization

Individual
Report manufacturer/
importer
Pickup request

Coordination

Recycler

Municipal collection point

Household

Retailer

B2B

EAR Coordination
at ~1,500 municipal
collection points

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1.2 Collection in other countries

France
Collection sites
Municipal collection sites: approx.3000
Manufacturers collection sites: approx.5,000
Others:1000

Municipalities
(3000~4000)
E-wastes
Retailers
(19,500)

Consumers
Consortium

Manufacturers
collection system

Recycling
Facilities

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1.2 Collection in other countries

France

Source: STUDY ON THE QUANTIFICATION OF WASTE OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT (WEEE)
IN FRANCE, ADEME, 2013

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1.2 Collection in other countries

Taiwan
Municipalities, retailers and collectors collect Ewastes.
13 recycling plants nationwide
241 collection enterprises

Source: PPT Update on E-waste Management in Taiwan, EPA Taiwan, 2014

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1.2 Collection in other countries

Taiwan

Municipalities

Consumers

Collectors

Collection
Points

Recyclers

Retailers

Source: RECYCLING AND WASTE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT IN TAIWAN: A
CASE STUDY, US EPA, 2012

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1.2 Collection in other countries

Japan
Mainly, retailers collect E-wastes from
households.
363 designated take-back sites
49 recycling facilities

Retailers
(80,000)
Designated
take-back
sites
(363)

E-wastes
Consumers

Municipalities

Recycling
Facilities
(49)

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1.3 Nation-wide Collection

How many collection centers
will be needed in Malaysia?
Needs some consideration for
remote areas
Remote islands
Main islands

Yen

Transportation
cost on mainland

Collection cost on
remote islands

Transportation
cost at sea

ACs

CRT TVs

Refrigerators

Washing
machines

Recycling fees for remote islands

Breakdowns of transportation
cost for remote islands

Source: Home Appliance Recycling Annual Report, Association for Electric Home Appliances, (AEHA), Japan, 2014

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1.4 Proper collection Practice

Discharge:
Hand over E-wastes to
authorized collectors.

Discharge

Transportation to collection centers:

Consideration for easy

transfer, breakage, and
leakage to informal
sectors.

Receiving E-wastes at collection centers

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1.4 Proper collection Practice

At the collection center:
- Counts or weigh E-wastes collected.
- Check for unwanted objects inside E-wastes.

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1.4 Proper collection Practice

Sorting:
Sort E-wastes by
their types

Loading and transportation to recycling facilities:

Need to consider efficiency of transporting E-wastes.

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1.5 Item-specific Consideration

Sizes of E-wastes should be considered for more
suitable collection method.
Size

Collection Methods

Small items

Drop-box
Batteries
Fluorescent lamps
Mobile phones
PCs
TVs
Air Conditioners
Washing machines
Refrigerators

Bulky items

Collection center
(Buy-back center)
Take-back
scheme
Door-to-door
collection

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1.5 Item-specific Consideration

Other considerations
Florescent lamps require special containers to avoid
any breakage.
Air conditioners (ACs) need to be pumped down before
collection.
ACs and refrigerators need to be collected without any
leakage of refrigerants.

Gauge
manifold

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2.Recycling Technology
Issues to be considered for recycling:
What are hazardous substances in E-wastes?
How to treat hazardous substances in E-wastes?
How to ensure hazardous substances are safely
treated?

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2.1 Hazardous Substances in E-wastes

Hazardous substances

Expected usages in

Lead

CRT screens, printed wiring boards

Cadmium

Rechargeable NiCd-batteries, fluorescent layer

from old CRT screens

Mercury

Fluorescent lamps, backlights in LCDs, in some

alkaline batteries and mercury wetted switches

Brominated flame retardants

(BFRs)

Printed circuit boards, components of

connectors, plastic covers, and cables

Greenhouse Gases
(GHGs)

Expected usages in

Fluorocarbon (CFCs, HCFCs) Cooling units in ACs and refrigerators,

Insulation foam for refrigerators

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2.1 Hazardous Substances in E-wastes

Potential Risks of E-wastes
E-wastes

Potential Risks

Handling/treatment
technologies required

Refrigerators

CFCs may be used as coolant and or used in heat

insulating materials (risk of leaking ozone depleting
substances/ greenhouse gases)
Isobutene (which are utilized for foam formation of
heat insulation materials) has flammable nature
(risk of incidental fire).

CFCs needs to be collected under negative pressure

before or in the process of crushing/shredding.
The collected CFCs needs to be destroyed with high
temperature incineration or lime treatment.
Hydrocarbon system coolant (e.g. isobutene) needs
to be separated before crushing/shredding to avoid
possible explosion.

TVs

Cathode-ray tubes use lead to intercept X-rays (Lead

is hazardous to human health and environment once
exposed.)
Chassis of TV may contain bromine-combined fireretardants (Improper incineration may generate
hazardous gas such as dioxin.)
Liquid crystal TVs may include mercury and/or
arsenic, etc. (hazardous to human health once
exposed)

Separation of lead-containing funnel glass needs to

be decoupled with panel glass to separately
treat/recycle lead.
Prevention of dioxin generation may be required
when Chassis is incinerated.
Separation and proper treatment of hazardous
waste is required for Liquid Crystal Displays
(Mercury, arsenic, antimony are used in the
backlight of LCD.)

Air
Conditioners

CFCs may be used as coolant (risk of leaking ozone

depleting substances/ greenhouse gases)
Refrigerant oil is use as lubricant in compressor
(Used oil is hazardous waste.)
Electrolytic capacitors may generate flaming gas
when inner pressure increases (risk of ignition)

CFCs need to be collected and properly handled to

avoid leaking to the air.
Electrolytic capacitor needs to be separately
handled to avoid leakage of flaming gas.

Florescent
lumps

Florescent powder contains mercury (hazardous to

human health once exposed.)

Proper handling (e.g. high temperature

incineration) is required to avoid leakage of
mercury to the environment

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2.2 Recycling standards in other countries

Legal standards
Document
EU

Japan

Focused items

Directive
on
waste
electrical
and
electronic
equipment
(WEEE)
2012/19/EU

The materials and components that require selective treatment are

polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) containing capacitors, mercury
containing components, batteries, printed circuit boards, toner
cartridges, plastic containing brominated flame retardants, asbestos,
CRTs, fluorocarbons, gas discharge lamps, LCDs, external electric
cables, components containing refractory ceramic fibers, components
containing radioactive substances, electrolyte capacitors
Waste treatment
CRT glass, printed circuit board, LCD TVs containing mercury or
standard
under arsenic, HFCs as refrigerants from air conditioners, refrigerators,
WASTE
washing machines and Dryers, HFCs as insulations from refrigerators.
MANAGEMENT
AND
PUBLIC
CLEANSING LAW

Industrys standards
Document
EU

WEEELABEX
*industrys
standard

U.S.

Focused items

R2:2013
Standard
*industrys
standard

Capacitors, components containing mercury, batteries and

accumulators, printed circuit boards, plastics containing certain types
own of brominated flame retardants, Volatile fluorocarbons and volatile
hydrocarbons, asbestos, Components containing radioactive substances
Focused Materials are CRT glass, Mercury containing items, circuit
board, batteries, Polychlorinated biphenyl-containing items (PCBs)
own

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2.3 Environmentally Sound Recycling

or

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2.3 Environmentally Sound Recycling

Proper recycling of Air Conditioners

Source: Home Appliance Recycling Annual Report, Association for Electric Home Appliances, (AEHA), Japan, 2014

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2.3 Environmentally Sound Recycling

Proper recycling of Air Conditioners

Refrigerants

Copper,
aluminum

Plastics

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2.3 Environmentally Sound Recycling

Proper recycling of refrigerators

Source: Home Appliance Recycling Annual Report, Association for Electric Home Appliances, (AEHA), Japan, 2014

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2.3 Environmentally Sound Recycling

Refrigerants

Iron, copper,
aluminum, plastics
- CFCs in insulation are vacuumed with no fugitive emission
- CFCs in urethane are captured using activated carbon filters.

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2.3 Environmentally Sound Recycling

Recycling practice in Germany:

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2.3 Environmentally Sound Recycling

Proper recycling of TVs

Source: Home Appliance Recycling Annual Report, Association for Electric Home Appliances, (AEHA), Japan, 2014

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2.3 Environmentally Sound Recycling

Proper recycling of CRT TVs

glass

Lead containing glass

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2.3 Environmentally Sound Recycling

Proper recycling of flat panel TVs

Circuit boards

glass

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2.4 Step-wise Approach for E-waste Recycling

A step-wise approach can be considered to avoid
high initial costs as long as these recycling standards
are met.
Initial cost

Labor Cost

Recovery
Rate of
Materials

Recycling
Capability

High tech
(machine
segregation)

high

low

high

large

Low tech
(manual
dismantling)

low

high

low

small

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2.4 Step-wise Approach for E-waste Recycling

As the recycling scheme becomes more matured, the
recycling policy should aim for higher recycling rates.
Recycling rate

Recycling rate
standards(2009-)
ACs (above 70%)

Recycling rate
standards(-2008)
ACs (above 60%)
TVs (above 55%)
Refrigerators,
freezers and Washing
machines
(above 50%)

ACs
CRT TVs
Flat TVs
Refrigerators/freezers
Washing machines/dryers

Washing machines/dryers
(above 65%)
Refrigerators/freezers
(above 60%)
CRT TVs (above 55%)
Flat TVs (above 50%)

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Recycling rates of E-wastes in Japan

Source: Home Appliance Recycling Annual Report, Association for Electric Home Appliances, (AEHA), Japan, 2014

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2.5 Auditing Collection and Recycling

Auditing should be considered to ensure proper
collection and recycling.
Taiwans case of auditing

Source: PPT Update on E-waste Management in Taiwan, EPA Taiwan, 2014

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2.5 Auditing Collection and Recycling

Taiwans case of auditing

Source: PPT Update on E-waste Management in Taiwan, EPA Taiwan, 2014

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Conclusion
Collection:
There are many ways to collect E-wastes, we should
examine what is suitable for Malaysia.
Monitoring and auditing of collection and recycling
should be considered.
Recycling:
Many countries have similar technical standards to
treat hazardous substances in E-wastes.
A step-wise approach should be considered to
gradually upgrade recycling technology for higher
recycling rate and higher efficiency.

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TERIMA KASIH!