SUbstance flow analysis of the recycling of small waste electrical ...

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104 Substance flow analysis of the recycling of small WEEE priority on recovering the precious metals of the equipment types that contain larger concentrations of precious metals. Recovery rates during treatment 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% Mobile telephone Desktop personal computer CRT monitor Large high-grade equipment Small high-grade equipment Low-grade equipment 10% 0% 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 Average gold concentration (g/t) Figure 33 Correlation between the recovery rates for gold achieved by the treatment processes of the formal sector and the gold concentration in the equipment groups in Germany in 2007 (see Table 31) According to the data and assumptions used in this research, in total 3% of the WEEE generated in Germany was reused and 6% of the WEEE generated in the USA. Around 70% of the WEEE reused in Germany is managed by the informal sector (Table 24). As described by Faulstich & Baron (2008) and Leonhardt (2007), the current management system for WEEE in Germany, especially the means used to collect and transport the collected waste, creates difficulties for the reuse of the collected WEEE. 6.2. Comparison with data from other geographical areas The recovery rates of around 24% of the gold and the palladium contained in WEEE in Germany determined in this thesis are much lower than the recovery rates for palladium reported by Hagelüken et al. (2005) (37.6%) and Saurat & Bringezu (2008) (around 62%). The goal of these two studies was to provide a broad overview of the flows of platinum-group metals. At the time of their research, very little knowledge on the flows of precious metals in recycling facilities for WEEE was available, and since the authors did not conduct experimental research, the uncertainty of their results is very high. The rate of 24% is higher than the worldwide recycling rates for gold, palladium and silver determined by Deubzer
6. Discussion of the results of the SFA 105 (2007), who assumed that 7% of the precious metals contained in low and medium grade WEEE generated worldwide was recovered, and 9% of the precious metals contained in high-grade WEEE. According to Saurat & Bringezu (2008), around 22.5 tonnes of platinumgroup metals are contained in the end-of-life electronics in Europe in 2004. In this thesis, it was estimated that 580 to 720 kg of palladium were contained in the sWEEE generated in Germany in 2007. A rough extrapolation of the quantity of palladium contained in the German sWEEE to the European Union (for example proportionally to the population) would deliver a flow of palladium contained in the sWEEE significantly less than the 22.5 tonnes of Saurat & Bringezu (2008). The discrepancy may be explained by a possible overestimation of the generation of WEEE by Saurat & Bringezu (2008), as well as by differences in the methods applied and in the research assumptions. Some authors investigated the flows of WEEE, so that their results can be compared to the results of this research. Huisman et al. (2007) quantified the percentage of theoretically generated WEEE that is collected and treated in the European Union. According to Huisman et al. (2007), between 20% and 27% of the end-of-life small household appliances, tools and toys are collected (corresponding to the equipment group ‘low-grade equipment), between 30% and 35% of the CRT monitors, around 28% of the IT and telecommunication waste equipment, and around 40% of the consumer waste equipment. These collection rates are lower than the collection rates determined for Germany in this thesis (Table 34). The discrepancy can be explained by the geographical boundaries of the study (European Union versus Germany) and the method used to calculate the theoretical waste generation. Huisman et al. (2007) calculated the collection rates based on an estimation of the theoretical generation (see chapter 6.1.1 as well as Huisman et al. 2007 and Widmer et al. 2005), and did not reconcile the generation data with the collection data like in this thesis. The investigations of Witteveen+Bos (2008) and GfK (2007) focussed on the stocks of EEE in Dutch households and their behaviour regarding disposal. Witteveen+Bos (2008) quantified the generation of WEEE and the flows of WEEE at municipal collection points, household waste recycling centres, second hand stores, regional sorting centres, retail stores, distribution centres and processing companies. Table 35 shows that the collection rates determined by Witteveen+Bos (2008), even though the WEEE is categorised in another way than in this thesis, are comparable with the results for Germany.
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ITU-Schriftenreihe, 2010 Institut f
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Bibliografische Information Der Deu
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Acknowledgements Here I would like
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Kurzfassung Die Nachfrage nach Edel
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Composition of the doctoral thesis
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3. Method 51 Table 8 Groups of equi
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Page 125 and 126: 8. Conclusion 125 All the equipment
Page 127 and 128: References 127 Binder 2007 BITKOM 2
Page 129 and 130: References 129 CIWMB 2004b Clift &
Page 131 and 132: References 131 Greenpeace 2005 Gree
Page 133 and 134: References 133 Janz & Bilitewski 20
Page 135 and 136: References 135 Melissen 2006 Mesker
Page 137 and 138: References 137 Rhein et al. 2008 Rh
Page 139 and 140: References 139 StEP 2009 Stevels 20
Page 141 and 142: References 141 Veldhuizen & Sippel
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Appendices 155 Eq. group Equipment
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Appendices 157 Eq. group Equipment
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Appendices 159 Appendix 8 Flows of
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Appendices 161 Appendix 10 Flows of
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