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

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4. Data inventory 77<br />

Table 26<br />

Quantity <strong>of</strong> sWEEE (including whole equipment and parts) reused in 2007 in <strong>the</strong> USA<br />

(tonnes)<br />

Group<br />

Reused sWEEE<br />

Mobile telephone 800<br />

Desktop personal computer 70 000<br />

CRT monitor 100 000<br />

Large high-grade equipment 100 000<br />

Small high-grade equipment 1 000<br />

Low-grade equipment 5 000<br />

It is assumed that 90% <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> mass <strong>of</strong> sWEEE entering a reuse process is actually reused.<br />

The remaining 10% are non-reusable parts that are sent to treatment (5% to formal and 5%<br />

to informal treatment). The concentration <strong>of</strong> precious metals is assumed to be identical in <strong>the</strong><br />

reused and in <strong>the</strong> non-reused parts.<br />

4.1.4. Treatment<br />

4.1.4.1. Material <strong>flow</strong>s to formal and informal treatment<br />

The first <strong>analysis</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> material <strong>flow</strong>s in <strong>the</strong> treatment subsystem involves distinguishing <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>flow</strong>s to <strong>the</strong> formal and informal treatment. Very few data are available on <strong>the</strong> material <strong>flow</strong>s<br />

in input <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>recycling</strong> facilities <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> formal sector in Germany (Bolland 2009).<br />

The informal sector can be located outside or inside Germany:<br />

Quantitative data on illegal export <strong>of</strong> WEEE out <strong>of</strong> Germany for treatment through <strong>the</strong><br />

informal sector located outside <strong>of</strong> Germany were published by Buchert et al. (2007).<br />

According to <strong>the</strong>se authors, a client <strong>of</strong> a shipping company reported that he exports<br />

100 000 PC-monitors per month from Hamburg harbour to Asia, which corresponds<br />

to a material <strong>flow</strong> <strong>of</strong> around 12 000 tonnes a year (Janz et al. 2009a). Very likely,<br />

sWEEE generated in Germany is also exported from o<strong>the</strong>r harbours in Germany and<br />

in <strong>the</strong> neighbouring countries. Sander & Schilling (2009) analysed statistical data on<br />

export <strong>of</strong> WEEE and <strong>of</strong> second-hand EEE from <strong>the</strong> harbour <strong>of</strong> Hamburg in Germany,<br />

but various weaknesses in <strong>the</strong> methods used to collect <strong>the</strong>se data prevented <strong>the</strong><br />

research groups from quantifying <strong>the</strong> <strong>flow</strong>s.<br />

The existence <strong>of</strong> informal treatment not only in developing countries, but also inside<br />

Germany was reported by Faulstich & Baron (2008), Friege et al. (2008) and<br />

Schönekerl (2009). These authors mentioned that in some cities, over 50% <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

most valuable parts <strong>of</strong> sWEEE (for instance printed circuit boards and copper-rich<br />

parts) are frequently stolen by non-identified persons before <strong>the</strong> sWEEE reaches <strong>the</strong><br />

treatment facilities <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> formal sector.

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