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

6. Discussion of the results of the SFA 99
In the USA, personal computers contribute to almost half of the palladium and
around 40% of the gold contained in the generated sWEEE. This is much higher than
in Germany, where PCs contribute to around 19% of the gold load and around a
quarter of the palladium load.
Mass Gold Palladium
Germany
0.3%
3.3%
25.4%
20.9%
19.3%
30.1%
34.3%
2.9%
49.5%
4.1%
18.8%
16.0%
0.4%
12.2%
Total: 4.9 kg/cap
26.9%
3.9%
Total: 26.1 mg/cap
6.0%
25.7%
Total: 7.9 mg/cap
USA
0.4% 10.7%
39.4%
35.4%
5.5%
12.4%
18.4%
11.0%
9.1%
4.7%
23.0%
20.6%
4.5%
0.6%
13.4%
Total: 12.3 kg/cap
Legend:
3.1%
40.0%
Total: 101.6 mg/cap
Mobile phones
Desktop personal computer
CRT monitor
Large high-grade equipment
Small high-grade equipment
Low-grade equipment
47.7%
Total: 35.4 mg/cap
Figure 30 Comparison of the relevance of the different equipment groups in the generated sWEEE
in terms of mass, quantity of gold and quantity of palladium in Germany and in the USA in
2007
For all equipment groups except low-grade equipment, the theoretical generation in Germany
(see chapter 4.1.1.2) was significantly higher than the generation calculated by data
reconciliation, based on the sum of the quantities of sWEEE collected separately and
disposed of together with residual waste (Figure 31). The discrepancy between theoretical
generation and actually collected waste flows was reported by Hagelüken (2006a), Huisman