Recycling critical raw materials from waste electronic equipment

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Recycling critical raw materials from waste electronic
equipment
estimated, in line with the data for gas discharge lamps in Germany and the general EU data
(BMU 2009, Huisman et al. 2007) 33 .
5.5 Status of recycling technology for LED lights
As LED lights are a product group which has only been developed in recent years, there are
still no special developments for a specific recycling method. Nevertheless, LED lights are
included in the guidelines issued by the Zentralverband Elektrotechnik- und Elektronikindustrie
e.V. (ZVEI 2009):
The disposal of lights in the technical sphere (b2b) includes all lights (...) e.g. lights with
integrated LEDs (...). This also applies to fitted LED modules (...). LED lights and LED tubes (...)
are subject to mandatory waste disposal irrespective of the regulations governing the disposal of
lights and must (...) be disposed of using the relevant lamp disposal routes e.g. recycling depots
or manufacturers' take-back systems. The German Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act
expressly excludes (...) lights used in private households from the disposal obligation and this
also applies to lights from fitted LED modules.
5.6 Potential for optimization in the recycling chain
It is not currently possible to derive reliable statements and recommendations on this topic
for LED lights. In terms of the recovery of luminescent material, advances in recycling rare
earths from waste energy-saving lamps should be followed up over the next year or two.
Evidence is required in future as to whether the low concentrations and quantities of rare
earths and of indium and gallium in LED lights allow recycling of these metals.
6 Refining processes for electronic waste fractions containing
important resources
The successful recovery of critical metals from post-consumer products like those in the
product groups flat screens, smartphones, notebooks and LED lights studied in this project
depends not only on good collection and pre-treatment of the post-consumer products and
electronic waste fractions, but advanced refining methods and adequate plant capacities. As
shown in the following subsections, the current situation for the refining technologies for the
different critical metals which were identified in this project as of importance for the four
product groups appears very variable. This confirms previous research by the Oeko-Institut
(UNEP 2009). However, over the last 2-3 years changes have been noticed and further
advances can be expected (see detailed information on this in the following subsections).
33
The values on which this is based do not contain any delays due to the use phase of the devices. They are
purely estimates of the actual collection rates.