Contaminant removal study set to improve WEEE outcomes

01Sep

Contaminants within WEEE (Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment) waste streams are one of the biggest barriers to the effective recycling of waste plastic from waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE), making the job a much bigger task and more difficult than was first envisaged. Effective sorting and separating techniques using a full processing facility that can handle these various contaminants, such as dust, metals and glass, is the way forward, concludes Keith Freegard, technical director of Manchester-based plastic recycler Axion Recycling, following extensive research trials.

Speaking at a recent event, Mr Freegard presented the findings of his company's DEFRA-funded, two-year research project into novel polymer separation and analysis technologies for waste plastic from WEEE.

Different technologies investigated during the trials included shredding, granulating, metal, wood and brominated flame retardant (BTR) removal and polymer colour sorting. Various polymer separation methods also analysed during the project included gravity and electrostatic separation, as well as wet or dry separation techniques.

A full report on Axion's findings will be available soon. For more information, contact the company on 0161 426 7731 or visit www.axionrecycling.com

- ERP (European Recycling Platform) UK is now the largest WEEE compliance scheme in the UK's business-to-business sector, according to official figures just released by Britain's Environment Agency. The scheme's members now account for 15.2% of the UK's total B2B WEEE - a higher share of the market than any other compliance scheme operating in Britain. The European Union's Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) Directive came into force on 1 July 2007.