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Assessment and Exploitation of the Inherent Value of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) for Circular Economy / Rhys G. Charles

Swansea University Author: Rhys G. Charles

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DOI (Published version): 10.23889/SUthesis.39601

Abstract

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) represents a global environmental and resource-efficiency crisis. However, WEEE is a valuable urban mine of economically, strategically and environmentally important materials e.g. precious metals (PMs) and critical raw materials (CRMs). Economic valu...

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Published: 2018
Institution: Swansea University
Degree level: Doctoral
Degree name: EngD
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa39601
first_indexed 2018-04-27T19:32:21Z
last_indexed 2020-09-02T03:03:07Z
id cronfa39601
recordtype RisThesis
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spelling 2020-09-01T15:54:37.2839281 v2 39601 2018-04-27 Assessment and Exploitation of the Inherent Value of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) for Circular Economy 1ff66fa61714afa2dd8bdae1769a5d21 0000-0003-1886-378X Rhys G. Charles Rhys G. Charles true true 2018-04-27 Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) represents a global environmental and resource-efficiency crisis. However, WEEE is a valuable urban mine of economically, strategically and environmentally important materials e.g. precious metals (PMs) and critical raw materials (CRMs). Economic value derived from WEEE can drive solutions to the ‘WEEE problem’ which are conducive to circular economy, enhance global resource-efficiency, and generate environmental and social benefits. This thesis examines the value of WEEE, and methods for its exploitation to the benefit of global sustainability. The ‘WEEE problem’ is examined in the context of global sustainability, considering environmental & resource-efficiency implications and linear resources use by the electrical & electronic equipment (EEE) industry. Solutions are considered which exploit WEEE as an ‘urban mine’ and embrace circular economy.Within this context, recycling potential of future WEEE is evaluated through projections of PM & Cu content of PCBs, based on temporal trends in historic RAM modules. CRMs are then identified in WEEE and methods of enhancing their recovery through intervention in pre-processing stages of recycling are evaluated. An industrial symbiosis process which recovers Pt from waste thermocouples for use in solar cells is presented as an example of the greater value generation potential offered by circular economy and the potential of such processes to overcome barriers to CRM recovery. Challenges and opportunities in lifecycle optimisation of printable photovoltaics for circular economy is considered as a means of enhancing the industrial ecology of this industry to avoid WEEE generation, reduce primary materials demand and enhance the value derived from these technologies at all stages of their lifecycles. Appropriate battery selection for solar off-grid systems in South Africa is then considered, demonstrating that greater value can be derived from EEE for local economies if compatibility of technologies with local skills and infrastructure for in-use and EoL management. E-Thesis WEEE, e-waste, recycling, circular economy, precious metals, critical raw materials (CRMs), lifecycle optimisation, industrial symbiosis 31 12 2018 2018-12-31 10.23889/SUthesis.39601 A selection of third party content is redacted or is partially redacted from this thesis. COLLEGE NANME Engineering COLLEGE CODE Swansea University Doctoral EngD Metech Recycling (UK) Ltd, European Social Fund (ESF), EPSRC EP/K503228/1 2020-09-01T15:54:37.2839281 2018-04-27T15:42:41.3104117 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Uncategorised Rhys G. Charles 0000-0003-1886-378X 1 0039601-27042018155232.pdf Charles_Rhys_PhD_Thesis_Redacted.pdf 2018-04-27T15:52:32.7670000 Output 11160115 application/pdf Redacted version - open access true 2018-04-27T00:00:00.0000000 A selection of third party content is redacted or is partially redacted from this thesis. true
title Assessment and Exploitation of the Inherent Value of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) for Circular Economy
spellingShingle Assessment and Exploitation of the Inherent Value of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) for Circular Economy
Rhys G. Charles
title_short Assessment and Exploitation of the Inherent Value of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) for Circular Economy
title_full Assessment and Exploitation of the Inherent Value of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) for Circular Economy
title_fullStr Assessment and Exploitation of the Inherent Value of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) for Circular Economy
title_full_unstemmed Assessment and Exploitation of the Inherent Value of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) for Circular Economy
title_sort Assessment and Exploitation of the Inherent Value of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) for Circular Economy
author_id_str_mv 1ff66fa61714afa2dd8bdae1769a5d21
author_id_fullname_str_mv 1ff66fa61714afa2dd8bdae1769a5d21_***_Rhys G. Charles
author Rhys G. Charles
author2 Rhys G. Charles
format E-Thesis
publishDate 2018
institution Swansea University
doi_str_mv 10.23889/SUthesis.39601
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Uncategorised{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Uncategorised
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) represents a global environmental and resource-efficiency crisis. However, WEEE is a valuable urban mine of economically, strategically and environmentally important materials e.g. precious metals (PMs) and critical raw materials (CRMs). Economic value derived from WEEE can drive solutions to the ‘WEEE problem’ which are conducive to circular economy, enhance global resource-efficiency, and generate environmental and social benefits. This thesis examines the value of WEEE, and methods for its exploitation to the benefit of global sustainability. The ‘WEEE problem’ is examined in the context of global sustainability, considering environmental & resource-efficiency implications and linear resources use by the electrical & electronic equipment (EEE) industry. Solutions are considered which exploit WEEE as an ‘urban mine’ and embrace circular economy.Within this context, recycling potential of future WEEE is evaluated through projections of PM & Cu content of PCBs, based on temporal trends in historic RAM modules. CRMs are then identified in WEEE and methods of enhancing their recovery through intervention in pre-processing stages of recycling are evaluated. An industrial symbiosis process which recovers Pt from waste thermocouples for use in solar cells is presented as an example of the greater value generation potential offered by circular economy and the potential of such processes to overcome barriers to CRM recovery. Challenges and opportunities in lifecycle optimisation of printable photovoltaics for circular economy is considered as a means of enhancing the industrial ecology of this industry to avoid WEEE generation, reduce primary materials demand and enhance the value derived from these technologies at all stages of their lifecycles. Appropriate battery selection for solar off-grid systems in South Africa is then considered, demonstrating that greater value can be derived from EEE for local economies if compatibility of technologies with local skills and infrastructure for in-use and EoL management.
published_date 2018-12-31T07:21:23Z
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score 11.04748

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