Ecotoxicity of Plastics from Informal Waste Electric and Electronic Treatment and Recycling

Abstract

Plastic materials account for about 20% of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The recycling of this plastic fraction is a complex issue, heavily conditioned by the content of harmful additives, such as brominated flame retardants. Thus, the management and reprocessing of WEEE plastics pose environmental and human health concerns, mainly in developing countries, where informal recycling and disposal are practiced. The objective of this study was twofold. Firstly, it aimed to investigate some of the available options described in the literature for the re-use of WEEE plastic scraps in construction materials, a promising recycling route in the developing countries. Moreover, it presents an evaluation of the impact of these available end-of-life scenarios on the environment by means of the life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. In order to consider worker health and human and ecological risks, the LCA analysis focuses on ecotoxicity more than on climate change. The LCA evaluation confirmed that the plastic re-use in the construction sector has a lower toxicity impact on the environment and human health than common landfilling and incineration practices. It also shows that the unregulated handling and dismantling activities, as well as the re-use practices, contribute significantly to the impact of WEEE plastic treatments.

Estimating the Circularity Performance of an Emerging Industrial Symbiosis Network: The Case of Recycled Plastic Fibers in Reinforced Concrete

“…Since the IS approach is an evolving process aiming at continuous improvement in terms of sustainability and circularity goals, the dynamic behavior of IS can be evaluated through the use of performance indicators measuring the symbiotic level of activity. The study focuses on circularity performances and potential CE-related implications representative of the market, such as the regulation of inert waste recovery [16], and environmental and human health risks related to the treatment of waste materials and their reuse inside construction products [17].…”

Toward Sustainable Fire Safety: Life Cycle Assessment of Phosphinate-Based and Brominated Flame Retardants in E-Mobility and Electronic Devices

“…While several studies have ascertained the health and environmental impacts of exposure to halogenated flame retardants from accidental fires or improper EoL management, 30 there is, however, a sparse body of literature on quantifying these impacts through a comprehensive life cycle assessment. This is also one of the limitations of the current study, as the focus of the presented assessment was on product development and not technology scoping or development to find suitable EoL technologies.…”

Facile Pressure-Sensitive Capacitive Touch Keypad for a Green Intelligent Human–Machine Interface

“…These plastic button HMIs are not compact, which makes them difficult to integrate with modern-day thin electronics and are fabricated by polluting processes and materials. In recent years, electronic waste has been generating a major chunk of plastic waste, about 20% [ 6 ]. The harmful additives in plastic waste cause environmental and health issues during recycling.…”