The Multi Life Cycle Centre for electric and electronic equipment

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

The world faces an ever-growing mountain of waste produced by the electronic appliance sector. Three factors contribute to this growing problem: the increasing number of electronic appliances; the fast pace of technological development; and reduction of product lifespans. In 2000, 10 million tonnes of waste from electrical/electronic equipment (WEEE) was generated, equivalent to 4% of the municipal waste stream. The volume of WEEE is expected to grow by 3-5% per annum. More than 90% of WEEE is currently sent to landfill sites, incinerated or otherwise disposed of without any treatment. In order to eliminate or at least mitigate these problems, the WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC, which defines targets for the re-use and recycling of electronic products, was introduced.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the project was to demonstrate a highly innovative reuse und recycling system for Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in the form of a Multi Life Cycle Centre (MLC²). It would seek to• transform WEEE back into valuable products through recovery at the highest possible level, starting with re-use of the whole product down to the sub-assembly and component levels, and finally to the recycling of materials. A further objective of the project was the reuse of 20 000 devices and 5 million components, as well as the repair, refurbishment and upgrading of 10 000 products.

It seeked to prove that an eco-efficient (i.e. ecologically as well as economically efficient) reuse of WEEE on large scale is working by implementing tailor made solutions (automated plants and collecting containers) and using the latest technology in RFID (radio frequency identification) in combination with state of the art logistic software.

RESULTS

The MLC² project did not achieve all of its objectives. In 2007, about 3800 tonnes of WEEE (above all mobile phones, computers and monitors) were processed with some success at the MLC² plant. This included for example the recycling of more than 500 000 mobile phone components. Although not easy to quantify, environmental benefits were reached such as the saving of natural resources and energy as electric and electronic devices are re-used or components and material are recycled.

While component re-use, e.g. for mobile phones, turned out to be economical feasible, the project team however faced unexpected problems concerning repair/refurbishment and upgrade of electronic devices, e.g. juridical questions of warranty and privacy requirements of computers.

Other problems included:

The quality of relevant amounts of delivered goods was not good enough to organise an economical solution for re-use activities. Many devices were damaged.

Several companies did not permit the reuse of products.

The objective to develop a marketable technology based on RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tagged waste was too ambitious, since technology is not yet available on the market in a sufficient amount. Therefore only preparatory work was possible.

The selling prices for devices and components are very volatile. A WEEE re-use quota requirement could be a driving force for further development.

In addition, the project team worked in a highly innovative and globalised business branch with volatile prices. Technologies for the treatment of technical devices and components, which were promising at the beginning of the project, were no longer competitive at the end of the project, creating a price risk.

With the takeover of the original beneficiary, the concept of an integrated plant for all WEEE fractions was not followed anymore, since specialisation turned out to be more efficient. Single waste fractions were then treated on different sites. However, the plant in Vienna is the one and only in Europe where all recycling procedures including re-use, repair, refurbishment, component and material re-use are operated as an integrated system for selected waste fractions like mobile phones, computers and computer monitors.

The MLC² project did not achieve all of its objectives. In 2007, about 3800 tonnes of WEEE (above all mobile phones, computers and monitors) were processed with some success at the MLC² plant. This included for example the recycling of more than 500 000 mobile phone components. Although not easy to quantify, environmental benefits were reached such as the saving of natural resources and energy as electric and electronic devices are re-used or components and material are recycled.

While component re-use, e.g. for mobile phones, turned out to be economical feasible, the project team however faced unexpected problems concerning repair/refurbishment and upgrade of electronic devices, e.g. juridical questions of warranty and privacy requirements of computers.

Other problems included:

The quality of relevant amounts of delivered goods was not good enough to organise an economical solution for re-use activities. Many devices were damaged.

Several companies did not permit the reuse of products.

The objective to develop a marketable technology based on RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tagged waste was too ambitious, since technology is not yet available on the market in a sufficient amount. Therefore only preparatory work was possible.

The selling prices for devices and components are very volatile. A WEEE re-use quota requirement could be a driving force for further development.

In addition, the project team worked in a highly innovative and globalised business branch with volatile prices. Technologies for the treatment of technical devices and components, which were promising at the beginning of the project, were no longer competitive at the end of the project, creating a price risk.

With the takeover of the original beneficiary, the concept of an integrated plant for all WEEE fractions was not followed anymore, since specialisation turned out to be more efficient. Single waste fractions were then treated on different sites. However, the plant in Vienna is the one and only in Europe where all recycling procedures including re-use, repair, refurbishment, component and material re-use are operated as an integrated system for selected waste fractions like mobile phones, computers and computer monitors.