Appliance recycling
Appliance recycling is the process of dismantling
The strength of appliance recycling legislation and the percentage of appliances recycled varies around the world.
Disassembly
A key part of appliance recycling is the manual dismantling of each product, removing hazardous components, and recovering reusable materials and parts. Procedures vary and depend on the appliance type. The amount of hazardous components able to be removed also depends on the type of appliance. Low removal rates of hazardous components reduce the recyclability of valuable materials. Each type of appliance has its own set of characteristics and components. This makes characterization of appliances essential to sorting and separating parts. Research on appliance dismantling has become an active area, intending to help recycling reach maximum efficiency.[2]
Classification
There is a certain process used to recover materials from appliances. Parts are generally removed in order from largest to smallest. Metals are extracted first and then
Example
Recycling by region
Although appliance recycling is relatively new, several countries have enacted laws and regulations regarding electric waste. The first countries to establish home appliance recycling included Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Germany.
European Union
In 2003 the
Japan
By the 1950s and 60s Japan had already become a major producer of electric appliances. The first initiatives to recycle were launched in the 70s. Due to costs, disassembly was hardly achievable. The Home Appliance Recycling Law was enacted in 1998 and came into force in 2001, and recycling of waste electrics became a legal requirement under the Specific Household Appliance Recycling Law and the Law for Promotion of Effective Utilisation Resources.[1] Appliance manufacturers are now required to finance the recycling of their products.[4] The Association for Electric Home Appliances is a trade group that is responsible for orphaned products.[5]
China
China produces a significant proportion of the world's appliances, and imports a large quantity of waste appliances. There has not been much progress in appliance recycling efficiency. China's undeveloped dismantling and processing has led to elevated levels of toxic chemicals in and near waste appliance sites.[6]
United States
The United States is the largest waste appliance producer in the world. There is no federal law requiring appliance recycling; legislation varies between states. On a state level, many mandatory electronic recovery programs have been implemented. There are several commercial appliance recyclers.
California
In 2003, the
Australia
There are several commercial appliance recyclers in Australia. Some organisations that remove waste appliances and offer government-sponsored rebates. Some retailers including
New Zealand
In New Zealand there is a push to keep old appliances and e-waste out of landfills, however there is little legislation to preventing this. As in Australia there are companies including the manufacturer
EPR
See also
- Electronic waste
- Computer recycling
- Mobile phone recycling
References
- ^ S2CID 108437684.
- ^ PMID 23337392.
- ^ WEEE Recycling Process. (2014). Retrieved April 7, 2015, from Sims Recycling Solutions Centres website: http://www.simsrecycling.co.uk/Resources/WEEE-recycling-process Archived 2015-01-06 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Home Appliance Recycling Law". METI - Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. 22 May 2006. Retrieved 24 September 2010.
- ^ "Electric Appliance Recycling in Japan" (PDF). INFORM. November 2003. Retrieved 24 September 2010.
- .
- ^ Electronic Hazardous Waste. (2010). Retrieved from Department of Toxic Substances Control website: http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/ewaste/
- ^ "Recycling Appliances".
- ^ "Metal Recyclers".