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Recycling process for waste TV sets mainly consists of dismantling, printed wiring board (PWB) heating, PWB recycling, and plastic crushing in formal recycling plant. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) contained in waste TV sets are released to indoor air. Air samples at 4 different workshops were collected to measure the PBDEs concentrations in both gaseous and particulate phases. The mean concentrations of ∑PBDEs in indoor air were in the range of 6780–2,280,000 pg/m 3 . The highest concentration in gaseous phase (291,000 pg/m 3 ) was detected in the PWB heating workshop. The ∑ 12 PBDEs concentrations in PM 2.5 and PM 10 at the 4 workshops ranged in 6.8–6670 μg/g and 32.6–6790 μg/g, respectively. The gas-particle partitioning of PBDEs was disrupted as PBDEs were continuously released during the recycling processes. Occupational exposure assessment showed that only the exposure concentration of BDE-47 (0.118 μg/kg/day) through inhalation in the PWB heating workshop for workers without facemask exceeded the reference dose (0.1 μg/kg/day), posing a health hazard to workers. All the results demonstrated that recycling of TV sets was an important source of PBDEs emission, and PBDEs emission pollution was related to the composition of TV sets, interior dust, and recycling process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Leaching assessment on five heavy metals (copper, zinc, lead, nickel and cadmium) and two brominated flame retardants (BFRs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), from waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) were conducted using various leaching methods. The mean leaching concentrations of copper were the highest in both toxicity characteristic leaching procedures (TCLP) and synthetic precipitation leaching procedures (SPLP) tests at 8.6mg/L and 1.1mg/L, while only lead (6.2mg/L) exceeded the TCLP criteria and Chinese EPA regulatory limit (both 5.0mg/L). However, PBDEs and TBBPA were not detected in TCLP and SPLP tests. Then the BFRs leaching trends and potential leachabilities were further investigated in actual landfill leachates using a modified method. Leaching characteristics that fast-leaching initially followed by slow-desorption over time were generally observed. In landfill leachate tests, the highest leaching concentrations of PBDEs and TBBPA were determined at 30.39 and 12.27μg/L. Meanwhile, the highest leaching rates were estimated to reach 0.08% and 1.00%, respectively, which were significantly influenced by the dissolved organic carbon contents of extracts, the hydrophobicities of target BFRs and the specific surface areas of WPCBs materials. These results proved that leaching from WPCBs was a significant emission source of BFRs in landfill and electronic waste recycling dumpsite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The major economic driving force for recycling of waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) is the value of the metallic fractions (MFs) of PCBs. The non-metallic fractions (NMFs), which take up almost 70wt% of waste PCBs, were treated by combustion or land filling in the past. However, combustion of the NMFs will cause the formation of highly toxic polybrominated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) while land filling of the NMFs will lead to secondary pollution caused by heavy metals and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) leaching to the groundwater. Therefore, recycling of the NMFs from waste PCBs is drawing more and more attention from the public and the governments. Currently, how to recycle the NMFs environmental soundly has become a significant topic in recycling of waste PCBs. In order to fulfill the better resource utilization of the NMFs, the compositions and characteristics of the NMFs, methods and outcomes of recycling the NMFs from waste PCBs and analysis and treatment for the hazardous substances contained in the NMFs were reviewed in this paper. Thermosetting resin matrix composites, thermoplastic matrix composites, concrete and viscoelastic materials are main applications for physical recycling of the NMFs. Chemical recycling methods consisting of pyrolysis, gasification, supercritical fluids depolymerization and hydrogenolytic degradation can be used to convert the NMFs to chemical feedstocks and fuels. The toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) and synthetic precipitation leaching procedure (SPLP) can be used to determine the toxicity characteristic (TC) of the NMFs and to evaluate the environmental safety of products made from the recycled NMFs. It is believed that physical recycling of the NMFs has been a promising recycling method. Much more work should be done to develop comprehensive and industrialized usage of the NMFs recycled by physical methods. Chemical recycling methods have the advantages in eliminating hazardous substances in the NMFs. The trend in chemical recycling of the NMFs is to make the best of advantages over physical recycling of the NMFs to compensate its higher cost. Removing and treating the hazardous substances in the NMFs is an ultimate method to eliminate the pollution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: From the use of renewable resources and environmental protection viewpoints, recycling of waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) receives wide concerns as the amounts of scrap PCBs increases dramatically. However, treatment for waste PCBs is a challenge due to the fact that PCBs are diverse and complex in terms of materials and components makeup as well as the original equipment''s manufacturing processes. Recycle technology for waste PCBs in China is still immature. Previous studies focused on metals recovery, but resource utilization for nonmetals and further separation of the mixed metals are relatively fewer. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a proper recycle technology for waste PCBs. In this paper, current status of waste PCBs treatment in China was introduced, and several recycle technologies were analyzed. Some advices against the existing problems during recycling process were presented. Based on circular economy concept in China and complete recycling and resource utilization for all materials, a new environmental-friendly integrated recycling process with no pollution and high efficiency for waste PCBs was provided and discussed in detail. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using glass-nonmetals, a byproduct of recycling waste printed circuit boards (PCBs), to replace wood flour in production of phenolic moulding compound (PMC). Glass-nonmetals were attained by two-step crushing and corona electrostatic separating processes. Glass-nonmetals with particle size shorter than 0.07mm were in the form of single fibers and resin powder, with the biggest portion (up to 34.6wt%). Properties of PMC with glass-nonmetals (PMCGN) were compared with reference PMC and the national standard of PMC (PF2C3). When the adding content of glass-nonmetals was 40wt%, PMCGN exhibited flexural strength of 82MPa, notched impact strength of 2.4kJ/m2, heat deflection temperature of 175°C, and dielectric strength of 4.8MV/m, all of which met the national standard. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed strong interfacial bonding between glass fibers and the phenolic resin. All the results showed that the use of glass-nonmetals as filler in PMC represented a promising method for resolving the environmental pollutions and reducing the cost of PMC, thus attaining both environmental and economic benefits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Thermal degradation behavior varied with the composition of organic substances. • HCl, benzene, and toluene were detected from pyrolysis of capacitor scarfskin. • Generous amount of particulate matter emitted from the heating of WPCB. • Phenol is one of the main VOCs from the heating of board resin. Waste printed circuit boards mounted with electronic components (WPCB-ECs) are generated from electronic waste dismantling and recycling process. Air-borne pollutants, including particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), can be released during thermal treatment of WPCB-CEs. In this study, organic substances from WPCB-ECs were pyrolyzed by both thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and in a quartz tube furnace. We discovered that board resin and solder coating were degraded in a one-stage process, whereas capacitor scarfskin and wire jacket had two degradation stages. Debromination of brominated flame retardants occurred, and HBr and phenol were the main products during TGA processing of board resin. Dehydrochlorination occurred, and HCl, benzene and toluene were detected during the pyrolysis of capacitor scarfskin. Benzene formation was found only in the first degradation stage (272–372 °C), while toluene was formed both in the two degradation stages. PM with bimodal mass size distributions at diameters of 0.45–0.5 and 4–5 μm were emitted during heating WPCB-ECs. The PM number concentrations were highest in the size ranges of 0.3–0.35 μm and 1.6–2 μm. The research produced new data on pollutant emissions during thermal treatment of WPCB-ECs, and information on strategies to prevent toxic exposures that compromise the health of recyclers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]