The study is looking into brominated flame retardants in electronic equipment, particularly regarding bromine contained within plastic, using an X-ray sorting system. The report states this is an “extremely promising” option.
It is also possible to use fast-acting hand-held instruments to identify bromine-containing polymers, the Waste and Resources Action Programme said.
This is the second phase of a four phase project, which has seen Axion investigating the viability of separation and treatment options identified in the first phase of the project.
Solvent
Axion has said that at this stage two solvent-based removal processes appear to offer the best commercial and environmental potential called Creasolv and Centrevap. The third stage of the project has already begun, to evaluate in more detail the viability of the Creasolv and Centrevap processes, focusing particularly on solvent removal techniques.
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Paul Davidson, material sector manager for plastics at WRAP, said: “This report is a product of some highly significant progress in the field of WEEE plastic recycling, but also could have wider implications for solvent based plastic recycling processing in general.”
The study has been set up by WRAP in advance of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive, which will affect UK law from June 2006.
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