According to a recent report by the BBC, e-waste mining could be the next big business to take off for the waste industry. E-waste is the term for discarded electronic equipment such as televisions, phones and computers. With these items providing a source of various metals including gold, silver and copper, e-waste mining has serious growth potential.
The BBC report discusses the future of e-waste mining as a profitable industry with benefits to the environment and the economy and research suggesting e-waste facilities could become more profitable than traditional mining.
Studies conducted recently show that a significant amount of metals such as copper, aluminium and gold can be extracted from a standard television.
A gold mine can provide 5-6g of the metal per tonne, but mining from our discarded electronic gadgets could generate up to 350g per tonne. While traditional mining is labour-intensive and costly, e-waste mining can be highly automated, using robots as part of the production line.
The report calls for manufacturers to make more of an effort to make their products recyclable and suitable for mining, and for consumers to receive an incentive for returning electronic products at the end of their usable life.
With the amount of e-waste currently being generated, the prediction is that business opportunities will increase internationally. China are now cracking down on e-waste imported for recycling, which puts pressure on other countries to find a solution.
Acumen is a leading provider of industrial site services and waste management. Based in Yorkshire, we work at sites throughout the country, providing cost-effective and technically robust waste management solutions. For further information about the services we provide or to talk to someone about a project, please call us today on 0800 118 2165.
