Waste Electronic Equipment - Recycling & Refining

WEE circular

CIRCU PROOF

WEE circular is specialized in the processing of electronic waste, such as printed circuit boards (PCBs), which consist of various metals and flame-retardant plastics. These flame retardants (halogens) in particular are a problem for our health, nature and environment.

These harmful, flame-retardant substances are processed in an environmentally-friendly manner via THERMAL DECOMPOSITION, in accordance with all emission and safety requirements set by the government and the Clean Air Agreement.

WEE do IT is the social partner for the collection and processing of electronic waste. Here, people with a distance to the labor market make a contribution to a circular economy.

WEE do IT

Dive into the world of e-waste

The growing amount of electronics that we purchase, use and subsequently dispose leads to an ever-increasing mountain of e-waste.

At this moment, processing this e-waste leaves a lot to be desired. A part of it is left behind as garbage in the kitchen cabinets and finally ends up with the residual waste.

The second route of discarded electronics is recycling. This is also limited to 49 percent in 2018. Moreover, polluting methods such as incineration and extraction are still commonly used here.

However, a large part of the e-waste is dumped in African and Asian countries. Toxic waste ends up in nature, food gets poisoned and the local population suffers from health problems.

This cannot and must not happen. WEE Circular has the solution for this so called Waste of Electronic Equipment (WEE).

WEE do IT

1 %

of the weight of new electronic equipment placed on the market must be collected and processed. In 2018, only 49 percent of the e-waste was processed in the Netherlands. While almost 100 percent of the e-waste is recyclable.

1

The number of ‘devices with a plug’ in an average household. Moreover, the ‘internet of things’ ensures more and more ‘smart devices’ at home. So we can’t live without electronics anymore.

1 %

The annual growth of electronic waste wordwide. In 2050, the amount of e-waste is expected to rise to a whopping 120 million tons.

0 million kilos

This is the amount of e-waste we collect in the Netherlands each year. Most of it ends in the incinerators and is only recycled to a small extent. But where does the rest go to? This documentary follows the route of electronic waste and shows us where our discarded equipment ends.

What is in my electronics ?

Electronics contain PCBs (printed circuit boards), essential pieces of hardware. The number of PCBs produced worldwide is growing at around 9% per year, but is only partly recycled.

Instead, they end up in incinerators or at the landfill. Here, toxic fumes or pollutants are released and end up in groundwater and the atmosphere.

Research by GreenPeace, among others, shows that electronic waste includes the following (toxic) substances:

Heavy metals occur in nature, such as mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium, copper, arsenic, nickel, cobalt and magnesium. Lead, cadmium and mercury are the most toxic among them. Contamination of the soil with heavy metals is a serious matter, because cleaning is difficult and expensive. Moreover, the metals can end up in the groundwater and spread quickly.

Halogens are very reactive and harmful – even deadly – to bio-organisms. Examples of halogens are fluorine, iodine, bromine and chlorine. Bromine is mainly used in flame retardants and pesticides.

Brominated flame retardants are added to many consumer products to increase their fire resistance. The material saves lives and is therefore particularly useful and important, but the negative consequences for the environment are undeniable.

our motivation

Why does this has to change ?

Electronic waste is full of harmful substances and is partly dumped in Asia and Africa. Here, mostly women and children process this electronic waste under bad conditions. There is a reason that the population suffers from serious health problems.

Electronic waste consists partly of toxic substances, such as the flame retardants. These halogens, such as bromine, chlorine and antimony, end up in nature and poison our drinking water and food.

Elektronisch afval bestaat deels uit edele metalen als goud en zilver. Grondstofreserves raken echter uitgeput en de tijd dat grondstoffen goedkoop en in overvloed beschikbaar zijn daarmee voorbij gaat, terwijl op dit moment slechts 10-15 procent van het goud uit e-waste wordt hergebruikt. 

Electronic waste consists partly of precious metals such as gold and silver. However, raw material resources get scarce and the time that raw materials are available cheaply and in abundance is passing by, while at the moment only 10-15 percent of the gold from e-waste is reused.

The metals in electronic waste include gold, silver, rhodium, platinum, copper, lead, palladium and aluminum. These metals can all be reused, which implies that e-waste represents an enormous total value. It is a shame to dump it or burn it, without it yielding anything.

This works, too - WEE do IT

It was agreed at the Basel Convention that electronic waste should no longer be exported, but that countries should process their own e-waste. WEE Circular offers the method to process electronic waste through THERMAL DECOMPOSITION in an environmentally friendly and complete manner, in line with the objectives of the Schone Lucht Akkoord (‘Clean Air Agreement’).

Environmentally friendly and CO2 neutral

The method meets all the emission and safety requirements set by the government for harmful substances and safety, in line with the Schone Lucht Akkoord ('Clean Air Agreement')

Efficient and complete processing

The processing of plastics, metals and other parts from e-waste ensures that no residual materials remain.

Controlled and within the Netherlands

The processing process is strictly controlled and takes place within the Netherlands, in accordance with international agreements.

Contact us

We are pleased to help you

info@weecircular.com

WEE circular bv
WEE do IT
Waste Electronic Equipment

Wierden, Holland
www.weecircular.com
Info@weecircular.com

+31 (0)6 2222 2711

Chamber of Commerce: 75888432
VIHB registration: 533670

WEE circular is affiliated to a sustainable bank (ASN Bank)

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