Putting electronic waste to good use

A pilot micro-factory has found a way to extract valuable metals from mobile phone devices. Developed by Professor Veena Sahajwalla at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia, this project aims to create a mobile and small-scale e-waste recycling solution to be deployed within poor urban communities.

6,000 mobile phones contain at least 140 grams of palladium, 340 grams of gold, 3.5 kg of silver and 130 kg of copper.

Micro-factories can be set up in containers in urban areas and waste can easily be transported to waste sites, eliminating expenditure on shipping or trucking e-waste for long distances. This creates sustainable employment in poor communities.

Will e-waste disposal turn into a profitable business for poor communities?

https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/putting-electronic-waste-to-good-use/

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