CSIO develops technique to reuse metals, elements from e-waste

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 19

The Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO), here, has developed technology to extract and reuse metals and other elements that have adverse ecological implications from discarded computers and electronic gadgets.

The problem of solid waste accumulation from used consumer electronics is increasing day by day. In a developing country like India, the feasibility of recycling of such wastes largely depends upon the cost of the process involved and the price of the recovered commodities, scientists said.

Most of the recycling technologies do not necessarily yield economically viable products because of which this sector has not attracted many investors. A large variety of e-waste samples contain high amounts of reusable metals, such  as zinc,  aluminum, tin and 

copper, besides traces of other elements.

Landfilling, incineration and recycling are the three major management strategies for e-waste and other metal scraps. 

The availability of landfills is limited while the incineration process converts waste metal into crude oxides.

“The increasing environmental apprehensions, terrestrial eco-toxicity and marine eutrophication have put serious concerns over the sustainability of both landfilling and incineration based e-waste management routes,” a scientist said.

“The technology developed by the CSIO does not only involve safer chemical steps but also converts the zinc waste into a  high value zinc salt using simple leaching and hydrothermal steps,” 

he said. “At present, the commercial price of the recovered product is around Rs 8 lakh per kg and the underlying economic benefits of this technology is significant for the recycling industries,” he added.