Improving waste electric and electronic equipment management at full-scale by using material flow analysis and life cycle assessment.

This work has as main objective the analysis of waste from electric and electronic equipment (WEEE or e-waste) management through material flow analysis and life cycle assessment of a full-scale Italian facility that is significant about the e-waste flows treated (9900 t/y) and representative of a developed EU country about the industrial process outline, based on manual dismantling phases and physic-mechanical automatic processes. Three WEEE categories (i.e. R1-Cooling equipment, R2-Large household appliances and R3- TVs and screens) have been chosen with the reason that they are the most abundant in EU. The methodology was based on two end-of-life scenarios: S0-partial recycling of valuable fractions and landfilling of the rest, which is conventional e-waste processing in Italian facilities; S1-complete recycling of valuable fractions, limited incineration and landfilling of the rest, which describes what happens in the considered case study. Mass balance of the three treatment lines showed recycling rate (RR) values equal to: for R1 40% for S0 and 80% for S1; for R2 65% for S0 and 99% for S1; for R3 86% for S0 and 91% for S1, with significant fractions incinerated or landfilled only for R1 treatment line. Life cycle assessment considered transport (post-consumer collection), treatment, recycling, incineration and disposal. As main results, eco-toxicity aquatic potentials referring to marine and fresh water were the most relevant impact categories. In conclusion, recycling (mostly of metals) played a crucial role for environmental benefits, and transport and polyurethane plus rubber incineration for the environmental impacts.

Assessment of the waste electrical and electronic equipment management systems profile and sustainability in developed and developing European Union countries.

The assessment of waste management systems for electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) from developed economies (Germany, Sweden and Italy) and developing countries (Romania and Bulgaria), is discussed covering the period 2007-2014. The WEEE management systems profiles are depicted by indicators correlated to WEEE life cycle stages: collection, transportation and treatment. The sustainability of national WEEE management systems in terms of greenhouse gas emissions is presented, together with the greenhouse gas efficiency indicator that underlines the efficiency of WEEE treatment options. In the countries comparisons, the key elements are: robust versus fragile economies, the overall waste management performance and the existence/development of suitable management practices on WEEE. Over the life cycle perspective, developed economies (Germany, Sweden and Italy) manage one order of magnitude higher quantities of WEEE compared to developing countries (Romania and Bulgaria). Although prevention and reduction measures are encouraged, all WEEE quantities were larger in 2013, than in 2007. In 2007-2014, developed economies exceed the annual European collection target of 4 kg WEEE/capita, while collection is still difficult in developing countries. If collection rates are estimated in relationship with products placed on market, than similar values are registered in Sweden and Bulgaria, followed by Germany and Italy and lastly Romania. WEEE transportation shows different patterns among countries, with Italy as the greatest exporter (in 2014), while Sweden treats the WEEE nationally. WEEE reuse is a common practice in Germany, Sweden (from 2009) and Bulgaria (from 2011). By 2014, recycling was the most preferred WEEE treatment option, with the same kind of rates performance, over 80%, irrespective of the country, with efforts in each of the countries in developing special collection points, recycling facilities and support instruments. The national total and the recycling carbon footprints of WEEE are lower in 2013 than in 2007 for each country, the order in reducing the environmental impacts being: Germany, Italy, Sweden, Bulgaria and Romania. The negative values indicate savings in greenhouse gas emissions. In 2013, the GHG efficiency shows no differences of the WEEE management in the developed and developing countries.

Biosorption of lead ions from aqueous effluents by rapeseed biomass.

Lead, as well as other heavy metals, is regarded as priority pollutant due to its non-biodegradability, toxicity and persistence in the environment. In this study, rapeseed biomass was used in the biosorption of Pb(II) ions in batch and dynamic conditions, as well as with tests for industrial wastewater. The influence of initial concentration (5-250mg/L), pH and contact time (0.5-6h) was investigated. The kinetic data modeling resulted in good correlations with the pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion models. The maximum sorption capacities of Pb(II) were 18.35, 21.29 and 22.7mg/L at 4, 20 and 50°C, respectively. Thermodynamic parameters indicated the spontaneity and endothermic nature of lead biosorption on rapeseed biomass. The biosorption mechanism involves both physical and chemical interactions. The breakthrough curves at 50 and 100mg/L were determined and evaluated under dynamic conditions. The breakthrough time lowered with increasing the influent Pb(II) concentration. The experimental data obtained from fixed-bed column tests were well fitted by Thomas and Yoon-Nelson models. The calculated sorption capacities were in good agreement with the uptake capacity of Langmuir model. The applicability of rapeseed to be used as a sorbent for Pb(II) ions from real wastewater was tested, and Pb(II) removal efficiency of 94.47% was obtained.