| Abstract [eng] |
Sustainable use of natural resources is one of the priorities of the European Union (EU) and the World Strategic Policy. The proper management of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) focused on critical metals (CM) recovery and the creation of closed industrial cycles in which WEEE is treated as raw material instead of waste are very important to the sustainable use of the Earth’s natural resources. CMs are raw materials, which are considered critical because they are characterized by a particularly high risk of supply shortage in the next 10 years. CMs are vital for the EU economy and are particularly important to the development and manufacture of high tech equipment, ranging from tablets, to the low carbon emittion cars and renewable energy equipment. The proper WEEE recycling could ensure the supply of CMs. The aim of the research is to evaluate the recovery potential of CMs from WEEE in Lithuania. Work methodology is built on the basis of the Copenhagen Resources Institute report “Present and potential future recycling of critical metals in WEEE” which has been adapted to the case of Lithuania. The geographical scope of the research is Lithuania. The selected WEEE treatement object is “EMP Recycling”, JSC. In order to collect WEEE release volume into the domestic EEE market, EEE consumption, WEEE collection, and treatment data, and data to evaluate the CMs recovery potential of WEEE in Lithuania, the analysis of scientific literature, Lithuanian Environmental Protection Agency data, Lithuanian Department of Statistics data, and other specialized databases was conducted. The “EMP Recycling”, JSC data (collection and treatment) was also analysed to assess the recovery potential of CMs in the company. The following results were obtained in the research: the estimated recovery potential of CMs in WEEE in Lithuania in 2012 indicated that it was possible to to recover 0,62 - 0,66 kg. of CMs, while in 2015 it will possible to recover 0,75 - 0,80 kg. of CMs. It was assessed potential CMs revoery rates from Lithuanian WEEE could meet the following world demand: in 2012, 0,016 - 0,018%, in 2015, 0,018 - 0,022%. The evaluation of economic loss of CMs being not recovered indicated that in 2015, it will cause 823 - 982 thousand Eur losses. The biggest economic losses were incurred by Au, Pd, and Ag being not recovered. The estimation of CMs recovery potential in WEEE in “EMP Recycling”, JSC indicated that it is possible to recover 0,29 - 0,31 kg. of CMs. It was found that the company's existing technologies and equipment allow processing of WEEE to recover Ag, and Au. Moreover, technologies to recover CMs from WEEE are available for “EMP Recycling”, JSC; however, the amount of recovered CMs from WEEE would be modest: Pd and Co - 0,012 kg., Li - 0,001 kg., W - 0,004 kg. |
