Waste management of electrical and electronic equipment

• Author: Clemm, Christan; Löw, Clara; Baron, Yifaat; Moch, Katja; Möller, Martin; Köhler, Andreas R; Gensch, Carl-Otto; Deubzer, Otmar
• Pages: 33-39

RoHS Annex II Dossier, final

Diantimony trioxide (flame retardant)

33

5 WASTE MANAGEMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT

Description of waste streams

5.1.1 Enclosures: Plastics

The WEEE Directive67 requires that plastics used in EEE containing brominated flame-retardants

have to be removed from any separately collected WEEE according to Annex VII on the selective

treatment for materials and components of waste electrical and electronic equipment referred to in

Article 8(2).

ATO is stated to be used as synergist together with halogenated flame retardants and, specifically

in plastics, with brominated flame retardants. The separation process of brominated flame retardants

as applied in Europe is established on density-based sink-float sorting techniques after size

reduction by shredding. Post-shredder sorting techniques separate plastics that contain a diantimony

trioxide-based flame retardant combination with a high efficiency from other non-flame retardant

plastic types, because of the high density of antimony trioxide ( = 5,7 g/cm3).68 According to the KU

Leuven,69 X-ray fluorescent based optical sorting techniques are also used alternatively or in

combination with density based sink-float sorting techniques after size reduction by shredding as

state of the art recycling processes in Europe.

This fraction is as of today’s state of the art not recycled but sent to incineration with energy recovery

as there is no further post-shredder sorting of different plastic materials to obtain a required purity,

e.g. to separate the plastic material ABS and HIPS containing brominated flame retardants.

As for the recovery of antimony from the ashes of the incinerated plastics, it is so far not common

practice according to the KU Leuven. Campine (2018) also states that “the recovery of antimony out

of plastics is not yet implemented on a broader scale because the operation is not economically

viable yet and rather complex (due to pop’s in FR plastics).” i2a (2018) explains that “in a number of

countries, bottom ash is used for road and other constructions, unless the concentration of ATO in

the ash exceeds a particular limit, in which case it must be treated as a hazardous waste (i.e.

landfilled).”

The following aspects have been raised by stakeholders during the 2nd stakeholder consultation:

• Campine and i2a (2020) claim that there are several research projects that aim to increase the

recyclability of this plastic fraction. The projects are listed in Appendix III (section 14). It is

concluded that these projects are being launched and/or arriving at pilot plant stage. They are not

at a technological readiness level that impacts current waste management practices.

67 Directive 2012/19/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2012 on waste electrical and electronic

equipment (WEEE) (recast); https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-

content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32012L0019&from=EN, last viewed 02.07.2018

68 KU Leuven-University of Leuven (2018): Contribution submitted by J ef Peeters, Department of Mechanical Engineering,

Faculty of Engineering & Engineering Technology, KU Leuven-University of Leuven on 15.06.2018 during the

stakeholder consultation conducted from 20 April 2018 to 15 June 2018 by Oeko-Institut in the course of the study to

support the review of the list of restricted substances and to assess a new exemption request under RoHS 2 (Pack 15);

http://rohs.exemptions.oeko.info/fileadmin/user_upload/RoHS_Pack_15/1st_Consultation_Contributions/Contribution

_KU_LEUVEN_Diantimony_Trioxide_20180615.pdf, last viewed 26.06.2018 and

Op. cit. ZVEI (2018)

69 Op. cit. KU Leuven-University of Leuven (2018)