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: 30-39

RoHS Annex II Dossier, final

MCCPs

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5. WASTE MANAGEMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT

5.1. Description of waste streams

5.1.1. Main materials where the substance is contained

MCCPs are used as secondary plasticisers in flexible plastics, rubbers and other polymers that are

applied in a multitude of application areas. Out of the total MCCP consumption in the EU, 54 % is

used in PVC products, 11 % in rubber and 35 % in other polymers. Out of these, EEE products

represent the largest application area. KEMI (2018) assumes that within the EEE sector, 83 % of

MCCPs are used in PVC and 17 % in other polymers. The following considerations focus on the fate

of MCCPs in the end of life treatment of PVC insulated cable and wires that are constituents of

WEEE. Other MCCP-containing plastic parts and coatings found in WEEE are not thought to

undergo specific treatment in regard to their MCCP content.

5.1.2. WEEE categories containing the substance

Cables and wires meet the definition of EEE as set out in Article 3(1)(a) of the WEEE Directive

2012/19/EU. Cables that are components of another EEE (internal – permanently attached – or

externally connected and removable but sold together or marketed/shipped for use with the EEE),

fall within the scope of the recast WEEE Directive (coming into force in 2018). Individual cables, that

are not part of another EEE, are considered as EEE themselves and hence fall within the scope of

WEEE. Only non-finished cables i.e. cable reels without plugs would be out of the scope of WEEE.

PVC insulated cables and wires principally occur in almost all EEE products although highly

integrated products, such as smart phones, may barley contain discrete internal wires. The following

lists EEE categories (Annex III of the WEEE Directive), which are likely to contain PVC insulated

cables that contain MCCPs:

• Category 1: Temperature exchange equipment (e.g. refrigerators);

• Category 2: Screens, monitors and equipment containing screens having a surface > 100 cm2;

• Category 4: Large equipment (any external dimension more than 50 cm);

• Category 5: Small equipment (no external dimension more than 50 cm); and

• Category 6: Small IT and telecommunication equipment (external dimension more than 50 cm).

Lamps (category 3) are not thought to contain PVC insulated cables or wires in relevant quantities,

according to KEMI (2018). However, the authors of the dossier at hand remind on the fact that LED

(Light Emitting Diodes) strips, which are nowadays widely incorporated in luminaires and in other

products, contains flexible insulation and electrical wiring, as demonstrated by Figure 5-1.