Recycling Complex Materials

Recycling complex e-waste A printed circuit board (PCB) is what allows all of your electronics to run. The circuit board creates a circuit of electrical connections to and from each component of your electronic device. Without a circuit board, an electronic device cannot run. Since a circuit board is the most important component of all electronic devices, it contains several materials fused together which are difficult to separate. Metals on most circuit boards like copper, silver, gold, etc. prove to be hazardous to soil, water, and air if they are sent to landfills. Fortunately, they can all be recycled. The process of recycling a circuit board is complex. Below is the step-by-step recycling process for printed circuit boards: 1. All metal parts are stripped down and put in a furnace 2. Once melted, the metals are cooled down and pressed into plates 3. Each plate is placed into a large container and given positive charges 4. A plate of each metal with a negative charge is placed next to the positively charged plates 5. The negatively charged metal plate attracts its counterpart positive particles (ex. a negatively charged copper plate would attract copper particles from the positively charged plate of mixed metals) 6. To extract silver, the mixed metal plate is given a steel bath, where silver particles are extracted 7. After the second extraction, the only metal left in the plate is gold 8. The gold can be melted down and shaped into different forms While this process is time and resource consuming, it is worthwhile as it prevent metals from entering our ecosystem and toxifying our soil, water, and air. Doko Recyclers is one of the first professional recycling services in the country to accept electronic waste, or e-waste. If you have old electronics to dispose of, please do not send them to the landfill, and consider recycling them instead. By recycling, you will be doing a great favor to your local community’s health and wellbeing. To recycle your e-waste, email us at info@dokorecyclers.com, or call us at 9802044436. To learn more about e-waste, visit our e-waste website at www.ewastenepal.com.

Pranav Rajouria,
Communications and Partnerships Coordinator