Design for electronics recycling: best practices

A major problem facing the world today is its willingness to ignore the shortcomings of tech advancements, writes Linda Liu. What if, instead, we tried to do better?

The world’s approach to messy problems - radioactive waste from nuclear power plants or overflowing plastic landfills requiring up to 1000 years to decompose – has not always been a constructive one: rather, the tendency is always to pretend the problem doesn’t exist. A similar attitude is commonly adopted towards damaged PCBs and other electronic components.

These technological problems call for a 'what if’ approach towards how we dispose of waste materials; an approach acknowledging that, in fact, a large percentage of technological waste materials can be reused. Recycling offers a promising solution for the electronic and PCB industries. This article digs deeper into this waste management strategy and how electronic manufacturers can leverage design for recycling to champion and boost its adoption.

Design for electronics recycling

Design for electronic recycling basically involves using practical steps and ideas during the electronic designing process, aimed at reusing some or all of the end products after the end of their lifespan.   

Currently, most electronic gadgets are discarded because of some malfunction too expensive to fix, or simply because a newer device has been launched. And, while electronics can get damaged, some of the PCB materials, which are found in almost every piece of electronics, are reusable.

To extract these materials for use in other PCBs or other electronics, they must be disassembled professionally, as shown below.

Discarded mobile phones are one of the significant contributors to electronic waste in the world. According to the Global E-waste Monitor 2020, 53.6 Mt of electronic waste was produced globally in 2019. The report further projects electronic waste containing a PCB will hit 74 Mt before 2030. This makes electronic waste the fasted-growing domestic pollutant, caused primarily by higher demand for electronics, short lifespans, and limited repair options.   

The need for a green PCB development process

Before discussing the reasons for embracing a green PCB development process, let's define a green circuit board development process. Generally, the term green refers to environmental consciousness. Therefore, a green circuit board development process relates to the actions taken during circuit board development to minimize any adverse environmental effects or the measures taken during the production and disposal of PCBs.

The negative environmental impact of electronic waste is evident. The world needs electronic recycling now, more than ever. Recycling efforts will be more effective if embraced by the entire production chain. The best approach to reducing e-waste reduction will start with integrating design for electronics recycling and production for electronics recycling. Regulators across the world also need to be keen and strict in implementing these policies.

Why implement a green PCB development process?

• Recover precious minerals
  PCBs are coated with precious minerals like gold, nickel, copper, etc. A green circuit board development process will ensure that these rare minerals are recovered for later use.
• Regulatory compliance
  Most US states control electronic recycling, but there are no federal rules governing PCB production and recovering precious metals from obsolete PCBs. For instance, Apple recovered 2204 Ibs of gold in 2015.
• Cost-effective production
  By reusing materials and miniaturized boards, the production costs will drop and productivity increase.
• Minimise hazardous materials 
  Green PCB development will also benefit employees, especially those in less developed countries, by reducing their exposure to hazardous chemicals Most electronics waste from developed countries finds its way to third-world countries in Africa and Asia, where it is dumped in landfills or burned – but not before first being stripped of any valuable components and in the process, causing exposure to the hazardous substances used in PCBs.
  Implementing an effective eco-friendly circuit board development process requires designers to collaborate with manufacturers committed to green production.

Implementing design for electronic recycling

Using environmentally sustainable materials

E-waste dumping trends have demonstrated a rise in miniaturised, compact devices. Most of these devices are made of brominated flame retardant (BFR) plastics. These plastics minimise the flammability element of heat produced by electronics.

BFR plastics are highly stable during recycling. This enables recycled materials to achieve the same fire safety levels as first-time materials and sustain the value initially offered by BFRs in the plastics. Environmental institutions across the world are promoting reuse as an end-of-life option for BFR plastics. The International Bromine Council (BSEF) has partnered with the North American Flame Retardant Alliance (NAFRA) to explore a new method of sorting and setting apart legacy BFRs from non-prohibited BFRs using blockchain technology.    

As well, some environmentalists have recommended chemical recycling as an eco-friendly method of reusing electronic waste plastics for green fuels production.     

When BFR plastics and other major pollutants, like mercury and toners, are used, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) should mark the products to warn waste recyclers of their presence, or better still, label such products with FRID codes for easy traceability.

Precious metals like copper, gold and aluminium are easily recycled. These metals are suitable for integrating functionality with high usability levels. By partnering with ITAD during the PCB design process, designers can analyse their end products' reusability early and integrate it into their marketing campaigns.

Creating more resale opportunities

The expected lifespan of a smartphone is projected to be around five years. However, users worldwide often replace their phones after using them for two years. Further campaigns to incentivise resale and to prolong the lifespan of these devices are essential in order to better align a product’s duration of use with its technical lifetime. Increasing the reuse value will help put pre-used smartphones into the hands of consumers who want them.

Science Direct reports that the manufacturing phase represents up to 70% of the total primary energy of manufacturing and operation of computers.  Prolonging the life of the computers by some years can counterbalance the major manufacturing footprint of new ones. Thus, designers should ensure they are making a long-term product with reuse in mind.

Time is important

In encouraging the recycling of electronics, it is recommendable to replace devices moved out as quickly as others move in. The point to note here is that the value and popularity of devices decrease at a rapid rate; hence, they should not be stored for long before being recycled back into the loop.   

Electronics also have their specified lifespans. Furthermore, when they are poorly stored, they can easily rust, and batteries can quickly spoil and reduce the resale value.

Considering standardisation measures

The standardisation of raw materials and procedures can minimise manufacturing and procurement expenses. When disassembling electronic components, applying the principles of design for recycling will make the process more convenient and cost-effective.

Design for recycling can comprise standardised screws that allow disassembly into the various parts quickly. Another aspect to consider is to integrate standard components and plugs into the designs. If possible, mount the components consistently to ease manual disassembling for recycling.

Minimising the use of adhesives

Adhesives cause significant problems in the recycling process. They are mainly used to cover batteries, and they make parts hard to disassemble. Apart from the pain of component separation, they also increase the risk of thermal activities happening. Such issues discourage recycling efforts.

In outdated manufacturing standards, several materials are moulded together, minimising the chances of recuperating the substrates. However, this can be prevented by optimising the recycling of materials.

Considering product packaging

In design for recycling, the packaging is not an afterthought. While designing a green PCB is vital,reusable packaging is also recommended, such as airbags and plastics. The use of glue should be avoided; adhesives hinder the recycling of the packaging materials.

Following instructions

Some electronics consumers buy new gadgets because of the appeal of some features and later realize the new gadget has the same capacity as the one they replaced. This is often a result of not reading the instruction manuals. Providing resources to assist consumers in learning more about the devices they are using or developing easy interface designs will help consumers benefit maximally and improve their general satisfaction. Accessible repair procedures and equipment designs can further streamline the repair process.

Conclusion

While the points discussed above are not exhaustive, they offer sound practices for the design's success for the electronic recycling approach. Nevertheless, the ideal design policy is formulated with the highest capacity to explore "what if" alternatives. This will make electronic products easier and faster to disconnect.

Linda Liu is the overseas marketing manager for MKTPCB, a leading China-based PCB manufacturer that offers high-quality PCB products and services.