In Germany, used electronic goods create 1.1 million tonnes of rubbish per year (according to ZVEI). 210 000 tonnes of this rubbish consists of plastics (KI). For recycling companies, these quantities hold considerable potential.

Since the Electronic Equipment Law (ElektroG) came into effect in July 2006, the need to qualify electronic waste or electronic devices has risen, as has the need to identify plastics. More stringent controls will come into force in 2008 with the so-called "China-RoHS" ("Management Methods for Controlling Pollution Caused by Electronic Information Products - Regulation"). This regulation will require proof or a certificate for the import of all materials and products. It will therefore become essential to qualify products in time or test their RoHS compliance.

Services provided by the Fraunhofer ICT

Metal analysis and testing of RoHS compliance

Beside metal analysis, the Fraunhofer ICT tests RoHS-conformity. For a quantitative analysis of the elements or heavy metals present in electronic waste, the samples must be comminuted, homogenised and broken down. One possibility for breaking down electronic waste samples is the application of a microwave pressure device. After successful breakdown a quantitative measurement of the target elements is carried out using ICP-OES.

ICP-OES spectrometer (iCAP 6300 Thermo)

• Simultaneously functioning spectrometers with radial plasma configurations
• Simultaneous measurement of all elements including their background levels at all wave lengths
• RoHS analysis is mostly covered by ICP-OES

Plastic identification and testing for:

• Polybrominated biphenyls PBB (<0.1 % mass in homogeneous material; mono - decabrominated biphenyls)
• Polybrominated diphenylether PBDE (<0.1 % mass in homogenous material; exception: decabrominated diphenylether DecaBDE)

is carried out using ATR-FTIR or Raman spectroscopy

Electronic waste shredded in a cutting mill (left) and electronic waste pulverised using a cutting mill and an ultra-centrifugal mill (mills from the company Retsch)