Measuring the recyclability of e-waste: an innovative method and its implications

The viability of closed-loop recycling of electronics can sustain the future development of the flourishing electronics industry. Identification for the recyclability of e-waste (or WEEE) plays an enhanced role in process designing and policy making. However, precise measurements of recyclability, subjected to resource reclamation and environmental protection analysis, have not yet been well recognized. This study defines the rules of grade determination for various materials in any given WEEE, then combines these rules with the Statistical Entropy function, to develop an innovative model to measure the recyclability, emphasizing the product design stage, in order to significantly promote qualitative to quantitative eco-design. Using this model, not only e-waste recycling can be partitioned into three levels of difficulty, but also the measurement method can be employed to divide the responsibility for electronics recycling between producer and recycler.

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