The French WEEE recycling industry: from waste collection to metal production

Our societies are generating ever-increasing masses of waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE): according to the United Nations, more than 44 million tonnes of such waste were generated worldwide in 2017. Metals account for a large proportion of this waste, both in volume and economic value (UNEP, 2013). Existing processing facilities recycle WEEE to recover valuable metals, such as copper, silver and gold, while the remaining metals are often lost.

In the context of securing raw materials, optimising the recycling of WEEE to obtain more and better metals is becoming commonplace. In order to meet these new challenges, the sector must be organised and strengthened by developing WEEE extraction, conversion, recovery and recycling.

Visit to BRGM's Plat'Inn platform in Orléans

This technology day will be an opportunity to take stock of the French WEEE recycling sector, to discuss the difficulties encountered in processing WEEE and to present the problems encountered in reincorporating such waste into sectors of industry and applications. Participants will visit the BRGM experimental facilities on the Plat'Inn platform. This technological platform in Orléans focuses on the processing of mineral resources and the recycling of waste that can become a source of raw material. The platform provides a link between laboratory research and industrial-scale production and has a variable processing capacity, from a few dozen kilogrammes to several tonnes.

The interactive visit to the platform will focus on BRGM research projects on processing WEEE (electronic circuit boards, permanent magnets, LEDs) and the related flows and stocks.

Practical information

Places are limited and reservation is required

Registration deadline: Thursday 5 May 2022.

You must have an identity document to enter the site.

The current health rules will apply.