There are sophisticated machines that use optical readers and magnets to sort electronic waste for later recycling. But Metech focuses on manual "demanufacturing" to get a cleaner stream and higher prices for its commodities. It can be a transient business, with some workers not staying very long, but it's steady work and some employees have been there for many years, according to Metech's Andrew McManus.
'Demanufacturing' e-waste for profit (photos)
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Sounds fine, but one question ....
When a company does this, is it really a case of the valuable materials they recover (such as gold circuit traces recovered from the circuit boards and CPUs) adding up to enough resale value to make the whole thing worth doing? (EG. 95% or more of the material is just waste they're forced to recycle at no real profit, or even at a financial loss, just so they can legally be allowed to mine the "good stuff" out for the real profits?)
Whether or not it works this way, I guess it's basically a "win, win" scenario for everyone, since it gets waste electronics out of landfills. But if we reach a point where newer electronic devices are constructed without the need for the precious metals in them, what then? Do these places just shut their doors and stop recycling?
Whether or not it works this way, I guess it's basically a "win, win" scenario for everyone, since it gets waste electronics out of landfills. But if we reach a point where newer electronic devices are constructed without the need for the precious metals in them, what then? Do these places just shut their doors and stop recycling?
Posted by kingtj
16th May 2011