Making e-waste plastic reuse greener

Electronics is one of the largest contributors to plastic waste. Plastics from electronic waste (e-waste) pose an environmental hazard if not disposed of properly as they often contain toxic chemical additives.

One such contaminant is brominated flame retardants (BFRs) that make e-waste plastics fire-proof. These compounds leach out of the plastic into the environment when e-waste plastics are discarded. Heating the plastic during recycling also releases the toxic compounds.

Now, NTU scientists led by Assoc Prof Lee Jong-Min of NTU’s School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology have come up with a way to make e-waste plastic recycling safer. Using a mixture of 1-propanol and heptane, they dissolved and removed BFRs from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene – a type of plastic commonly used in the casings of keyboards and laptops.