The investigation of the effect of moisture on the release and enrichment of heavy metals during pyrolysis of municipal solid waste is essential. This is important owing to: (i) the increasing amount of metals in the solid product of pyrolysis beyond the normalised level; (ii) the effect of moisture on the overall cost of pyrolysis process; and (iii) the utilisation of pyrolysis products.

With increasing consumption of electrical and electronic products worldwide, the generation of electronic waste (e-waste) is growing rapidly, both in developed and developing countries. It is reported that in 2012 the generated amount in the U.S. was about 9.4 million tons and in China 7.3 million tons, just next to the U.S.

The debate about recycling of electronic waste usually focuses on information and communication technology (IT) and the recovery of critical raw materials (here critical metals) as a key issue.

Electrical and electronic equipment is a source of scarce metals such as indium, gallium and rare earth elements. Recycling is one of the most important strategies to ensure the continued supply of such elements.

Through the application of high-functional and strategically important metals, waste electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) has been discussed recently as a secondary “ore”. Potential future supply risks of these specifi c materials lead to the necessity of a specialized recycling of electronic goods.

1,730,794t of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) were brought on the German market in 2010. 722,567t of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) were collected from private households but only about 1.1% of those were reused.

Recovery and recycling of metals from residues is important for protecting our natural resources. Therefore we identified approaches for the utilization of residues of the German steel industry to improve resource efficiency. The study focuses on the residues blast furnace sludge, basic oxygen furnace dust/sludge and electric arc furnace (EAF) dust. The objective of the study was to find further, more efficient connections between process chains.

Worldwide many sites are presently influenced by mining and processing activities. The huge amounts of moved and treated materials have led to considerable flows of wastes and emissions. Alongside the many advantages of processed ores to our society, adverse effects in nature and risks for the environment and human health are observed.

Material Flow Analysis (MFA) is a central tool of resources management. Although data can be considered a crucial resource for resource management, there is no common understanding on what MFA data is, how it contributes to MFA results, and how it can be discussed and communicated. This study contributes to this issue by proposing a terminology for information in Material Flow Analysis, and indicating further research steps towards consistent data base analysis and data quality assessment. The approaches of this study are illustrated by examples of two nation-wide MFA case studies on metals and phosphorus. The findings can, among others, contribute to increased MFA system understanding, database communication and data quality assessment.

In this study the material flows of an iron production site are investigated. The plant utilizes waste plastics in addition to coke as reducing agent. Advantages and challenges for the application of material flow accounting on a company level are described, particularly with respect to data uncertainties from substance concentration measurements and error propagation.

The study by the bifa environmental institute describes a future-orientated view of the ecological and economic effects of photovoltaic (PV) systems along their whole life cycle.

Slag from Waste Incineration and bottom ash from fluidized-bed incineration of residual municipal solid waste contain relevant quantities of recyclable materials: glass, metals, stones. While recyclable parts of wet settled slag from grid incineration are contaminated with adherences, bottom particles of dry settled bottom ash from fluidized bed incineration are free of adherences.

Consumer electronics have become an integral part of daily life and revolutionized the way we communicate, retrieve information, and entertain ourselves. Between cell phones, computers, televisions, iPads, and e-Readers, it is estimated that the average person in the United States (U.S.) uses 24 electronic products (CEA, 2008).

Our economy increasingly depends on metals and minerals, which are present on earth in only low concentration. Waste electronic equipment contains strategically relevant metals and minerals and is therefore an important source for recovery of secondary raw material.

For the processing of metals and their oxides there is always the problem of residual materials like dusts or sludges. Because of that, environmental concerns become more and more important to the government and to companies. Due to changes in environmental laws, the disposal of process residues becomes more challenging and more expensive. This is the reason why inertisation of hazardous materials and the fabrication of saleable products get more interesting for the metal industry.

Electrical and electronic appliances are a fast growing product Group with high diversification. The products contain recyclable material as metals, Plastics and rare earths, but also materials, inter alia in hte glass of Picture tubes, fridges, LCD-Screens and Computer boards. Their proper disposal, especially in the non-OECD countries, is a particular challenge for the Environment and health protection.¹ The european Community has therefore put in place the Directive 2002/96/EG for electrical and electronic waste Equipment (WEEE-Directive) on 13th February 2003.²