All plastics are sent to an audited ABS recycler who down cycles the raw material to manufacture items such as vineyard stakes, fence posts, plastic sleepers, etc.
Scrap metals are sent to an audited recycler. They are placed through a shredder before magnetic systems separate ferrous from non-ferrous materials. The resulting product is used in the manufacture of new steel and other metal products.
Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) glass, used in computer monitors and televisions, are a major issue because they incorporate many hazardous materials. Lead is the most prevalent toxic material in CRT glass; it is poisonous to the nervous system and can remain in the human body for years. Tubes in a large CRT monitor can contain up to 4 kg of lead as well as other toxic metals such as phosphor and barium. To obtain the highest environmental outcome it is necessary to send the glass to a certified CRT Recycler where it will be processed to specification before being used in the manufacture of new CRT monitors and televisions.
Mercury is commonly found within many e-waste items. Highly toxic, even in small amounts, it has been known to cause damage to the lungs, kidneys, brain, nervous and reproductive systems. Given the opportunity to leach into water and soil, it is able to be ingested by aquatic creatures and then through the food chain into our diet. To avoid these consequences, we remove mercury containing devices such as tubes and lamps and forward these to an EPA approved mercury recycling plant. Here they use technology that captures the mercury for use in dental amalgams, separates the glass for use as glass wool in home insulation and takes out the phosphor powder for use in fertilizer products.
Circuit boards are sent to audited companies. Here they can be processed in specialised smelters to recover non renewable resources such as copper, gold, silver, palladium and other precious metals.
Hard drives, in whole and shredded form, are sent to an aluminium foundry for processing into aluminium ingots. The majority of aluminium ingots are used within the automotive industry.
Toner and Ink cartridges are packaged in a sealed box and returned to industry recyclers. Some will be remanufactured into new cartridges, and the remainder that can't be remanufactured will be separated into plastic and metal and returned to the recycle chain as raw materials.
For copyright and security reasons these products are shredded before being sent to plastic and metal recyclers.
