X

E-waste outfit automates to ramp up (photos)

An electronics waste center in Ontario, Canada, uses a high level of automation to handle an expected higher rate of volume.

Martin LaMonica
Martin LaMonica is a senior writer covering green tech and cutting-edge technologies. He joined CNET in 2002 to cover enterprise IT and Web development and was previously executive editor of IT publication InfoWorld.
Martin LaMonica
RCD_3212_copper_bearing_output(Large)_1.JPG
1 of 5 Sims Recycling Solutions

shredded e-waste

From a pile of electronic waste, a Sims Recycling Solutions center in Ontario, Canada, is able to separate glass, metals, and plastics from a single stream of TVs, PCs, mobile phones, and CRT displays. The center uses a series of specialized machines to shred and then separate using optical scanners, X-rays, magnets, and eddy currents. This pile here is material which contains copper, a valuable commodity. The following photos are from an existing e-waste facility in Ontario which handles a subset of the materials that a new center in Mississauga will treat.

ROD_2687_step1_shredding_CRT_devices_1.jpg
2 of 5 Sims Recycling Solutions

CRT shredding

For single-stream recycling of mixed electronic waste, material is sorted by machines which are overseen by quality assurance people. This photos shows CRT monitors going up one of many belts for shredding.

ROD_2628_(Large).JPG
3 of 5 Sims Recycling Solutions

Plastics

Steel and iron are sorted out by magnets and an eddy current machine which separates non-ferrous metals. An optical scanner can tell whether something is transparent to sort out glass. Plastics, seen here, are directed to another belt where they are collected and sold as raw material.

shredded_spearated_plastics_from_tvs,_crts_monitors_1.JPG
4 of 5 Sims Recycling Solutions

CRT separated from plastic

The newly opened Sims center can separate glass with lead from plain glass using an X-ray. The company invested in the automated system in anticipation of higher rates of e-waste recycling due to mandates in Canada.

recyclevid3_1.JPG
5 of 5 Screen capture by Martin LaMonica/CNET

Control room

The view from the control room in one of Sims' e-waste recycling centers. Machines first shred, then sort materials as they flow along a series of belts. Dust from the shredding is captured and recycled too, allowing all material to be recycled and sold.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos