E-waste recycling equipment helps recover metals, printed circuit boards (PCBs) and plastics from complex electronic scrap streams. In an e-waste recycling facility, combining mechanical processes with sorting technologies makes it possible to separate these fractions and improve the purity of recovered materials.
E-waste recycling involves the collection, dismantling and treatment of electronic waste, with the ultimate aim of reducing its environmental impact while recovering significant quantities of valuable metals. Moving beyond traditional electronic waste recycling methods is essential to efficiently separate materials from electronic equipment at the end of its useful life. Conventional processes can limit the effective recovery of certain valuable materials found in electronic assemblies.
In addition to separating materials such as plastics and rubber, modern electronic waste recycling processes enable the recovery of different metal fractions and other materials found in electronic equipment. These include copper, aluminium and certain precious metals, which can be directed towards subsequent recovery and processing stages. This allows valuable resources to be recovered from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) while reducing the amount of material that ends up as waste.
On an industrial scale, one of the main challenges of electronic scrap recycling is the heterogeneity and complexity of the materials found in waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
The aim of the process is to separate WEEE into different material fractions to facilitate their recovery and further processing. To achieve this, a recycling facility can combine different stages of mechanical treatment with separation and sorting technologies.
E-waste collection is the first step in the recycling process. WEEE is subsequently transported to treatment facilities, where initial pre-sorting or separation takes place before mechanical processing begins.
This pre-sorting stage allows different types of waste to be separated and prepares the materials for subsequent processes, such as dismantling, shredding and sorting.
Following pre-sorting and, where necessary, dismantling, electronic waste can undergo shredding and size reduction processes. The aim is to liberate the different materials contained in electronic equipment and components.
By mechanically breaking down and separating casings, cables, circuit boards and other components, metals, plastics and other fractions become available for subsequent separation and sorting stages.
Once the materials have been liberated, sorting technologies can automatically identify and separate different fractions according to their characteristics. This stage is essential for recovering valuable materials and obtaining higher-purity fractions.
In an industrial recycling facility, different mechanical and sensor-based separation technologies can be combined. Eldan Sorting’s solutions use technologies such as RGB cameras, artificial intelligence, inductive sensors and near-infrared (NIR) technology to identify different materials and direct them into the appropriate fractions.
Valuable materials recovered through e-waste recycling account for a significant proportion of the economic value generated by industrial recycling. These include strategic metals, precious metals and engineering plastics that can be recovered and reintroduced into different production chains.
Gold, which reached its annual peak price in March 2026 (€141.46/g) and recorded a year-on-year change of –19.76% by July, is used in contacts and microcomponents due to its conductivity and resistance to corrosion.
Copper is found in cables, coils, motors and circuit boards. By July, it had shown an upward price trend in Europe, with prices ranging from €11.5 to €12.2/kg, driven by low inventories, strong industrial demand and supply pressures in the mining sector.
Aluminium, a lightweight metal used in applications such as casings, heat sinks and structural components, is priced between US$3,220 and US$3,260 per tonne in the United States, with European equivalents of approximately €2.80/kg. In addition to its use in electrical and electronic equipment, it is widely used in sectors such as transport, construction, packaging and industrial machinery manufacturing.
Silver, used in contacts, solder joints and circuits, had an international market price of around US$59 per ounce in August. Palladium, priced between €1,108 and €1,176 per troy ounce, can be found in certain electronic components. Other platinum group metals are also used in electronics and specialised components.
Tin is commonly used in solder joints in electronic products, while lead can be found in certain types of batteries, among other applications. Rare earth elements, such as neodymium, dysprosium and praseodymium, are used in applications including permanent magnets found in certain motors and devices.
Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are another particularly valuable fraction, as they contain various metals and valuable components. Identifying and separating this fraction allows it to be directed towards specific downstream recovery processes.
Electronic waste also contains different engineering plastics, such as ABS, PC and PP, as well as other polymer blends. Depending on their composition and the characteristics of the waste stream, these materials can be identified and separated using suitable sorting technologies.
WEEE therefore represents an important source of secondary raw materials. Recovering these materials helps keep valuable resources in circulation, reduce dependence on virgin raw materials and support the transition towards a circular economy.
Each electronic waste stream presents different sorting challenges due to the variety of materials, particle sizes and compositions it may contain. From an industrial perspective, these challenges are concentrated in four key areas: equipment, processes, purity and value recovery.
Among the different e-waste sorting solutions, Eldan Sorting offers sensor-based equipment designed to handle different particle sizes and material streams. The choice of system depends on several factors, including material size, stream composition, and sorting and purity requirements.
Designed for demanding sorting applications where material losses must be minimised, the ELDAN SPS (Small Purpose Sorter) is equipped with high-resolution RGB cameras, NIR technology and a conveyor belt feeding system, enabling high sorting performance and greater process stability.
It features a flexible user interface, colour-based sorting capabilities and the option to reprocess material within the system until the desired product purity is achieved. Additional features include advanced LED lighting with a high colour rendering index (CRI90), VPN connectivity and secure remote access for monitoring, adjustment and maintenance. The ELDAN SPS therefore provides a compact and efficient solution for sorting specialised components and materials found in electronic waste streams.
This optical sorting system, the ELDAN MPS (Multi Purpose Sorter), is designed for the automatic sorting and separation of a wide range of materials in larger, complex recycling streams, including waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Depending on the selected configuration, the ELDAN MPS can integrate various identification and sorting technologies, such as visible spectrum (VIS) colour analysis, electromagnetic induction (EM) sensors, artificial intelligence and optional near-infrared (NIR) technology. Certain MPS configurations can also incorporate mid-wave infrared (MWIR) technology for specific sorting applications.
Thanks to the flexibility of its multispectral vision system, the MPS multi purpose sorter can be configured to adapt quickly to new sorting requirements and emerging material streams. MPS models are designed to operate with acceleration conveyor belts ranging from 1,000 mm to 3,000 mm in width and can be equipped with different separation configurations, including dual-bar and multi-way systems, depending on operational requirements.
When equipped with NIR technology, the ELDAN MPS can generate a chemical fingerprint of polymers using near-infrared light. This technology measures the wavelength and intensity of near-infrared light absorption, enabling different types of polymers to be identified through a fast, accurate and non-destructive process.
The absorption or reflectance spectrum is directly related to the chemical composition of the material. NIR technology is therefore particularly effective for material identification in automated sorting applications.
When configured with electromagnetic induction sensors, the ELDAN MPS can detect and separate mixed materials and metals. The sensor generates a magnetic field whose response varies according to the material’s composition, enabling accurate identification and separation. The ELDAN MPS can also combine artificial intelligence and machine vision technologies to identify materials based on their shape, appearance and colour. This combination provides enhanced analytical capabilities for demanding recycling applications.
ELDAN Sorting offers optical sorting equipment based on sensor technology, machine vision and artificial intelligence. Want to see how our solutions perform with your own materials? Visit our Test Centre to test your material first-hand and discover how our sorting technologies can meet your recycling needs.
