Next Article in Journal
Stability Improvement of Solution-Processed Metal Oxide Thin-Film Transistors Using Fluorine-Doped Zirconium Oxide Dielectric
Previous Article in Journal
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of TiB2/TiC Particle Modified Al-Mg-Si Alloys Fabricated by Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing
Previous Article in Special Issue
Monitoring Antioxidant Consumption and Build-Up in Polypropylene During Open-Loop and Closed-Loop Mechanical Recycling
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Materials
Volume 18
Issue 9
10.3390/ma18091979
materials-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Recyclability of Plastics from Waste Mobile Phones According to European Union Regulations REACH and RoHS

by
Martina Bruno
and
Silvia Fiore
*
Department of Environment, Land, and Infrastructure Engineering (DIATI), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Materials 2025, 18(9), 1979; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18091979
Submission received: 17 March 2025 / Revised: 18 April 2025 / Accepted: 25 April 2025 / Published: 27 April 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recycling and Degradation of Polymeric Materials: Exploring Different Perspectives in Plastic Waste Management)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

:
Small waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) such as waste mobile phones are rich in plastic components. Recycling mobile phones is particularly challenging, since the main interest for recyclers is printed circuit boards, rich in valuable metals, while the plastic components are usually destined for thermal recovery. This study is dedicated to the assessment of the recyclability potential of the plastic fractions of end-of-life (EoL) mobile phones according to the European Union’s (EU) Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) directives. A total of 275 plastic items (inventoried as casings, frames, and screens) were dismantled from 100 EoL mobile phones and analyzed to identify the type and abundance of polymers via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and the presence of hazardous elements such as Br, Cl, Pb, and Cd via X-ray fluorescence (XRF). Polycarbonate (PC) (57% of samples) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) (27% of the items) were identified as the most common prevalent polymers. In total, 67% of the items contained Cl (0.84–40,700 mg/kg), and 26% contained Br (0.08–2020 mg/kg). Hg was detected only in one item (17 mg/kg). Cr was found in 17% of the items, with concentrations between 0.37 mg/kg and 915 mg/kg, while Pb was found in 15% of the items in low concentrations (1–90 mg/kg). In conclusion, while hazardous elements are present in the plastic fractions of EoL mobile phones (with higher values in smartphones), their concentrations were below the regulatory limits, suggesting compliance with recycling regulations in the EU.

1. Introduction

Waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is one of the fastest-growing waste streams worldwide. In 2022, a total of 62 million metric tons (Mt) of WEEE were generated, and the generation rate is expected to exceed 82 Mt/year by 2030 [1]. Regulations targeting WEEE management and recycling are in force in numerous countries in the world, yet most WEEE is improperly managed, with 82.6% classified as “non-documented recycling” and often associated with illegal dumping or improper handling [2]. WEEE recycling is fundamental to reducing environmental pollution, avoiding exposure to hazardous materials due to improper waste management [3], and promoting material circularity by decreasing reliance on mining for the manufacturing of electric and electronic equipment [4].
However, WEEE recycling faces technical and economic challenges. The complex composition of WEEE, which includes metals, plastics, and hazardous substances, complicates recycling processes [5]. Additionally, economic constraints pose a barrier, as the high costs of recycling often lead to a focus on recovering only the most valuable materials, such as printed circuit boards (PCBs) and electronic components, while less profitable materials, such as plastics, are frequently overlooked [5,6]. Despite accounting for 20–30%wt. of WEEE [7], plastic components are often disregarded due to their lower economic value compared to PCBs, even though they significantly contribute to the total volume of waste requiring disposal.
WEEE plastics are made of polymers such as polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS), high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), polyamides (PA), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyesters, which hold significant potential for recycling or energy recovery [8]. WEEE plastics also contain harmful substances that hinder the recycling process [9]. Conventional recycling of WEEE plastics involves either mechanical, chemical, or thermal processes. Mechanical processes require sorting, shredding, and reprocessing polymers into recycled polymers [8,10,11]. Chemical recycling includes the extraction of hazardous additives such as brominated flame retardants (BFRs) [10,12,13] or pyrolysis and gasification or hydrolysis to break down polymers into their chemical components, which could then be supplied to polymers remanufacturers [10,11]. Thermal processes, instead, involve the incineration of waste plastic for energy recovery [10,11]. These are commonly applied to handle contaminated plastics, and specific treatment of the flue gas is needed to address the release of hazardous pollutants.
Moreover, in the European Union (EU), recycling of WEEE plastics is challenged by the presence of substances regulated by the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive [14], such as Pb, Cd, Hg, Cr (VI), polybrominated biphenyls (PBB), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), or listed on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation [15]. These substances pose significant environmental and health risks [16], and their removal is essential for safe recycling practices [17]. The limitations on hazardous contaminants in WEEE plastics, as set by regulations such as the RoHS and REACH directives, are crucial for safeguarding human health and preventing pollution [18]. However, while these limitations are necessary for health and environmental protection, they can inadvertently hinder recycling efforts [8,10]. By restricting the presence of certain substances, the recyclability of plastic waste is reduced, and this may limit the overall material recovery [19,20]. Therefore, it is essential to assess and identify the recyclability potential of WEEE plastics to improve the circularity of this sector.
Previous studies have already discussed how the presence of concerning flame retardants, particularly based on Br and Sb, affects the recyclability potential of plastic components from mixed WEEE [21,22,23,24] or from specific waste streams, such as household appliances [25,26,27] or monitors and television screens [26,27]. A recent study suggests that Br concentrations in mixed WEEE are generally below the regulatory limits [22]. Another study found that 18 samples out of the 149 analyzed exceeded these limits, highlighting variability in contamination levels [28]. Overall, a significant variability in Br content was reported in the literature that is also related to specific WEEE categories. Studies on the plastic fractions of televisions and PC monitors and office appliances [26] have consistently found Br concentrations below regulatory thresholds [29,30]. Internet routers have been identified as containing Br levels above the regulatory limits [31], while large household appliances have been found to exceed Sb limits [32]. Eventually, Br concentrations in waste mobile phones generally remain below regulatory limits [33].
Despite approximately 400 M EoL mobile phones being generated globally each year [1] and plastic components accounting for approximately 40%wt. [34], their recyclability potential remains largely underexplored. Previous studies on the recyclability potential of mobile phones’ plastic components primarily focused on polymer characterization [35] and on the quantification of bromine content [33], often overlooking other potentially harmful substances. One study addressed additional elements but analyzed only a limited number of samples [36], underscoring the need for a more comprehensive evaluation of mobile phone plastics. To the best of our knowledge, a study dedicated to the detection of multiple hazardous elements in the plastic components of a statistically significant sample of waste mobile phones has not been published yet. This study aims at contributing to filling this knowledge gap, with the goal of assessing the recyclability potential of the plastic fraction of waste mobile phones according to the hazardous substances and limits defined by the EU regulations REACH and RoHS. In total, 275 plastic items were manually dismantled from 100 EoL mobile phones, inventoried as casings, frames, and screens, and analyzed to identify the type and abundance of polymers via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and the presence of hazardous elements such as Br, Cl, Pb, and Cd via X-ray fluorescence (XRF).

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Origin of the Samples

A sample of 100 EoL mobile phones was provided by a WEEE treatment plant in Turin, Italy. The size of the sample set corresponds to the facility’s weekly intake of EoL mobile phones, and the proportion between the number of feature phones (73) and smartphones (27) corresponds to the typical feed composition. The inventory (brand, model, production year) and mass balance (plastic components, metal components, printed circuit boards, and electronic components) of the EoL mobile phones were discussed in a previous study [34].

2.2. Recyclability Assessment

The plastic components of the 100 EoL mobile phones were manually separated into single items and then visually analyzed and classified into casings, frames, and screens. The following definitions were applied to identify each item: “casing” refers to the plastic outer shells of the phones, “frame” is the structural internal part, and “screen” is the panel covering the display. Each item was weighed using a KERN PLJ 4200-2F technical balance(Kern & Sohn GmbH, Balingen, Germany).
The material composition and the presence of hazardous substances were analyzed through a Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer (Nicolet™ Summit™ X model from Thermo Scientific™, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA) equipped with an Everest Diamond attenuated total reflectance (ATR) accessory and through a direct excitation energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometer (NEX-DE, Rigaku, Tokyo, Japan vs. model from Rigaku, Rigaku, Tokyo, Japan), equipped with a 60 kV X-ray tube. Casings, frames, and screens were directly placed above the XRF and FTIR sampling windows. FTIR characterization was employed to identify and quantify the primary polymer in the items. Based on XRF results, the weighted average concentration of hazardous elements was calculated by considering both the mass and the concentration of the element in each item within the three categories casings, frames, and screens. For each cell phone type (smartphone or feature phone), the concentrations were weighted according to the mass of each item, and the overall weighted average concentration for the entire sample set was then derived by aggregating the results across all items, categories, and cell phone types. The recyclability potential was assessed by comparison with the concentration thresholds set for flame-retardant additives (Br, Cl, Sb) and potentially toxic elements (PTEs) (Cd, Cd, Hg and Pb) listed in Table 1.
The procedure followed in this study for sample characterization and recyclability assessment is presented by the flowchart in Figure 1.

3. Results

3.1. Sample Inventory

The inventory of plastic components from 100 EoL cell phones comprised 275 items, including 73 casings, 73 frames, and 73 screens from EoL feature phones; and 20 casings, 21 frames, and 15 screens from EoL smartphones. Representative examples of the analyzed components are provided in Appendix A, Figure A1. While all the plastic components of the 73 EoL feature phones were collected and inventoried, some plastic components were missing—and therefore excluded from the inventory—from the 27 EoL smartphones (seven casing and six frames), or they were made of nonplastic materials (12 screens identified as glass). This can be ascribed to the smartphones’ design, which makes them more susceptible to damage and loss of parts compared to feature phones.
In both feature phones and smartphones, frames constituted the primary source of plastic, as they are typically large and predominantly composed of plastic materials. Conversely, the plastic contribution from smartphones’ screens was significantly lower, as a substantial share of these was glass-based. Additionally, smartphones’ casings were frequently absent or incomplete due to their multi-component structure, where the outermost layer is commonly removed to facilitate battery removal. Overall, the samples’ set amounted to 3.37 kg of plastic, including 2.58 kg of plastics from feature phones and 0.79 kg from smartphones (Table 2). The manual dismantling and sorting into three categories caused a material loss of 3%wt. compared with the 3.49 kg of the plastic fraction quantified in a previous study [34].

3.2. Characterization of the Polymers

The composition of the plastic components was described by identifying and quantifying the polymers composing the items inventoried (Figure 2). Polycarbonate (PC) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) were identified as the most prevalent polymers, with PC accounting for 57% of the items and PMMA for 27% (see Appendix A, Figure A2, Figure A3 and Figure A4). The identification was supported by characteristic FTIR spectra according to the literature: for PC, the spectrum exhibited distinctive peaks at 2967 cm−1 corresponding to C–H stretching, 1770 cm−1 for C=O stretching, 1504 cm−1 for C=C stretching, and at 1189 and 1161 cm−1 for C–O stretching [39,40]. In contrast, PMMA showed characteristic peaks at 2948 cm−1 for C–H stretching [41], 1721 cm−1 for C=O stretching [42], 1434 cm−1 for C–H bending, and 1143 cm−1 for the C–O ether bond stretching [43]. A similar trend was observed across the device types. In feature phones, plastic components were primarily made of PC (56%) and PMMA (30%), while in smartphones, PC was more common (59%), with a lower presence of PMMA (15%). The remaining polymeric components were clustered as “other polymers”, including acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS)/PC blend, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene, and poly diallyl phthalate in feature phones. In smartphones, additional polymers such as polyamide and polyethylene-methyl isophthalate were identified in casings and frames from feature phones and in frames from smartphones.

3.3. Flame Retardant Additives and Potentially Toxic Elements

The detected concentrations of hazardous substances, including flame retardant additives (Br and Cl) and potentially toxic elements (PTEs) (Pb, Cr, and Hg) considered by REACH and RoHS regulations are in Figure 3 and in Appendix A, Table A1. Notably, Sb and Cd were not detected in any item. Indeed, according to the literature, the Sb content was lower in waste mobile phones than in any other WEEE category [44]. Hg was found only in one item (the frame of a feature phone), with a concentration of 0.0017 mg/kg. Cl and Br were the most prominent elements detected, respectively, in 67% of the items, with concentrations between 0.84 mg/kg and 2020 mg/kg and 26% of the items with concentrations ranging between 0.84 mg/kg and 40,700 mg/kg. These findings align with results reported in other studies, where PTEs were found in low concentrations, e.g., between 5 and 340 mg/kg of Pb and 4.6 and 1005 mg/kg for Cd [45], while Br was found in 42% of the samples with concentration ranging between 1.8 and 171,000 mg/kg [46].
The distribution of the concentration of flame retardants (Br, Cl) and PTEs (Pb, Cr) in the casings, frames, and screens of feature phones and smartphones and in the identified polymers is shown in Figure 4. A significant variation among the concentrations of these elements was observed, consistently with the literature [28], with distinct differences observed between cell phone types and polymers used. This disparity may be attributed to the differences in manufacturing standards, material composition, and performance requirements of feature phones and smartphones.
In feature phones, Br concentrations are low across all components, with the highest value in the casings (65.53 ± 7.55 mg/kg). In contrast, smartphones exhibit the highest concentration of bromine in the frames (27.76 ± 8.19 mg/kg). This suggests a more extensive use of bromine-based flame retardants in smartphone screens, which necessitate enhanced fire safety standards [47], whereas Cl concentrations were higher compared to Br (5504.63 ± 1772.64 mg/kg in feature phones’ casings and 5253.65 ± 582.21 mg/kg in smartphones’ casings). These results indicate the presence of Cl-based additives [47], which are used to enhance structural integrity [48] and improve safety.
Feature phones and smartphones’ plastic screens did not contain Pb. The higher concentration of Pb found in feature phones’ casings (4.52 ± 1.28 mg/kg) and smartphones’ frames (4.8 ± 0.32 mg/kg) could be attributed to the increased complexity and performance of modern devices, which may require materials with a more substantial Pb content to meet the required specifications [45]. Cr concentrations were generally low across both device types (256.09 ± 5.94 mg/kg in feature phones’ casings and 143.22 ± 38.27 mg/kg in smartphones’ screens).

3.4. Statistical Analysis

Descriptive statistics, including the number of observations, minimum and maximum values, quartiles, mean, variance, and standard deviation, of the relevant data have been calculated for the entire dataset as well as for relevant subcategories, including samples category (feature phones and smartphones), components (casing, frame, and screen), and polymer fractions (PC, PMMA, and other polymers) (see Appendix A, Table A2, Table A3, Table A4, Table A5, Table A6, Table A7, Table A8, Table A9 and Table A10).
Moreover, Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated to evaluate potential relationships between the concentrations of flame retardants and potentially toxic elements in the plastic components of feature phones and smartphones, as well as to investigate possible trends associated with the manufacturing year [34] (see Table 3).
Overall, the analysis revealed low correlation values across all variables, indicating the absence of strong linear associations among the considered factors. The correlation between the year of manufacture and elemental content was consistently weak. The most notable result was a negative correlation of −19% between Br content and the manufacturing year, suggesting a slight decrease in the use of brominated compounds over time. This trend may be attributed to evolving regulatory frameworks such as the RoHS Directive, shifts in manufacturing practices, or increasing reliance on alternative flame-retardant technologies. For other elements (Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, and Hg) the correlation coefficients with the year of manufacturing were minimal, ranging from −2% to +9%. These negligible values suggest that their presence in plastic components has remained relatively stable over the years or has varied in a non-systematic manner that is not relevant for linear correlation.
Similarly, the inter-element correlations were very low, indicating that the presence and concentration of each element do not predict those of the other ones. The highest observed correlation was between Sb and Pb (16%), which may point to occasional co-use in specific plastic formulations, potentially for synergistic flame-retardant properties or as residuals from manufacturing processes. Notably, Cl content was entirely uncorrelated with both Pb and Cr (0%), suggesting that these additives serve unrelated functions within the plastic components. All other correlations fell within the range of −5% and +5%, reinforcing the interpretation that different additives are incorporated independently and likely fulfill specific purposes that do not systematically overlap.
These findings have several implications. The lack of significant correlation among element concentrations indicates a highly heterogeneous composition of plastic components in mobile phones. This heterogeneity may result from diverse sourcing of polymers, varied design specifications, and differing degrees of regulatory compliance across manufacturers and time periods. Furthermore, the weak correlation with year of manufacture, particularly for Br, may nonetheless provide a tentative indication of progressive substitution of certain legacy additives, although broader datasets and further temporal analysis would be needed to confirm this trend.

4. Discussion

The characterization of the inventoried items identified PC and PMMA as the most prevalent polymers; both are thermoplastic materials generally more suitable for recycling compared to thermosetting plastics [49]. However, mixed polymers were also detected in the same items; therefore, a separation of the plastic components into distinct categories by sorting casings, frames, and screens could support recycling operations. Consequently, the use of advanced sorting technologies, such as FTIR [33,35] or hyperspectral imaging [50], is recommended. While FTIR spectroscopy was employed in this study to identify the polymers in plastic components, its applicability extends beyond laboratory-scale characterization. Indeed, in full-scale recycling facilities, FTIR holds considerable potential when integrated with automated sorting systems, due to its non-destructive nature, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness which make it particularly suitable for enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of polymer identification and separation in WEEE plastic streams [51]. FTIR offers a cost-effective solution both for identifying polymer types [12] and detecting harmful additives, such as brominated flame retardants (BFRs) [52,53], which are commonly found in WEEE plastics.
These results highlight the significant prevalence in the plastic components of EoL cell phones of PC and PMMA, as these materials offer exceptional performance in terms of mechanical strength and durability [33,54]. The greater presence of PC in smartphones (59%) compared to feature phones (56%) may suggest that PC’s properties, such as its toughness and resistance to impact, are increasingly valued in the more advanced, larger plastic components that are typical of smartphones, whereas the lower percentage of PMMA in smartphones (15%) compared to feature phones (30%) could indicate a shift towards alternative materials, such as borosilicate glass, to enhance the technical and aesthetic performance of the liquid crystal displays in smartphones [55]. Additionally, the presence of “other polymers” in both categories suggests the use of specific blends or polymers for functional requirements, such as the integration of ABS/PC blends or polyamide for enhanced strength and heat resistance in smartphone frames. Eventually, the diversity of polymers used in frames and casings points to a trend of material customization, driven by the increasing complexity of devices and the demand for enhanced design, durability, and performance.
Although none of the EU regulatory limits for hazardous substances were exceeded, the chlorine content in the samples may raise concerns. Cl reacts with recycling equipment, leading to corrosion, especially during processes like incineration and gasification, which can result in increased maintenance costs and reduced equipment lifespan [56]. Furthermore, the incineration of Cl-containing plastics generates harmful toxic substances, including dioxins and hydrochloric acid, which pose significant environmental and health risks [57]. These toxic emissions hinder the recycling process and require additional treatments to mitigate their impact. To address these challenges, various dechlorination methods have been developed. Techniques such as the melt process with coal tar and iron oxide, the low-temperature critical aqueous ammonia (LCA) process [58], and extraction to form solid Cl salts [59] have proven effective in removing chlorine from plastics, thereby improving recycling outcomes. These technologies not only enable more efficient recycling but also minimize the release of toxic substances, thereby enhancing material recovery. Overall, while Cl in e-waste plastics poses significant barriers to recycling, advancements in dechlorination methods and recycling technologies offer promising solutions for improving both the safety and efficiency of the recycling process [60].
Moreover, while the concentrations of Cl and Pb do not exhibit significant variation across different polymers and components, Br is notably more prevalent in feature phones than in smartphones. In both cell phone types, Pb was prevalent in the PC samples, specifically in the casings of feature phones and the frames of smartphones. A previous study instead identified a positive correlation between the content of Br and the presence of unidentified polymers [61].
Overall, the concentrations of hazardous substances across all components and sample sets were consistently below the established EU regulatory limits. Even in instances where specific samples may exceed the concentration limit for individual components, the weighted average concentrations for the entire sample set, including both feature phones and smartphones, as well as for each individual component, considering casings, frames, and screens, and polymer type, remained well within the prescribed thresholds. This indicates full compliance with the EU legislation regulating recycling standards at all levels, whether targeting individual polymers, specific components, or mixed samples, ensuring that the recycling process adheres to the required safety and environmental guidelines.

5. Conclusions

This study provides practical insights into the recyclability potential of plastic components from EoL mobile phones, which represent a significant portion of the WEEE stream. The 275 plastic components of 100 EoL mobile phones (comprising feature phones and smartphones) were analyzed for their polymer composition and hazardous substance content. The most prevalent polymers identified were PC and PMMA, which are both thermoplastic polymers generally suitable for recycling. The concentration of hazardous substances, including flame retardants (Br, Cl, Sb) and potentially toxic elements (PB, Cd, Cr and Hg), was also quantified and compared with the EU regulatory limits set by the RoHS and REACH directives. The results of the characterization of the plastic components showed that, despite the presence of hazardous substances such as Br and Cl in individual items, all concentrations were found to be below the EU regulatory limits for recyclability. This suggests that the plastic components from EoL mobile phones meet the required standards for safe recycling. The variation in hazardous substance concentrations between feature phones and smartphones suggests that tailored recycling strategies may be necessary for different device categories. Moreover, the presence of Cl requires advanced recycling technologies, such as dechlorination methods and specialized recycling processes, to improve the safety of the recycling process.
The findings of this study carry important implications for the recycling and disposal of waste mobile phones. Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of addressing the challenges associated with WEEE plastic recycling, including the need for improved sorting technologies, such as FTIR or hyperspectral imaging, and the development of more efficient and environmentally friendly recycling processes. FTIR is a non-destructive and cost-effective method that can be integrated into automated sorting systems to improve the recycling efficiency of WEEE plastic components. Future efforts should focus on reducing the use of hazardous substances in mobile phones and improving the safety and efficiency of recycling practices, ensuring that the whole environmental impact of WEEE is minimized.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, S.F.; methodology, S.F.; validation, M.B.; formal analysis, M.B.; investigation, M.B.; data curation, M.B.; writing—original draft preparation, M.B.; writing—review and editing, S.F.; visualization, M.B.; supervision, S.F.; funding acquisition, S.F. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

Data can be made available upon request.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Appendix A

Materials 18 01979 g0a1
Figure A1. Examples of analyzed components (casings, frames, and screens) from EoL feature phones and smartphones.
Figure A1. Examples of analyzed components (casings, frames, and screens) from EoL feature phones and smartphones.
Materials 18 01979 g0a1
Materials 18 01979 g0a2
Figure A2. Comparison between the FTIR spectrum acquired from the casing component of a feature phone and the standard FTIR spectrum of polycarbonate.
Figure A2. Comparison between the FTIR spectrum acquired from the casing component of a feature phone and the standard FTIR spectrum of polycarbonate.
Materials 18 01979 g0a2
Materials 18 01979 g0a3
Figure A3. Comparison between the FTIR spectrum acquired from the frame component of a smartphone and the standard FTIR spectrum of polycarbonate.
Figure A3. Comparison between the FTIR spectrum acquired from the frame component of a smartphone and the standard FTIR spectrum of polycarbonate.
Materials 18 01979 g0a3
Materials 18 01979 g0a4
Figure A4. Comparison between the FTIR spectrum acquired from the screen component of a feature phone and the standard FTIR spectrum of polymethyl methacrylate.
Figure A4. Comparison between the FTIR spectrum acquired from the screen component of a feature phone and the standard FTIR spectrum of polymethyl methacrylate.
Materials 18 01979 g0a4
Table A1. Inventory of samples and characterization results: mass (g), identified polymers, and concentration (mg/kg) of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg.
Table A1. Inventory of samples and characterization results: mass (g), identified polymers, and concentration (mg/kg) of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg.
ModelComponentSample SetMass (g)PolymerBr
(mg/kg)		Sb (mg/kg)Cl (mg/kg)Pb (mg/kg)Cr (mg/kg)Cd (mg/kg)Hg (mg/kg)
Alcatel One touch 556CasingFeature phone10.45Other polymers0.000.001240.0028.000.000.000.00
Apple iPhone 4CasingFeature phone8.82Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
BlackBerry 9360CasingFeature phone8.75Other polymers0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Blackberry 98310CasingFeature phone10.42Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.002030.000.00218.000.000.00
Bosh Dual Com738CasingFeature phone20.56Polycarbonate0.480.001100.000.000.000.000.00
BrionVega 7010CasingFeature phone15.77Polycarbonate1.100.008470.000.000.000.000.00
Brondi Gladietor 3CasingFeature phone9.78Polycarbonate1.610.003110.000.000.000.000.00
Cross CallCasingFeature phone3.27Polycarbonate0.000.00996.000.00608.000.000.00
Ericsson 5868CasingFeature phone12.89Polycarbonate0.000.0017,600.000.00149.000.000.00
Ericsson a1018CasingFeature phone4.89Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Ericsson s868CasingFeature phone11.11Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.002280.000.000.000.000.00
Ericsson s868CasingFeature phone25.63Polycarbonate0.900.000.000.000.000.000.00
Htc desire 316 CasingFeature phone12.53Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
LG L3431CasingFeature phone24.69Polycarbonate16.700.002460.000.00164.000.000.00
LG u8110CasingFeature phone7.26Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 5230CasingFeature phone13.03Polycarbonate0.000.00874.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola CasingFeature phone14.29Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.710.0015,800.008.00915.000.000.00
Motorola c350CasingFeature phone9.08Polycarbonate0.000.001110.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola cd930CasingFeature phone4.14Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola D520CasingFeature phone10.50Polycarbonate0.200.001090.000.00149.000.000.00
Motorola Micro TackCasingFeature phone10.46Polycarbonate0.000.003660.006.000.000.000.00
Motorola Star TackCasingFeature phone3.76Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola Star TackCasingFeature phone5.29Other polymers0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola Startack 8700CasingFeature phone5.65Polycarbonate353.000.004130.0015.000.000.000.00
Motorola TalkaboutCasingFeature phone10.54Polycarbonate0.000.001060.000.000.000.000.00
NGM DinamicCasingFeature phone11.14Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 1110CasingFeature phone11.04Polycarbonate0.000.002550.0052.0065.000.000.00
Nokia 1110iCasingFeature phone3.34Polycarbonate0.000.001140.000.00426.000.000.00
Nokia 1110iCasingFeature phone4.02Polycarbonate0.000.00805.000.0041.000.000.00
Nokia 1200CasingFeature phone5.17Polycarbonate0.000.001700.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 1209CasingFeature phone0.88Polycarbonate0.000.001230.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 2100CasingFeature phone12.68Polycarbonate2.590.001800.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 2330CasingFeature phone13.63Polycarbonate29.800.004750.0014.0027.000.000.00
Nokia 2600CasingFeature phone6.20Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 2630CasingFeature phone2.97Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 2630CasingFeature phone5.65Polycarbonate3.820.001050.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 2650CasingFeature phone9.14Polycarbonate2.860.001180.000.0011.000.000.00
Nokia 2760CasingFeature phone16.79Polycarbonate0.490.00206.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 301CasingFeature phone5.93Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 3210CasingFeature phone8.93Polycarbonate0.000.001890.0026.0028.000.000.00
Nokia 3220CasingFeature phone10.94Polycarbonate0.000.001180.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 3220CasingFeature phone12.83Polycarbonate1.890.007090.005.000.000.000.00
Nokia 3310CasingFeature phone10.27Polycarbonate0.460.00849.000.00467.000.000.00
Nokia 3310CasingFeature phone5.86Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 3510CasingFeature phone8.87Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 5230CasingFeature phone0.70Polycarbonate0.000.002080.0015.000.000.000.00
Nokia 5530CasingFeature phone4.68Other polymers1.600.008740.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 6021CasingFeature phone3.42Polycarbonate5.260.00426.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 6600CasingFeature phone5.17Polycarbonate2.480.00621.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 8210CasingFeature phone5.10Polycarbonate3.690.004390.007.0033.000.000.00
Nokia C1-02CasingFeature phone0.91Polycarbonate5.290.004650.007.0035.000.000.00
Nokia c202CasingFeature phone3.07Polycarbonate0.570.00654.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia C503CasingFeature phone12.29Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia C504CasingFeature phone3.97Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia E61iCasingFeature phone3.20Polycarbonate0.000.00738.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia E61iCasingFeature phone7.43Polycarbonate2.830.0011,300.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia E61iCasingFeature phone28.72Polycarbonate1.570.001230.001.00470.000.000.00
Nokia E61iCasingFeature phone14.79Other polymers0.950.001750.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia N70CasingFeature phone7.69Polycarbonate0.000.001980.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia N70CasingFeature phone5.30Other polymers0.000.002990.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia N70CasingFeature phone3.19Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia N70CasingFeature phone8.38Poly(methyl methacrylate)137.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia N73CasingFeature phone6.06Other polymers0.000.000.003.00144.000.000.00
Nokia N97CasingFeature phone4.13Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Onda n4020CasingFeature phone8.10Polycarbonate17.200.001380.000.000.000.000.00
Panasonic G450CasingFeature phone7.13Polycarbonate0.000.00532.000.000.000.000.00
Panasonic GD87CasingFeature phone24.25Other polymers0.000.001670.002.0011.000.000.00
Philips Fisio 120CasingFeature phone6.01Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Philips Genie 2000CasingFeature phone14.30Polycarbonate2020.000.00822.000.000.000.000.00
Sagem MyX3-2CasingFeature phone8.88Polycarbonate121.000.002120.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung Gt e1200CasingFeature phone9.34Polycarbonate0.000.006170.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia N70FrameFeature phone19.98Polycarbonate0.000.00124.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia E61iFrameFeature phone10.72Polycarbonate0.000.00130.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 3210FrameFeature phone14.06Polycarbonate0.000.00176.000.000.000.000.00
Sagem sg 850FrameFeature phone18.42Polycarbonate0.000.00194.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia N70FrameFeature phone13.62Other polymers0.000.00198.000.000.000.000.00
Htc desire 316 FrameFeature phone16.91Other polymers0.000.00202.000.000.000.000.00
BrionVega 7010FrameFeature phone13.38Polycarbonate0.000.00202.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 3220FrameFeature phone20.19Polycarbonate0.000.00229.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 2600FrameFeature phone11.97Polycarbonate0.000.00238.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia E61iFrameFeature phone19.18Polycarbonate0.000.00256.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola TalkaboutFrameFeature phone13.95Polycarbonate0.000.00304.000.000.000.000.00
Ericsson 5868FrameFeature phone18.70Other polymers0.000.00318.000.000.000.0017.00
Nokia 5230FrameFeature phone11.29Polycarbonate0.000.00338.000.000.000.000.00
Onda n4020FrameFeature phone11.49Polycarbonate0.000.00381.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola Startack 8700FrameFeature phone13.17Polycarbonate0.000.00404.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 3310FrameFeature phone11.82Polycarbonate0.000.00497.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 8210FrameFeature phone4.56Other polymers0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia E61iFrameFeature phone15.95Other polymers0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Blackberry 98310FrameFeature phone12.33Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Alcatel One touch 556FrameFeature phone16.09Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Ericsson s868FrameFeature phone10.82Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola c350FrameFeature phone11.77Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola D520FrameFeature phone14.79Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola Micro TackFrameFeature phone10.75Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 1110iFrameFeature phone10.22Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 2100FrameFeature phone19.59Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 2630FrameFeature phone12.13Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 2760FrameFeature phone18.59Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 3220FrameFeature phone13.93Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 3310FrameFeature phone10.39Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 3510FrameFeature phone11.63Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 5530FrameFeature phone15.95Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 6021FrameFeature phone10.71Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 6600FrameFeature phone9.96Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia C1-02FrameFeature phone9.15Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia c202FrameFeature phone12.11Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia N70FrameFeature phone20.22Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Panasonic GD87FrameFeature phone14.45Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Philips Genie 2000FrameFeature phone30.32Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Sagem MyX3-2FrameFeature phone16.76Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung Gt e1200FrameFeature phone18.44Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 1110FrameFeature phone22.41Polycarbonate0.000.00834.000.000.000.000.00
Mnokia 5230FrameFeature phone14.23Polycarbonate0.000.001230.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola cd930FrameFeature phone14.88Polycarbonate0.000.001410.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola Star TackFrameFeature phone10.01Polycarbonate0.550.001510.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 1110iFrameFeature phone15.08Polycarbonate8.430.001820.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia E61iFrameFeature phone11.82Polycarbonate0.000.002670.000.000.000.000.00
Brondi Gladietor 3FrameFeature phone12.54Other polymers3.110.0022,200.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia N70FrameFeature phone19.39Polycarbonate25.500.00650.000.009.000.000.00
NGM DinamicFrameFeature phone13.54Polycarbonate27.000.00710.000.0031.000.000.00
BlackBerry 9360FrameFeature phone13.03Poly(methyl methacrylate)1.300.002440.000.00104.000.000.00
Nokia 2630FrameFeature phone13.27Polycarbonate7.000.002200.000.00559.000.000.00
Apple iphone 4FrameFeature phone8.41Polycarbonate0.000.001650.002.000.000.000.00
Motorola FrameFeature phone13.77Polycarbonate370.000.00354.004.000.000.000.00
Nokia 2650FrameFeature phone13.52Polycarbonate4.040.000.004.000.000.000.00
Nokia 1209FrameFeature phone11.58Polycarbonate2.560.00539.006.0041.000.000.00
Nokia C503FrameFeature phone14.30Polycarbonate0.530.00627.006.00111.000.000.00
Nokia C504FrameFeature phone19.03Polycarbonate0.820.005380.008.0034.000.000.00
Philips Fisio 120FrameFeature phone18.70Polycarbonate3.170.004390.008.0039.000.000.00
Nokia 2330FrameFeature phone21.62Polycarbonate31.000.004470.0013.0028.000.000.00
Nokia 301FrameFeature phone18.62Polycarbonate0.790.005250.0019.0050.000.000.00
Nokia 1200FrameFeature phone18.77Polycarbonate5.010.006070.0020.0039.000.000.00
Panasonic G450FrameFeature phone13.95Polycarbonate0.000.003620.0022.0048.000.000.00
Nokia N97FrameFeature phone10.82Polycarbonate6.690.000.0090.0033.000.000.00
NGM DinamicScreenFeature phone10.16Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.840.000.000.000.00
Panasonic G450ScreenFeature phone10.46Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00112.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia E61iScreenFeature phone14.38Polycarbonate1.850.00164.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia N73ScreenFeature phone14.97Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00172.000.000.000.000.00
Bosh Dual Com738ScreenFeature phone16.37Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00182.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia C1-02ScreenFeature phone6.86Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00186.000.000.000.000.00
BrionVega 7010ScreenFeature phone10.03Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00192.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 1200ScreenFeature phone14.08Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00193.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 5530ScreenFeature phone11.96Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00196.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 301ScreenFeature phone13.96Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00202.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 3310ScreenFeature phone8.86Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00205.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola Star TackScreenFeature phone12.04Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00211.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia N70ScreenFeature phone14.55Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00216.000.000.000.000.00
Philips Fisio 120ScreenFeature phone14.03Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00231.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola ScreenFeature phone10.33Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00243.000.000.000.000.00
Onda n4020ScreenFeature phone8.62Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00252.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 3220ScreenFeature phone10.45Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00268.000.000.000.000.00
BlackBerry 9360ScreenFeature phone9.77Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00297.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia N70ScreenFeature phone14.99Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00328.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola TalkaboutScreenFeature phone10.46Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00342.000.000.000.000.00
CrossCallScreenFeature phone14.37Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00368.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 3210ScreenFeature phone10.54Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00422.000.000.000.000.00
Ericsson s868ScreenFeature phone15.07Polycarbonate1.960.00474.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 2630ScreenFeature phone9.95Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00482.000.000.000.000.00
Alcatel One touch 556ScreenFeature phone12.06Polycarbonate0.000.00520.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola c350ScreenFeature phone8.83Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00558.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 2630ScreenFeature phone9.10Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00563.000.000.000.000.00
Sagem sg 850ScreenFeature phone13.82Poly(methyl methacrylate)110.000.00573.000.000.000.000.00
LG u8110ScreenFeature phone12.99Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00595.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola cd930ScreenFeature phone11.16Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00620.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 2330ScreenFeature phone16.22Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00663.000.000.000.000.00
Blackberry 98310ScreenFeature phone9.25Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00666.000.000.000.000.00
Htc desire 316 ScreenFeature phone12.68Polycarbonate0.000.00666.000.000.000.000.00
Brondi Gladietor 3ScreenFeature phone9.41Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00746.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia N97ScreenFeature phone8.12Polycarbonate0.000.00769.000.000.000.000.00
Ericsson s868ScreenFeature phone8.12Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Mnokia 5230ScreenFeature phone10.67Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 1110iScreenFeature phone11.31Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 1209ScreenFeature phone8.69Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 2650ScreenFeature phone10.14Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 3220ScreenFeature phone15.15Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 3510ScreenFeature phone8.72Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 5230ScreenFeature phone8.46Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 6600ScreenFeature phone7.47Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 8210ScreenFeature phone3.32Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia c202ScreenFeature phone5.65Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia N70ScreenFeature phone15.17Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia N70ScreenFeature phone10.22Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia N73ScreenFeature phone9.73Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Panasonic GD87ScreenFeature phone10.84Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Philips Genie 2000ScreenFeature phone22.74Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung Gt e1200ScreenFeature phone9.83Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 2760ScreenFeature phone13.95Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Apple iphone 4ScreenFeature phone6.31Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00936.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola Startack 8700ScreenFeature phone9.88Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00972.000.000.000.000.00
Ericsson a1018ScreenFeature phone12.26Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.001050.000.000.000.000.00
LG L3431ScreenFeature phone15.03Polycarbonate1.780.001070.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola D520ScreenFeature phone11.09Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.001450.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia C504ScreenFeature phone14.27Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.001510.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia E61iScreenFeature phone8.86Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.001910.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 2600ScreenFeature phone8.98Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.001950.000.000.000.000.00
Ericsson 5868ScreenFeature phone14.03Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.002370.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia E61iScreenFeature phone11.97Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.002670.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola Star TackScreenFeature phone7.51Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.002690.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia C503ScreenFeature phone10.73Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.003130.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 1110iScreenFeature phone7.66Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.003250.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 6021ScreenFeature phone8.04Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.003480.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 2100ScreenFeature phone14.69Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.003510.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 3310ScreenFeature phone7.79Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.003710.000.000.000.000.00
Sagem MyX3-2ScreenFeature phone12.57Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.760.003830.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia E61iScreenFeature phone8.04Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.0015,400.000.000.000.000.00
Motorola Micro TackScreenFeature phone8.06Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.0030,300.000.000.000.000.00
Nokia 1110ScreenFeature phone16.81Polycarbonate0.000.0032,600.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung GT53650CasingSmartphone12.15Polycarbonate1.220.003700.000.000.370.000.00
Samsung GT55230CasingSmartphone15.74Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung GTC3500CasingSmartphone13.17Polycarbonate0.180.0040,700.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung Gti 9300CasingSmartphone8.88Polycarbonate1.510.002660.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung GTi9195CasingSmartphone9.22Other polymers0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung J120 F GalaxyCasingSmartphone5.05Other polymers0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung sgh e700CasingSmartphone33.84Polycarbonate0.000.001610.0013.0099.000.000.00
Samsung sgh250CasingSmartphone2.61Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung sghe530CasingSmartphone1.53Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Siemens A35CasingSmartphone14.19Polycarbonate0.000.00620.000.000.000.000.00
Siemens A50CasingSmartphone7.09Polycarbonate0.000.001900.000.000.000.000.00
Siemens c62CasingSmartphone9.88Polycarbonate0.540.0035,100.000.000.000.000.00
Siemens CFX65CasingSmartphone14.94Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Sony CMD Z5CasingSmartphone5.70Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Sony ericsson c200CasingSmartphone46.67Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Sony ericsson z1010CasingSmartphone0.70Other polymers0.000.00994.000.000.000.000.00
Wiko_BarryCasingSmartphone29.09Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Wuawei Ascend G630CasingSmartphone80.41Polycarbonate0.850.002210.005.000.000.000.00
ZTE Blade C2 plusCasingSmartphone12.03Polycarbonate0.000.00585.000.000.000.000.00
Siemens CFX65FrameSmartphone13.54Polycarbonate0.120.00624.000.000.000.000.00
Wiko_BarryFrameSmartphone19.95Polycarbonate0.290.00667.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung GT53650FrameSmartphone21.16Other polymers0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Siemens A35FrameSmartphone14.24Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Siemens A50FrameSmartphone13.81Polycarbonate0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Siemens s25FrameSmartphone22.93Polycarbonate0.000.00875.000.000.000.000.00
Siemens c62FrameSmartphone18.25Polycarbonate0.000.001410.000.000.000.000.00
Sony D2005FrameSmartphone20.50Polycarbonate182.000.003100.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung sgh250FrameSmartphone6.18Other polymers0.000.001340.000.0028.000.000.00
Samsung Gti9195FrameSmartphone15.73Other polymers0.080.001430.001.000.000.000.00
Wuawei Ascend G630FrameSmartphone9.09Polycarbonate48.400.00534.001.0037.000.000.00
Sony CMD Z5FrameSmartphone18.25Polycarbonate0.480.001190.004.000.000.000.00
Samsung GTI3200FrameSmartphone16.09Other polymers0.000.007460.004.000.000.000.00
Samsung Gti 9300FrameSmartphone23.49Other polymers0.660.00906.004.0061.000.000.00
Samsung sgh e700FrameSmartphone10.31Other polymers0.000.001510.005.0036.000.000.00
Samsung GTC3500FrameSmartphone23.03Other polymers0.000.00829.005.0054.000.000.00
Samsung J120 F GalaxyFrameSmartphone14.38Other polymers1.430.00975.006.000.000.000.00
Samsung GT55230FrameSmartphone21.05Other polymers0.390.001480.007.0065.000.000.00
Samsung sghe530FrameSmartphone13.84Other polymers0.000.001770.009.0014.000.000.00
Sony ericsson z1010FrameSmartphone15.36Other polymers3.140.005600.0011.0018.000.000.00
Samsung J120 F GalaxyScreenSmartphone6.47Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00225.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung Gti9195ScreenSmartphone7.08Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00293.000.000.000.000.00
Siemens c62ScreenSmartphone8.21Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00315.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung GT55230ScreenSmartphone9.47Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.00518.000.000.000.000.00
Wiko_BarryScreenSmartphone14.96Poly(methyl methacrylate)1.130.00761.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung GT53650ScreenSmartphone9.52Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung GTC3500ScreenSmartphone10.37Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung Gti 9300ScreenSmartphone10.57Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung sgh250ScreenSmartphone2.78Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung sghe530ScreenSmartphone6.23Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Siemens A35ScreenSmartphone6.41Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Siemens s25ScreenSmartphone10.32Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.000.000.000.000.000.00
Siemens A50ScreenSmartphone6.22Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.000.001050.000.000.000.000.00
Sony ericsson z1010ScreenSmartphone6.91Polycarbonate0.000.001670.000.000.000.000.00
Samsung SM 850ScreenSmartphone6.74Poly(methyl methacrylate)0.200.00787.000.000.000.000.00
Table A2. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the entire dataset.
Table A2. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the entire dataset.
StatisticBr (mg/kg)Sb (mg/kg)Cl (mg/kg)Pb (mg/kg)Cr (mg/kg)Cd (mg/kg)Hg (mg/kg)Sample Weight (g)
No. of observations275275275275275275275275
Minimum0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.000
Maximum0.2020.0004.0700.0090.0920.0000.00280.414
1st Quartile0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0007.738
Median0.0000.0000.0370.0000.0000.0000.00010.727
3rd Quartile0.0000.0000.1440.0000.0000.0000.00014.300
Mean0.0010.0000.1750.0000.0020.0000.00011.534
Variance 0.0000.0000.2310.0000.0000.0000.00056.201
Standard deviation 0.0130.0000.4800.0010.0090.0000.0007.497
Table A3. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the “feature phones” set.
Table A3. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the “feature phones” set.
StatisticBr (mg/kg)Sb (mg/kg)Cl (mg/kg)Pb (mg/kg)Cr (mg/kg)Cd (mg/kg)Hg (mg/kg)Sample Weight (g)
No. of observations208208208208208208208208
Minimum0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.699
Maximum0.2020.0003.2600.0090.0920.0000.00230.316
1st Quartile0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0008.616
Median0.0000.0000.0370.0000.0000.0000.00010.888
3rd Quartile0.0000.0000.1510.0000.0000.0000.00014.079
Mean0.0020.0000.1550.0000.0020.0000.00011.491
Variance 0.0000.0000.1240.0000.0000.0000.00025.126
Standard deviation 0.0150.0000.3520.0010.0100.0000.0005.013
Table A4. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the “smartphones” set.
Table A4. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the “smartphones” set.
StatisticBr (mg/kg)Sb (mg/kg)Cl (mg/kg)Pb (mg/kg)Cr (mg/kg)Cd (mg/kg)Hg (mg/kg)Sample Weight (g)
No. of observations5454545454545454
Minimum0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.702
Maximum0.0180.0004.0700.0010.0100.0000.00080.414
1st Quartile0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0007.082
Median0.0000.0000.0650.0000.0000.0000.00012.090
3rd Quartile0.0000.0000.1470.0000.0000.0000.00016.006
Mean0.0000.0000.2360.0000.0010.0000.00014.377
Variance 0.0000.0000.5180.0000.0000.0000.000151.488
Standard deviation 0.0030.0000.7190.0000.0020.0000.00012.308
Table A5. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the “casings” components.
Table A5. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the “casings” components.
StatisticBr (mg/kg)Sb (mg/kg)Cl (mg/kg)Pb (mg/kg)Cr (mg/kg)Cd (mg/kg)Hg (mg/kg)Sample Weight (g)
No. of observations9090909090909090
Minimum0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.699
Maximum0.2020.0004.0700.0050.0920.0000.00080.414
1st Quartile0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0005.170
Median0.0000.0000.1020.0000.0000.0000.0008.880
3rd Quartile0.0000.0000.2110.0000.0000.0000.00012.645
Mean0.0030.0000.2650.0000.0050.0000.00010.766
Variance 0.0000.0000.3820.0000.0000.0000.000111.850
Standard deviation 0.0220.0000.6180.0010.0140.0000.00010.576
Table A6. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the “frames” components.
Table A6. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the “frames” components.
StatisticBr (mg/kg)Sb (mg/kg)Cl (mg/kg)Pb (mg/kg)Cr (mg/kg)Cd (mg/kg)Hg (mg/kg)Sample Weight (g)
No. of observations8484848484848484
Minimum0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0004.560
Maximum0.0370.0002.2200.0090.0560.0000.00230.316
1st Quartile0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.00011.816
Median0.0000.0000.0330.0000.0000.0000.00014.141
3rd Quartile0.0000.0000.1410.0000.0000.0000.00018.600
Mean0.0010.0000.1260.0000.0020.0000.00015.059
Variance 0.0000.0000.0790.0000.0000.0000.00019.218
Standard deviation 0.0050.0000.2810.0010.0060.0000.0004.384
Table A7. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the “frames” components.
Table A7. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the “frames” components.
StatisticBr (mg/kg)Sb (mg/kg)Cl (mg/kg)Pb (mg/kg)Cr (mg/kg)Cd (mg/kg)Hg (mg/kg)Sample Weight (g)
No. of observations8888888888888888
Minimum0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0002.782
Maximum0.0110.0003.2600.0000.0000.0000.00022.737
1st Quartile0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0008.401
Median0.0000.0000.0300.0000.0000.0000.00010.267
3rd Quartile0.0000.0000.0820.0000.0000.0000.00013.194
Mean0.0000.0000.1550.0000.0000.0000.00010.658
Variance 0.0000.0000.2450.0000.0000.0000.00010.981
Standard deviation 0.0010.0000.4950.0000.0000.0000.0003.314
Table A8. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the “polycarbonate” fraction.
Table A8. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the “polycarbonate” fraction.
StatisticBr (mg/kg)Sb (mg/kg)Cl (mg/kg)Pb (mg/kg)Cr (mg/kg)Cd (mg/kg)Hg (mg/kg)Sample Weight (g)
No. of observations147147147147147147147147
Minimum0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.699
Maximum0.2020.0004.0700.0090.0610.0000.00080.414
1st Quartile0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0008.845
Median0.0000.0000.0620.0000.0000.0000.00012.065
3rd Quartile0.0000.0000.1660.0000.0000.0000.00015.075
Mean0.0020.0000.2020.0000.0030.0000.00012.967
Variance 0.0000.0000.2970.0000.0000.0000.00076.328
Standard deviation 0.0170.0000.5450.0010.0100.0000.0008.737
Table A9. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the “polymethylmethacrylate” fraction.
Table A9. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the “polymethylmethacrylate” fraction.
StatisticBr (mg/kg)Sb (mg/kg)Cl (mg/kg)Pb (mg/kg)Cr (mg/kg)Cd (mg/kg)Hg (mg/kg)Sample Weight (g)
No. of observations8787878787878787
Minimum0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0002.782
Maximum0.0140.0003.0300.0010.0920.0000.00022.737
1st Quartile0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0008.423
Median0.0000.0000.0250.0000.0000.0000.00010.217
3rd Quartile0.0000.0000.0950.0000.0000.0000.00012.428
Mean0.0000.0000.1390.0000.0010.0000.00010.438
Variance 0.0000.0000.1590.0000.0000.0000.00010.579
Standard deviation 0.0020.0000.3990.0000.0100.0000.0003.253
Table A10. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the “other polymers” fraction.
Table A10. Descriptive statistics of Br, Sb, Cl, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Hg concentrations and sample weights on the “other polymers” fraction.
StatisticBr (mg/kg)Sb (mg/kg)Cl (mg/kg)Pb (mg/kg)Cr (mg/kg)Cd (mg/kg)Hg (mg/kg)Sample Weight (g)
No. of observations2828282828282828
Minimum0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.702
Maximum0.0000.0002.2200.0030.0140.0000.00224.246
1st Quartile0.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0000.0006.152
Median0.0000.0000.0980.0000.0000.0000.00013.733
3rd Quartile0.0000.0000.1690.0000.0020.0000.00016.298
Mean0.0000.0000.2270.0000.0020.0000.00012.767
Variance 0.0000.0000.2010.0000.0000.0000.00043.217
Standard deviation 0.0000.0000.4490.0010.0030.0000.0006.574

References

  1. Baldé, C.P.; Kuehr, R.; Yamamoto, T.; McDonald, R.; Althaf, S.; Bel, G.; Deubzer, O.; Fernandez-Cubillo, E.; Forti, V.; Gray, V.; et al. The Global E-Waste Monitor; UNITAR, United Nations Institute for Training and Research: Geneva, Switzerland, 2024; Available online: https://ewastemonitor.info/the-global-e-waste-monitor-2024/.
  2. Habib, H.; Wagner, M.; Baldé, C.P.; Martínez, L.H.; Huisman, J.; Dewulf, J. What Gets Measured Gets Managed—Does It? Uncovering the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Flows in the European Union. Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 2022, 181, 106222. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  3. Ghulam, S.T.; Abushammala, H. Challenges and Opportunities in the Management of Electronic Waste and Its Impact on Human Health and Environment. Sustainability 2023, 15, 1837. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  4. Lee, J.; Choi, H.; Kim, J. Environmental and Economic Impacts of E-Waste Recycling: A Systematic Review. Chem. Eng. J. 2024, 494, 152917. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  5. Shahabuddin, M.; Uddin, M.N.; Chowdhury, J.I.; Ahmed, S.F.; Uddin, M.N.; Mofijur, M.; Uddin, M.A. A Review of the Recent Development, Challenges, and Opportunities of Electronic Waste (e-Waste). Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2023, 20, 4513–4520. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  6. Elgarahy, A.M.; Eloffy, M.G.; Priya, A.K.; Hammad, A.; Zahran, M.; Maged, A.; Elwakeel, K.Z. Revitalizing the Circular Economy: An Exploration of e-Waste Recycling Approaches in a Technological Epoch. Sustain. Chem. Environ. 2024, 7, 100124. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  7. Cardamone, G.F.; Ardolino, F.; Arena, U. About the Environmental Sustainability of the European Management of WEEE Plastics. Waste Manag. 2021, 126, 119–132. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  8. Mtibe, A.; Mokhena, T.C.; John, M.J. Sustainable Valorization and Conversion of E-Waste Plastics into Value-Added Products. Curr. Opin. Green Sustain. Chem. 2023, 40, 100762. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  9. Yang, X.; Sun, L.; Xiang, J.; Hu, S.; Su, S. Pyrolysis and Dehalogenation of Plastics from Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE): A Review. Waste Manag. 2013, 33, 462–473. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  10. Das, P.; Gabriel, J.C.P.; Tay, C.Y.; Lee, J.M. Value-Added Products from Thermochemical Treatments of Contaminated e-Waste Plastics. Chemosphere 2021, 269, 129409. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  11. Lase, I.S.; Tonini, D.; Caro, D.; Albizzati, P.F.; Cristóbal, J.; Roosen, M.; Kusenberg, M.; Ragaert, K.; Van Geem, K.M.; Dewulf, J.; et al. How Much Can Chemical Recycling Contribute to Plastic Waste Recycling in Europe? An Assessment Using Material Flow Analysis Modeling. Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 2023, 192, 106916. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  12. Charitopoulou, M.A.; Lappas, A.A.; Achilias, D.S. Thermo-Chemical Recycling of Plastics Retrieved from Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) by Pyrolysis: Identification of the Polymer Type, Removal of Bromine Compounds from Plastics Based on an Environmentally-Friendly Process and Characterizat. Sustain. Chem. Pharm. 2023, 35, 101210. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  13. Gripon, L.; Belyamani, I.; Legros, B.; Seaudeau-Pirouley, K.; Lafranche, E.; Cauret, L. Brominated Flame Retardants Extraction from Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment-Derived ABS Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide. Waste Manag. 2021, 131, 313–322. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  14. European Union. Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2011 on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment; European Union: Brussels, Belgium, 2011; Available online: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2011/65/oj/eng.
  15. European Union REGULATION (EC) No 1907/2006 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 18 December 2006 the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), Establishing a European Chemicals Agency, Amending Directive 1999/45/EC and Repealing Council (EEC) No 793/93 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1488/94 as Well as Council 76/769/EEC and Commission Directives 91/155/EEC, 93/67/EEC, 93/105/EC and 2000/21/EC. 2022. Available online: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2006/1907/oj/eng.
  16. Rahman, Z.; Singh, V.P. The Relative Impact of Toxic Heavy Metals (THMs) (Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr) (VI), Mercury (Hg), and Lead (Pb)) on the Total Environment: An Overview. Environ. Monit. Assess 2019, 191, 419. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  17. Lahl, U.; Zeschmar-Lahl, B. Material Recycling of Plastics—A Challenge for Sustainability. Sustainability 2024, 16, 6630. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  18. Liu, K.; Tan, Q.; Yu, J.; Wang, M. A Global Perspective on E-Waste Recycling. Circ. Econ. 2023, 2, 100028. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  19. de Boer, J.; Harrad, S.; Sharkey, M. The European Regulatory Strategy for Flame Retardants—The Right Direction but Still a Risk of Getting Lost. Chemosphere 2024, 347, 140638. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  20. Barouta, D.; Alassali, A.; Picuno, C.; Bruno, M.; Syranidou, E.; Fiore, S.; Kuchta, K. E-Plastics in a Circular Economy: A Comprehensive Regulatory Review. J. Clean Prod. 2022, 355, 131711. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  21. Bonifazi, G.; Fiore, L.; Gasbarrone, R.; Hennebert, P.; Serranti, S. An Investigation on Bromine Content Assessment in E-Waste Plastics by Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) Spectroscopy. Environments 2022, 9, 152. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  22. Chaine, C.; Hursthouse, A.S.; McLellan, I.; Viza, E.; Miller, J. The Challenge of Plastic Management for Waste Electrical and Electric Equipment Recycling in the Global South: A Case Comparison between Europe and Latin America. Recycling 2023, 8, 71. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  23. Charitopoulou, M.A.; Papadopoulou, L.; Achilias, D. οS. Effect of Brominated Flame Retardant on the Pyrolysis Products of Polymers Originating in WEEE. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 2022, 29, 29570–29582. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  24. Wagner, F.; Peeters, J.R.; Ramon, H.; De Keyzer, J.; Duflou, J.R.; Dewulf, W. Quality Assessment of Mixed Plastic Flakes from Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) by Spectroscopic Techniques. Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 2020, 158, 104801. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  25. Boudewijn, A.; Peeters, J.R.; Cattrysse, D.; Dewulf, W.; Campadello, L.; Accili, A.; Duflou, J.R. Systematic Quantification of Waste Compositions: A Case Study for Waste of Electric and Electronic Equipment Plastics in the European Union. Sustainability 2022, 14, 7054. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  26. Jandric, A.; Part, F.; Fink, N.; Cocco, V.; Mouillard, F.; Huber-Humer, M.; Salhofer, S.; Zafiu, C. Investigation of the Heterogeneity of Bromine in Plastic Components as an Indicator for Brominated Flame Retardants in Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment with Regard to Recyclability. J. Hazard. Mater. 2020, 390, 121899. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  27. Strobl, L.; Diefenhardt, T.; Schlummer, M.; Leege, T.; Wagner, S. Recycling Potential for Non-Valorized Plastic Fractions from Electrical and Electronic Waste. Recycling 2021, 6, 33. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  28. Burgos Melo, H.D.; de Souza-Araujo, J.; Benavides Garzón, L.G.; Macedo, J.C.; Cardoso, R.; Mancini, S.D.; Harrad, S.; Rosa, A.H. Concentrations and Legislative Aspects of PBDEs in Plastic of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment in Brazil. Sci. Total Environ. 2024, 906, 167349. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  29. Cacho, Í.; Uria, I.; España, P.; Arnaiz, S.; Lopez-Urionabarrenechea, A. Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and Multivariate Data Analysis Applied to in-Line Sorting of Brominated Plastics from Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment. J. Polym. Environ. 2024, 33, 449–461. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  30. Kukharchyk, T.; Přibylová, P.; Chernyuk, V. Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Plastic Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment: A Case Study in Belarus. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 2020, 27, 32116–32123. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  31. Castro, G.; Cobo, M.; Rodríguez, I. Identification of Hazardous Organic Compounds in E-Waste Plastic Using Non-Target and Suspect Screening Approaches. Chemosphere 2024, 356, 141946. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  32. Bill, A.; Haarman, A.; Gasser, M.; Böni, H.; Rösslein, M.; Wäger, P.A. Characterizing Plastics from Large Household Appliances: Brominated Flame Retardants, Other Additives and Density Profiles. Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 2022, 177, 105956. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  33. Sarath, P.; Bonda, S.; Mohanty, S.; Nayak, S.K. Identification and Thermomechanical Characterization of Polymers Recovered from Mobile Phone Waste. J. Mater. Cycles Waste Manag. 2017, 19, 1391–1399. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  34. Bruno, M.; Sotera, L.; Fiore, S. Analysis of the Influence of Mobile Phones’ Material Composition on the Economic Profitability of Their Manual Dismantling. J. Environ. Manag. 2022, 309, 114677. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  35. Fontana, D.; Pietrantonio, M.; Pucciarmati, S.; Rao, C.; Forte, F. A Comprehensive Characterization of End-of-Life Mobile Phones for Secondary Material Resources Identification. Waste Manag. 2019, 99, 22–30. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  36. Singh, N.; Duan, H.; Tang, Y. Toxicity Evaluation of E-Waste Plastics and Potential Repercussions for Human Health. Environ. Int. 2020, 137, 105559. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  37. CEN Standard EN 50625-3-1:2015; This Technical Specification is intended to be used in conjunction with the WEEE Treatment Standard EN 50625-1 for most types of WEEE (other documents will be developed to define requirements for specific WEEE requiring more specialised treatment). European Committee for Standardization: Brussels, Belgium, 2015. Available online: https://standards.iteh.ai/catalog/standards/clc/2ac4a096-730d-4f79-be12-488f4c028eb7/clc-ts-50625-3-1-2015?srsltid=AfmBOor0R5EyUI54C9Yy8GU2K-ABrqSllumFFeilZYJrqr_0TgUTKYu-.
  38. European Union. Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures, Amending and Repealing 67/548/EEC and 1999/45/EC, and Amending Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006; European Union: Brussels, Belgium, 2008; Available online: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=celex:32008R1272.
  39. Redjala, S.; Aït Hocine, N.; Ferhoum, R.; Gratton, M.; Poirot, N.; Azem, S. UV Aging Effects on Polycarbonate Properties. J. Fail. Anal. Prev. 2020, 20, 1907–1916. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  40. Ghorbel, E.; Hadriche, I.; Casalino, G.; Masmoudi, N. Characterization of Thermo-Mechanical and Fracture Behaviors of Thermoplastic Polymers. Materials 2014, 7, 375–398. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  41. Aziz, S.B.; Abdullah, O.G.; Brza, M.A.; Azawy, A.K.; Tahir, D.A. Effect of Carbon Nano-Dots (CNDs) on Structural and Optical Properties of PMMA Polymer Composite. Results Phys. 2019, 15, 102776. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  42. Ahmed, R.M. Optical Study on Poly(Methyl Methacrylate)/Poly(Vinyl Acetate) Blends. Int. J. Photoenergy 2009, 2009, 150389. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  43. Dahdouh, N.; Amokrane, S.; Murillo, R.; Mekatel, E.; Nibou, D. Removal of Methylene Blue and Basic Yellow 28 Dyes from Aqueous Solutions Using Sulphonated Waste Poly Methyl Methacrylate. J. Polym. Environ. 2020, 28, 271–283. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  44. Alassali, A.; Abis, M.; Fiore, S.; Kuchta, K. Classification of Plastic Waste Originated from Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment Based on the Concentration of Antimony. J. Hazard. Mater. 2019, 380, 120874. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  45. Nnorom, I.C.; Osibanjo, O. Toxicity Characterization of Waste Mobile Phone Plastics. J. Hazard. Mater. 2009, 161, 183–188. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  46. Turner, A.; Filella, M. Bromine in Plastic Consumer Products—Evidence for the Widespread Recycling of Electronic Waste. Sci. Total Environ. 2017, 601–602, 374–379. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  47. Zhang, Y.; Su, H.; Ya, M.; Li, J.; Ho, S.H.; Zhao, L.; Jian, K.; Letcher, R.J.; Su, G. Distribution of Flame Retardants in Smartphones and Identification of Current-Use Organic Chemicals Including Three Novel Aryl Organophosphate Esters. Sci. Total Environ. 2019, 693, 133654. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  48. Li, Q.; Yuan, M.; Shangguan, J.; Guo, M.; Wu, J.; Zhang, Y.; Pei, M.; Zhang, Z.; Zhang, M.; Sun, Y.; et al. Insights into Persistent Toxic Substances in Protective Cases of Mobile Phones: Occurrence, Health Risks, and Implications. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2021, 55, 6076–6086. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  49. Antonakou, E.V.; Achilias, D.S. Recent Advances in Polycarbonate Recycling: A Review of Degradation Methods and Their Mechanisms. Waste Biomass Valorization 2013, 4, 9–21. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  50. Bonifazi, G.; Fiore, L.; Hennebert, P.; Serranti, S. Development of a Selection System Based on Hyperspectral Imaging for Plastic Waste with Brominated Flame Retardants. Environ. Eng. Manag. J. 2020, 19, 1755–1763. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  51. Wu, X.; Li, J.; Yao, L.; Xu, Z. Auto-Sorting Commonly Recovered Plastics from Waste Household Appliances and Electronics Using near-Infrared Spectroscopy. J. Clean Prod. 2020, 246, 118732. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  52. Sormunen, T.; Uusitalo, S.; Lindström, H.; Immonen, K.; Mannila, J.; Paaso, J.; Järvinen, S. Towards Recycling of Challenging Waste Fractions: Identifying Flame Retardants in Plastics with Optical Spectroscopic Techniques. Waste Manag. Res. 2022, 40, 1546–1554. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  53. Taurino, R.; Pozzi, P.; Zanasi, T. Facile Characterization of Polymer Fractions from Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) for Mechanical Recycling. Waste Manag. 2010, 30, 2601–2607. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  54. Ali, U.; Karim, K.J.B.A.; Buang, N.A. A Review of the Properties and Applications of Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) (PMMA). Polym. Rev. 2015, 55, 678–705. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  55. Gupta, N.; Trivedi, A.; Hait, S. Material Composition and Associated Toxicological Impact Assessment of Mobile Phones. J. Environ. Chem. Eng. 2021, 9, 104603. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  56. Kakuta, Y.; Hirano, K.; Sugano, M.; Mashimo, K. Study on Chlorine Removal from Mixture of Waste Plastics. Waste Manag. 2008, 28, 615–621. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  57. Zapata-Corella, P.; Ren, Z.H.; Liu, Y.E.; Rigol, A.; Lacorte, S.; Luo, X.J. Presence of Novel and Legacy Flame Retardants and Other Pollutants in an E-Waste Site in China and Associated Risks. Environ. Res. 2023, 216, 114768. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  58. Yoshihara, M.; Grause, G.; Kameda, T.; Yoshioka, T. Upgrading of Poly(Vinyl Chloride) by Chemical Modifications Using Sodium Sulfide. J. Mater. Cycles Waste Manag. 2010, 12, 264–270. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  59. Kots, P.A.; Vance, B.C.; Quinn, C.M.; Wang, C.; Vlachos, D.G. A Two-Stage Strategy for Upcycling Chlorine-Contaminated Plastic Waste. Nat. Sustain. 2023, 6, 1258–1267. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  60. Tian, Y.; Han, M.; Gu, D.; Bi, Z.; Gu, N.; Hu, T.; Li, G.; Zhang, N.; Lu, J. PVC Dechlorination for Facilitating Plastic Chemical Recycling: A Systematic Literature Review of Technical Advances, Modeling and Assessment. Sustainability 2024, 16, 8331. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  61. Lahtela, V.; Hamod, H.; Kärki, T. Assessment of Critical Factors in Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Plastics on the Recyclability: A Case Study in Finland. Sci. Total Environ. 2022, 830, 155627. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
Materials 18 01979 g001
Figure 1. Flowchart of the procedure followed to assess the recyclability of plastic components from EoL mobile phones (PCBs: printed circuit boards; ED-XRF: energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry; FTIR: Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry; REACH: Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals; RoHS: Restriction of Hazardous Substances).
Figure 1. Flowchart of the procedure followed to assess the recyclability of plastic components from EoL mobile phones (PCBs: printed circuit boards; ED-XRF: energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry; FTIR: Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry; REACH: Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals; RoHS: Restriction of Hazardous Substances).
Materials 18 01979 g001
Materials 18 01979 g002aMaterials 18 01979 g002b
Figure 2. Composition of the plastic items described by (A) number of samples and (B) mass distribution.
Figure 2. Composition of the plastic items described by (A) number of samples and (B) mass distribution.
Materials 18 01979 g002aMaterials 18 01979 g002b
Materials 18 01979 g003
Figure 3. Statistical distribution of the concentrations of flame retardant additives (Br, Sb, Cl) and PTEs (Pb, Cr, Cd, Hg) in the plastic components of EoL cell phones considered in this study.
Figure 3. Statistical distribution of the concentrations of flame retardant additives (Br, Sb, Cl) and PTEs (Pb, Cr, Cd, Hg) in the plastic components of EoL cell phones considered in this study.
Materials 18 01979 g003
Materials 18 01979 g004aMaterials 18 01979 g004b
Figure 4. Distribution of the concentration of (A) Br, (B) Cl, (C) Pb, and (D) Cr in casings, frames, and screens and in the identified polymers in the plastic components of EoL cell phones considered in this study.
Figure 4. Distribution of the concentration of (A) Br, (B) Cl, (C) Pb, and (D) Cr in casings, frames, and screens and in the identified polymers in the plastic components of EoL cell phones considered in this study.
Materials 18 01979 g004aMaterials 18 01979 g004b
Table 1. Regulation limits set by REACH and RoHS for flame retardants and potentially toxic elements considered to assess the recyclability potential of plastic components from EoL mobile phones.
Table 1. Regulation limits set by REACH and RoHS for flame retardants and potentially toxic elements considered to assess the recyclability potential of plastic components from EoL mobile phones.
Substance of ConcernsElementThreshold Limit Ref.
Flame retardantBr1000 ppm[37]
Cl1000 ppm[37]
Sb8300 ppm[38]
Potentially toxic elementCd0.01%wt.[14]
Cr0.1%wt.[14]
Hg0.1%wt.[14]
Pb0.1%wt.[14]
Table 2. Mass balance of the plastic components considered in this study.
Table 2. Mass balance of the plastic components considered in this study.
Feature PhonesSmartphones
CasingFrameScreenCasingFrameScreen
Mass of components0.67 kg1.10 kg0.82 kg0.32 kg0.34 kg0.12 kg
Mass of samples category2.58 kg0.79 kg
Mass of sample set3.37 kg
Table 3. Pearson’s correlation among Br, Sb, Cl, Cr, Pb, and Hg in mobile phone (feature phones and smartphones) plastic components.
Table 3. Pearson’s correlation among Br, Sb, Cl, Cr, Pb, and Hg in mobile phone (feature phones and smartphones) plastic components.
BrSbClPbCrHg
Years−19%2%6%3%9%−1%
Br-−3%−1%−1%−3%−1%
Sb -3%16%2%−2%
Cl -0%0%−3%
Pb -−1%−2%
Cr -−2%
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Bruno, M.; Fiore, S. Recyclability of Plastics from Waste Mobile Phones According to European Union Regulations REACH and RoHS. Materials 2025, 18, 1979. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18091979

AMA Style

Bruno M, Fiore S. Recyclability of Plastics from Waste Mobile Phones According to European Union Regulations REACH and RoHS. Materials. 2025; 18(9):1979. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18091979

Chicago/Turabian Style

Bruno, Martina, and Silvia Fiore. 2025. "Recyclability of Plastics from Waste Mobile Phones According to European Union Regulations REACH and RoHS" Materials 18, no. 9: 1979. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18091979

APA Style

Bruno, M., & Fiore, S. (2025). Recyclability of Plastics from Waste Mobile Phones According to European Union Regulations REACH and RoHS. Materials, 18(9), 1979. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18091979

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop