Annual Report - Sens

The success of the SENS take-back and recycling system is
based on a coordinated and contractually governed partnership
and clearly allocated tasks and responsibilities.
Future technologies require optimum recycling
SENS not only uses successful, sustainable take-back and
recycling methods for those appliances currently listed in the
VREG, but also conducts ongoing studies on innovations, market
requirements and developmental trends in the industry.
The example of photovoltaics
A relatively recent technology preoccupying the recycling
industry at present is photovoltaics. Photovoltaics uses solar
cells to convert light energy into electrical energy and is playing
an increasingly important part in the future global energy
supply. The industry is already important in economic terms
in countries other than Switzerland and has created several
thousand jobs and generated turnover totalling billions.
Due to the comparatively long life of solar modules, around
25 years, the industry has produced relatively little waste as
yet. Since the first large solar power plants were installed early
in the 1990s, a large number of photovoltaic modules will be
nearing the end of their life cycle in the next few years. Moreover,
the products, or rather the photovoltaic cells, contain
indium, a rare metal (or rare earth element). Rare metals are
indispensable ingredients of modern technologies on account
of their special properties. The supply of rare metals is therefore
crucial for manufacturing and further developing not only
photovoltaics but also many other innovative technologies. It is
thus essential to develop efficient recycling technologies for
recovering these commodities.
Challenges of new products
To be able to complete the materials cycles with new products
as well, and consistently recycle the metals brought into circulation,
the used materials in question will have to be integrated
into an appropriate take-back and recycling system. With this
in mind, in January 2012 the European Parliament decided that
Expertise
in the future solar panels would also be included in the WEEE
Directive. The EU intends to stipulate a specific collection rate
by the end of 2012, aiming to extend and develop existing
collection and recycling structures. As a member of the WEEE
Forum, SENS is involved in developing structural requirements
for a technically and financially feasible, efficient recycling
system for rare earth elements.
Rare metals in brief
Electronic appliances contain minute quantities of many rare metals,
also known as rare earth elements. These give the materials used
important properties, enabling many of the functions of today’s appliances.
Since the 1990s the quantity of rare metals used in industry
has been continually increasing, and the available deposits of indium,
antimony and silver, for example, could be exhausted in the foreseeable
future. Indium is used in the manufacture of many products,
including flat screens and the types of thin-film cells used in
photovoltaics. SENS is working hard on further developing recycling
technologies for recovering these metals efficiently. SENS functions
as an information hub thanks to its extensive network of manufacturers
and importers, recycling companies, scientists and researchers.
Issues
Rare metals:
Unknown constant companions
Download at
� www.sens-international.org / en / think-tank /
SENS Annual Report 2011 11