Development of partially‐automated disassembly plants for regaining reusable parts

Recycling of glass and paper found in household refuse is recognized as environmentally desirable but, as yet, little has been done to facilitate the recycling of hard‐wearing consumer goods, the majority of which are either dumped in land‐fill sites or incinerated. Complex consumer durables contain a wide variety of materials, all of which must be separated before efficient recycling can take place. Reports on the Eureka CLEANTECH project which aims to find new technological solutions for cost‐effective reuse of components and sub‐assemblies, as well as waste reduction for products with mainly electrical and electronic components.