dingbat
Supreme Mariner
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2001
- Messages
- 15,484
Electronics are packed full of rare earth materials. Gold, silver, platinum, copper, nickel, etc.
Some of this material is very easily extracted and recycled. It is reported that Apple recycles $40M a year in gold from old Apple products alone.
As with anything, the low hanging fruit is the first to go. We (mfg) strip off the top layer (wire, gold connectors, etc.) before sending to recycling.
From there the recyclers strip off the next layers before sending it to the next level.
At some point the reclamation process becomes cost preventative to a company In the developed world.
The key work here is “cost preventative”. That doesn’t mean the material has no value. Its just that the low hanging fruit has been exhausted.
At this point the remains are sold off and shipped to places like India and SE Asia where the material is a treasure trove for someone with a wife and three kids living off the equivalent of $150 USD a year.