The Challenge of Plastic Management for Waste Electrical and Electric Equipment Recycling in the Global South: A Case Comparison between Europe and Latin America

Countries with emerging legislation on the waste electrical and electric equipment (WEEE), but limited infrastructure, may find in other, more robust, systems tools to develop adaptable socioeconomically viable management schemes. Additives found plastics electronic goods, such as brominated flame retardants (BFRs), are components of a safety system, introduce characteristics that result their being hazardous. Established regulatory need implement impacts WEEE, reduce risks human health environment, while maximising opportunities for resource recovery from widely varying materials. To assess context developed systems, baseline study was undertaken WEEE Scotland Uruguay. For identification BFRs plastics, an internationally validated screening methodology using X-ray fluorescence adopted at different processing operations. It observed that, threshold 830 mg/kg Br BFR tracer, Scotland, than 70% would be recyclable, while, Uruguay, fraction dropped 50%. These results, wider literature discussion, highlight impact frameworks have quality recyclability recovered material. We identify future actions considered by policy-makers sustainable approach.