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Legislation, REACH, WEEE and RoHS News
News Release from: C-Tech Innovation | Subject: WEEE software
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 09 April 2008
Economic analysis s/w for end-of-life
WEEE options
A UK company has developed an analytical software tool that enables economic assessments and comparisons of end-of-life options for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
This software tool analyses all types of waste electronic and electrical systems and equipment It is based on a waste hierarchy approach and represents a powerful method of performing cost comparisons between the various options for WEEE at product end-of-life, for example, re-use, repair and recycle
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 17 Jul 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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The developer of the software is C-Tech Innovation, a technology development and multi-disciplinary consultancy company based in Capenhurst near Chester.
Stuart Dalrymple, Project Manager at C-Tech comments: "Two years ago, we carried out a DEFRA-funded project that looked at the economic analysis of end-of-life waste electronic and electrical equipment and how we could make the analyses faster and easier to perform.
The software grew out of this project".
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The software analyses the breakdown of an electronic or electrical product into its component parts.
Products can range from an individual PCB to a complete mobile phone, washing machine or television.
This complete product break down at end-of-life enables economic cost comparisons with regard to re-use, repair, recycling and waste management options, to be made.
By considering the available options, an informed overall economic decision can then be made by a company about a particular product or waste stream in a given scenario.
For example, in the case of the end-of-life options for a mobile phone, a certain percentage of the product will be re-used or repaired and a certain percentage wasted or recycled.
In the software programme, each of these options carries a positive or negative economic weighting.
The software then enables the user to simulate different scenarios for a particular product (or even a mixed waste stream) with the overall rating or score being positive or negative.
The designer of the mobile phone, for example, may use the software to decide how best to re-design the product for end-of-life recycling.
Dalrymple continues: "C-Tech is making the software available to waste and recycling companies, private industrial companies and councils alike, enabling them to take advantage of the facility through utilisation of the C-Tech hands-on consultancy service".
In recognition of the innovative approach taken by C-Tech to help UK firms tackle waste management issues using the analytical tool, the company was recently awarded a 'Rushlight Waste Collection Award'.
The Rushlight Awards recognise the significant achievements of UK and Irish technology, innovation and commerce in helping to address the key issues of climate change, waste and pollution management.
The objective of the Awards is to boost the use of low carbon technologies, encourage research and development and to inform, educate and persuade individuals and companies about what is available and so what can be done to respond to climate change, as well as current waste and pollution management issues.
The Waste Collection Award is designed to celebrate and publicise the significant achievements in the waste industry in developing ways to collect waste that lessen its impact on the environment.
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