Recycled aggregates based on plastic waste from WEEE

PEISINO, LUCAS ERNESTO; GAGGINO ROSANA; GÓMEZ MELINA; KREIKER JERÓNIMO; CAPPELLETTI ARIEL; RAGIOTTI BÁRBARA BELÉN

Recycled aggregates: materials and uses.

Nova Science Publishers Inc.

Lugar: Nueva York; Año: 2021; p. 51 - 96

Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), such assmall/big home appliances, TVs, computers and smartphones, has turnedinto a significant and growing pollution issue. WEEE is a complex mixtureof materials and components, and around 25 % in weight is plastic.The plastic components of WEEE (WEEEP) contains about 30-35%w/w of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, 20-25 %w/w of high impactpolystyrene, 20-30 %w/w of polypropylene and 10 %w/w of polycarbonate.The presence of hazardous metals, metalloids and flame retardantshas a negative impact on the recycling of WEEEP, despite their potentialreuse. However, since the volume of this waste is continuously growing,its toxicity produces a rising negative impact on the environment and, inconsequence, on human health. Hence, new technologies are requiredto revalue these wastes, but with no toxic consequences. Numerous examplescan be found from the use of WEEEP as an aggregate to cementmixtures, but without considering its potential polluting power. In orderto diminish WEEE pollution and to bring a effective response to turn thiswaste into a suitable and unharmful material, a novel stabilization strategyhas been developed, consisting on the manufacture of a recycled plasticaggregate (RPA) for construction industry. The aggregate is based on theCore-Shell concept, which implies the use of a grinded WEEEP (core)with several layers of a mixture of cement and activated charcoal (shell).The technology developed is simple, robust, and requires low-cost equipmentand basic infrastructure investment.The Core-Shell strategy produces the stabilization of the hazardouscompounds, mainly BFRs, that have not been stabilized in the cementmatrix. The mechanical properties, together with the physical characteristicof the RPA obtained in this research work, position it as an excellentalternative to be used aggregate in place of sand in cement mortar or inthe manufacture of building component such as bricks, isolating plates orprecast concrete building components.