Computers, phones and televisions hide valuable materials that can be put back into use. Understand what is recyclable and how recovery works.
Date: 16/10/2025 • Sections: Recycling, Environment, Sustainability
When we think about recycling, we usually picture paper, glass and plastic. Yet electrical and electronic equipment — such as computers, televisions, phones and printers — also holds a high potential for recovery. Each item is made up of different materials, many of them valuable and recyclable, which can be returned to industry if handled correctly.
According to the Global E-waste Monitor 2024, published by the UN and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the world generated more than 60 million tonnes of electronic waste in 2023. Less than 20% of that volume was formally recycled. In Brazil, the e-waste recycling rate is still below 3%, according to the Ministry of the Environment.
Electronics contain metals such as copper, aluminium, gold and silver — all of high economic and energy value. Extracting ore for new products consumes energy and generates carbon emissions. Recycling is therefore a measure of environmental and economic sustainability.
Each piece of equipment contains hundreds of different parts and materials. The recycling process consists of dismantling, separating and directing each fraction to the appropriate destination. Here are the main recyclable components:
Found in computer cases, keyboards and televisions, engineering plastics (such as ABS and polycarbonate) are shredded and turned into granules, which return to industry to make new products.
Copper, iron, aluminium, tin and zinc are present in wires, cables, structures and power supplies. After separation, they are melted down and reintroduced into industrial processes. Copper, for example, can be recycled indefinitely without loss of quality.
Circuit boards are one of the most valuable parts, as they contain precious metals such as gold, silver, palladium and copper. The recycling process is both chemical and physical: printed circuit boards are ground down and pass through controlled chemical baths to recover the metals.
Older CRT monitors and LCD or LED screens contain glass with lead, phosphor and other compounds that require specialised treatment. The uncontaminated parts are recycled and turned into new glass products.
Lithium, nickel and lead-acid batteries are recycled in controlled processes to avoid contamination. The recovered lithium, cobalt and nickel are used again by the energy and electric mobility industry.
These are made up essentially of copper and insulating plastic. In the recycling process, the copper is separated from the sheathing and re-melted, returning to the cable industry or to metal smelting. This type of material is one of the main recycling streams handled by Ecobraz.
They contain copper, iron and aluminium. After dismantling and separation, the metals are recovered and the metal casings are sent for smelting.
Resistors, capacitors and connectors contain valuable minerals in smaller quantities. These items are recycled mainly at industrial plants using mechanical separation and electrostatic separation.
- Receiving and sorting: the equipment arrives at the recycling centre and is classified by type and condition.
- Dismantling: technicians remove reusable parts and separate plastics, metals and boards.
- Shredding and separation: the waste is shredded and passes through magnetic and optical separators to divide the materials.
- Refining and purification: the metal fractions are melted or chemically treated to produce pure raw material.
- Return to industry: the materials go back to cable makers, smelters, manufacturers or new production lines.
Not everything can be recovered. Contaminated parts, industrial adhesives and resins that are difficult to separate are generally sent for co-processing or controlled incineration. Hazardous substances, such as lead and mercury, need specialised treatment in line with the ABNT NBR 16156 standard and CONAMA resolutions.
Ecobraz works on the collection, dismantling, separation and disposal of electronic waste across Brazil. Materials are processed in an environmentally sound manner, with documentation of final destination issued in line with the scope of each project. The organisation's work supports reverse-logistics obligations in Brazil. Find out more at ecobraz.org.
Recycling electronics is not just an environmental practice — it is a global necessity. Each piece of equipment contains dozens of valuable materials which, if discarded incorrectly, can cause contamination and a loss of resources. Proper separation and processing ensure that metals, plastics and glass return to the economy, reducing emissions and promoting sustainability. Consumers are also a fundamental part of this chain: the simple act of handing an electronic device to a licensed operator makes all the difference.
Sources: Global E-waste Monitor 2024 (UN/ITU); ABNT NBR 16156; Decree No. 10,240/2020; Ministry of the Environment; ABREE – Brazilian Association for the Recycling of Electrical and Electronic Equipment.