Recycling processing volumes increased again in 2024
The volume of waste electrical and electronic equipment processed in 2024 increased by 2% compared with the previous year. Particularly significant was the increase in large and small electrical appliances. The volume of solar panels processed also doubled compared with 2023 – a sign of the increasing return of these components to the material cycle. On the other hand, the volumes of refrigerators, freezers, air-conditioning appliances and electronic equipment processed all declined.
In 2024, the Swico and SENS recycling companies processed around 135,200 tonnes of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in total. This represents an increase of 2% compared with the previous year (see Table 1 and Figure 1). After a temporary drop in volumes in 2021 and 2022, the positive trend has continued over the past two years. The increase in large and small electrical appliances is particularly notable: both categories grew by 8% compared with 2023. This confirms the long-term trend of continued modest growth in these areas. The volume of solar panels processed doubled compared with the previous year.
When it comes to refrigerators, freezers and air-conditioners, however, in contrast to the overall trend, the volumes processed fell by 8% in 2024. Nevertheless, the annual processing volume in this category has remained stable, at around 20,000 tonnes, for more than 10 years. The downward trend also continued in the area of electronic equipment, where the 3% drop continued the decline observed since 2012.
The volume of lighting equipment processed in 2024 was around 1,000 tonnes, which is in line with the long-term average.
Recovering recyclables
Various fractions of recyclables and pollutants are recovered through the manual and mechanical processing of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) (see Figure 2). Ferrous metals make up the largest proportion of recyclable materials, accounting for around 50% of the recovered volume. Plastic/metal mixtures account for around 18%, followed by non-ferrous metals at 9% and plastics2 at 7%. Cable and glass each account for between 1% and 2% of the total quantity of recyclables and pollutants. Printed circuit boards, which are particularly valuable, account for around 1.6% of the total quantity.
The recovered fractions of recyclables are sent for further recovery, either in the form of material or thermal treatment. In such cases, Swico and SENS recycling companies must provide material flow certificates for these downstream processes to ensure complete documentation of further processing. Certain downstream recipients are audited by the Swico/SENS TC auditors.
Ferrous metals are further processed in Switzerland or the EU. Plastic/metal mixtures are further separated in downstream processes; depending on the separation method used and the composition, both metals and, in some cases, plastics can be recovered. Some mixed fractions are still sent directly for energy recovery, although this proportion is continually decreasing thanks to new processing options. Glass fractions, cables, printed circuit boards and batteries are also sent for special processing – often in the EU.
Pollutant removal
The proportion of pollutants produced accounts for around 1% of the total quantity of recyclables and pollutants (see Figure 2). Batteries comprise the largest proportion of pollutants at 61%, followed by capacitors at 15%. Mixtures of refrigerants and blowing agents, oil and residues containing mercury account for between 5% and 10% of the amount of pollutants produced.
Removing pollutants from WEEE is, alongside returning recyclables to the material cycle, one of the main tasks undertaken by Swiss recycling companies. Pollutants are either removed manually in dismantling facilities or separated mechanically using specialised processes. For example, in the case of large household appliances, capacitors suspected of containing PCBs are removed manually, as are ballasts in lighting equipment and batteries in small household appliances. The removal and handling of pollutants must be continuously adapted to new technologies and current scientific knowledge. Companies must also remain capable of properly removing and disposing of pollutants from older generations of equipment.
These stringent requirements regarding their work mean dismantling and recycling companies must implement high-level quality assurance systems to ensure safe and environmentally friendly handling of WEEE.
Trends in dismantling
Figure 3 shows how the quantities of the battery, capacitor and printed circuit-board fractions have developed over the years, relative to the total quantity of all devices processed. The proportion of printed circuit boards, which are often separated manually, increased in both 2023 and 2024, reversing the downward trend observed in previous years. Only time will tell whether the increase in the last two years is a short-term fluctuation or a sustained reversal of the trend. In contrast, the proportion of batteries is increasing in the longer term, even though there has been a decline in the past two years. Increased awareness on the part of dismantling and recycling companies of the hazards in dealing with lithium batteries has meant greater care is now taken when manually removing batteries. The number of battery-powered devices on the market is also increasing. The proportion of capacitors removed remains steady at just under 0.2% and has hardly changed over the years.
Take-back and composition of electronic equipment
Swico Recycling regularly analyses the quantities taken back and the composition of electronic equipment. To this end, Swico Recycling conducts market-basket analyses of and processing tests on various product groups (see Table 2). In 2024, Swico Recycling took back around 39,500 tonnes1 of electronic equipment – an increase of 1% compared to the previous year.
The quantities of CRT monitors and televisions continued to decline, thereby perpetuating the long-term downward trend. In contrast, more flat-screen monitors were taken back compared with the previous year, but fewer flat-screen televisions. The total mass and unit numbers of mobile phones and consumer electronics increased during the same period.
For the other fractions, such as PCs, laptops, printers, photocopiers and other IT equipment, the mass collected increased due to the greater number of units.
The composition of the individual equipment categories is determined by processing tests carried out by Swico Recycling companies. To this end, a set quantity of devices is collected and systematically dismantled; the quantity and quality of the resulting fractions are recorded in the process.
Details of the take-back quantities of electronic equipment and their composition are presented in Table 2.