Trends in the Use and Recovery of Electronic Waste As Aggregates in Eco-friendly Concrete

Abstract

The management of electronic waste (e-waste) mainly from televisions and computers, has turned into an environmental issue due to the increased demand in the electronics sector and the highly toxic contents (mercury, lead, or cadmium) of some of these devices that make them almost unrecoverable. Therefore, these valuable devices become wastes disposed of in landfills. Worldwide, some scholars have proposed recycling methods that re-introduce these wastes streams in the manufacturing process of heavy concrete, pavement, concrete blocks, and clay bricks among other unconventional products. The replacement rates of virgin materials with recycled e-waste fluctuate according to the type of waste. Nevertheless, the use of e-waste generates a positive environmental impact due to the less demand for virgin materials such as river sand and gravel. This study aimed to review the current e-waste recycling state-of-the-art such as circuit boards (PCB), high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), cathode ray tube (CRT), and LCD screens. A systematic review of scientific literature published in the last 10 years (2010–2019) was done through the SCOPUS database. The results showed a maximum potential replacement rate of 40% for this type of waste, given the effect on the physical and thermomechanical properties of the concrete.