E-waste recycling process
Our main work is solar cells and solar modules. Below is how broken silicon cells are recovered, followed by the nine stages we use for IT equipment.
Solar scrap recovery
Broken silicon solar cells can be recovered for valuable materials, especially silicon, silver, aluminium and copper. The best recovery method depends on whether you have loose broken cells from manufacturing scrap or cells recovered from damaged solar modules.
1. Solar cell recovery process flow
Step 01 / 05Separate broken cells, intact cells, cell fragments and mixed module scrap.
Remove dust, glass particles, plastic, ribbons and other contaminants.
Separate silicon-rich fragments from metal contacts and attached materials.
Recover silver and other metals, and process silicon for reuse where technically and economically viable.
Test the recovered materials for purity and composition.
2. What materials can you recover?
The main semiconductor material. Broken fragments may be suitable for specialised silicon recovery, but generally cannot be used directly as new solar-grade wafers.
Present in the front and rear electrical contacts, depending on cell technology. Recovery usually requires specialised refining and chemical processing.
Found in the rear-side contact layer of many cells, and in the frames when cells come from module disassembly.
May be present in solder ribbons, interconnects and attached metallisation. These are more relevant when cells come from module disassembly.
Solar modules
Recycling broken solar panels can recover valuable materials such as aluminium, glass, copper, silicon and silver. The most practical approach is to separate reusable components first, recover bulk materials mechanically, and send complex or precious-metal-bearing fractions to specialised refiners.
1. Complete solar panel recycling process
Receive broken, damaged, defective or end-of-life modules. Record quantities and identify module types.
Remove aluminium frames, junction boxes, cables and accessible connectors.
Separate glass from the encapsulated cell laminate using suitable mechanical or thermal processing.
Process the laminate to separate silicon-cell fragments, copper ribbons, polymers and metal-bearing residues.
Recover suitable glass and metals, send silver-bearing fractions for refining, and evaluate silicon for reuse.
2. Materials recovered from a broken solar module
Easy to recover
Remove mechanically and send to aluminium recyclers.
High-volume material
Recover clean glass where possible. Embedded polymers and cell fragments can reduce its value.
Mechanical recovery
Separate cables, connectors, junction-box conductors and interconnect ribbons.
Specialised processing
Separate the cell-bearing laminate, then use suitable physical and refining processes to recover silicon-rich material and silver-bearing fractions.
Difficult-to-recycle fraction
These polymers bind the layers together. Separating them is one of the main technical challenges in solar panel recycling.
3. Three processing methods for a recycling plant
ABest starting point
Advantages: Relatively straightforward equipment and recovery of bulk materials. However, ordinary crushing often produces mixed, lower-value fractions.
BControlled heat
Advantages: Can improve access to cells and embedded metals. Requires temperature control, emission treatment and careful management of potentially hazardous gases.
CSpecialist refining
Advantages: Potential for higher-purity recovered metals. Best suited to a specialised refining operation, rather than an untested small-scale chemical setup.
These methods can also be combined. Mechanical dismantling is common commercially, while advanced delamination and chemical processes can increase material purity but may raise capital, operating and environmental-control costs.
4. Equipment required for a solar recycling plant
| Equipment | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Panel handling racks and lifting equipment | Safe movement and storage |
| Frame dismantling tools or machine | Aluminium recovery |
| Junction-box and cable removal tools | Copper and cable recovery |
| Glass breaker or laminate separator | Glass and laminate processing |
| Shredder or crusher with dust control | Size reduction, if required |
| Vibrating screens and separators | Material classification |
| Dust extraction and filtration | Worker and environmental protection |
| Industrial furnace or delamination system | Optional advanced processing |
| Refining, filtration and effluent-treatment equipment | Optional metal recovery |
Not every machine is needed at the beginning. A small facility can start with safe dismantling and sorting, then pass the laminate and cell-rich fractions to a specialised recycler.
5. Example material flow from 1 tonne of broken panels
An illustrative planning example for a crystalline-silicon module, not a guaranteed recovery yield. Actual quantities depend on panel construction, damage, contamination and separation efficiency.
Approximate mass fractions for planning. Actual module composition varies.
IT equipment · 9 stages
Our vehicle collects from your site in sealed bins. Every load is weighed and the slip shared with you.
You get: Pickup receipt · weight record
Every device that holds data is logged by serial number before it goes anywhere else.
You get: Itemised asset list
Drives are software-wiped, degaussed or physically shredded, depending on what you need.
You get: Certificate of Data Destruction
Equipment that still works is tested and reused where possible.
You get: Buy-back value where applicable
Batteries and hazardous parts come out first. Then boards, cables, metals, plastics and glass are separated by hand.
Shredding, magnets for steel, eddy currents for aluminium, density tables for copper.
Copper, aluminium, steel and plastics go back to manufacturers. Circuit boards go to precious-metal recovery.
What can't be recovered goes to authorised hazardous-waste facilities, never to landfill or open burning.
You receive recycling and destruction certificates and the documents your compliance and ESG reports need.
You get: Recycling certificate · compliance pack
The yield
Typical recoverable metal in one tonne of printed circuit boards. Gold content varies widely by board grade. Bars use a log scale.
Paperwork
Recycling you can prove. Every job comes with documents your auditors, compliance team and ESG report can rely on.
Gross, tare and net weight of every load.
Serial numbers of every data-bearing device.
Method used and serials covered.
Confirms responsible processing, for your audits.
Transport document (Form 6) under the E-Waste Rules.
Proper paperwork on every commercial movement.
Questions
Collection and weighing, logging every data-bearing device, destroying data, testing equipment for reuse, dismantling by hand, mechanical separation of metals and plastics, recovering materials, safely disposing of residue, and issuing certificates.
Depending on your requirement: software wiping to recognised standards, degaussing, or physical shredding. You receive a Certificate of Data Destruction listing the serial numbers covered.
Residues that can't be recovered go to authorised hazardous-waste treatment facilities. Nothing is burned in the open or dumped.
Yes: weighment records, a recycling certificate, destruction certificates and the transport manifest, ready for audits, ESG/BRSR reports and the e-waste returns that bulk consumers must file.
Contact Us
Tell us what you have and where it is. We will send you a quote, collect it, and give you the paperwork.
Tell us what you have and where it is. We will get back to you with a quote.
