E-waste

Discarded electronics can be a gold mine – literally. Researchers have developed an efficient new way to use graphene to recover gold from electronic waste, without needing any other chemicals or energy.

As 3D-printed electrical circuits become more widely produced, the problem of electronic waste could correspondingly get worse. That's why Swiss scientists have developed a new natural-source "e-ink" that biodegrades once discarded.

E-waste is a major environmental hazard, full of valuable metals. Engineers at Rice University have now shown that precious metals and rare earth minerals can be recovered by flash-heating ground-up electronics with a zap of electricity.

In reality, the inherent difficulties of recycling electronic devices creates many millions of tons of electronic waste each year, but new research shows how we might chip away at this problem by having key components dissolve in water.

As technology continues to evolve, we're going to see an increasing number of battery-powered connected devices – some of which will be single-use, like shipping packaging. A new biodegradable mini-capacitor has been created with such uses in mind.

Eyeing solutions to our e-waste problem, engineers have developed the world's first fully recyclable printed electronics, demonstrated in a transistor that can be reduced to its original building blocks with the help of baths and sound waves.

Californian startup Framework says that it was founded to provide quality products that can be customized, upgraded and repaired with ease. The company has today launched a 13.5-inch laptop aimed at ticking all of those boxes.

While there are now many appliances that can be controlled via the internet, each one of those has to incorporate Internet of Things (IoT) electronics. Engineers have now created a system that moves those electronics to the home's wall outlets.

E-waste is a growing problem, so if an electronic component can't be reused or recycled, it should at least be biodegradable. That's where an experimental new electronic display comes in, as it can be composted when no longer needed.

Electronic waste can be difficult to repurpose, as it often consists of two or more mixed materials. Now, however, Australian scientists have developed a method of converting so-called e-waste into a protective coating for steel.

Our love of gadgets and technology is leading to a huge electronic waste problem. TCO Development, the folks behind the global sustainability certification, has announced a new initiative to help with our growing e-waste problem.

Disassembling electronics into their various components for recycling is a laborious process, and involves the use of eco-unfriendly solvents. Now, however, scientists have developed a magnetically-deactivated glue that could address these problems.