“The semiconductor industry is very skeptical about recycling of semis”

An interview with Ole Gerkensmeyer, Vice President EMEA Sales at Nexperia. By Engelbert Hopf, senior editor at WEKA Fachmedien

Without comprehensive electrification and digitalisation, it will hardly be possible to achieve the goal of an all-electric society. Conversely, what does this mean for electronic waste?

The UNTAR “e-waste monitor 2024” records e-waste as the fasted waste stream globally with a growing trend, and so does the EU by the way, based on data for the year 2022. Besides the UN we have consensus across larger economic expert groups like McKinsey and others, that cloud computing and AI, transportation in all forms, the electrification of many industries like steel and construction, as well as the need to respond to the consequences of global warming, desalination and more air conditioning will require an even faster growth of electronic demand – and unfortunately, e-waste.

Can you give us an idea of the current dimension of electronic waste? To what extent has it increased in recent years?

The UNITAR report lists 62 m tons of e-waste for 2022. Growth is here.

Are there any estimates as to how big the problem could become in the future if things continue as they are? Are there also committed scenarios for the future?

Short answer: UNITAR see 4 scenarios: normal, progressive, ambitious and aspirational with growing amount of waste but also growing amount of biz potential, but: The graphic suggests that the higher the purchasing power of a country, the higher contribution to e-waste. As a scenario moving forward: as we aim to reduce world hunger and poverty one of the consequences likely is an exponential increase in e-waste.

Committed scenarios: well, in the EU we have now the right to repair since 2024, which is a start but nowhere close to the necessities for reducing e-waste beyond recycling. The EU recommends circular economy and “highest possible re-use“ but so far I have not yet met a single electronic company who does that.

Electronic waste ranges from large appliances, such as those used in medical technology, to electronic toys. Which of these categories contributes most to the growth of electronic waste?

Please note that transportation with electric cars is NOT YET a category! 

If we break the whole thing down to power semiconductors, what significance has recycling had for this sector so far, and what significance could it take on in the future?

The semiconductor industry is very skeptical about recycling of semis given that any known processes are rather destructive to the devices. As such “recycling“ of semis is little to not meaningful.

When it comes to recycling, it’s always about the quality of the recycled materials. Is this generally sufficient for reuse, or are there only a few material areas in which recycled materials could be used again in the electronics industry?

Recycling in electronics typically describes as what is written in the “WEEE“ guidelines, basically the disassembly into ingredients without electronic function. So, in short: re-use would only be possible “prior“ to recycling, id est through modular application design with modular electronic systems which can be exchanged.

Does the recycling of materials in the electronics industry currently make economic sense at all, or are the prices on the global market at a level that would make the use of recycled materials economically unattractive?

Recycling does make sense, and as UNITAR has pointed out there is a massive potential still through higher recycling rates and urban mining, 30 – 50 billion dollars a year. However, “just“ looking at recycling would ignore the fact that many electronic boards and systems are fully functional when they are recycled, as such we – as society – throw away fully functional products – that does NOT seem to be smart.

How high is the share of European, Asian and American industrialised countries in the ‘production’ of electronic waste? Do these countries have politically defined targets regarding the collection and recycling of electronic waste?

Europe is leading the pack with 17.6 kg/capita e-waste. Outside Europe we have a growing number of countries, starting to define targets for e-waste reduction and increased recycling rates.

The public consciousness often associates electronic waste with electronic waste dumps in Africa. How big is the problem of illegally disposed electronic waste, which can then hardly be recycled effectively in developing and newly industrialising countries?

I think, we as society do NOT GRASP the size of the problem yet. As per above, we release several tons of very toxic materials into the earth, polluting drinking water, causing trees and plants to die, then animals and then us. It is not just a problem in underdeveloped countries, in the EU we recycle 42 percent, but that means the 58 percent of e-waste are rotting in undetermined state – I‘m not sure our grandchildren will be happy with today‘s ignorance.

Would repair and refurbishment be a complementary way in the electronics industry to avoid further increasing electronic waste? How much progress has been made on these issues so far?

Little to none: in the year 2024, the EU created the law for “right to repair“ but this is just starting, try to repair your electric car, your washing machine, coffee machine, mobile phone,…

What contribution could component manufacturers make to reducing the constant increase in electronic waste? Aim for higher levels of integration, promote the use of module solutions?

In my view all involved parties can provide:

• information on the durability of the products
• tools how to measure durability/health over operating life time
• strongly promote modular usage with options for exchange/swap/upgrade – and circular business cases where to use the swapped/exchanged old modules
• upstream education through the supply chain, pointing out “throw-away“ design mentality and suggest/recommend more sustainable options

The questions were asked by E. Hopf.