Recovering value from mixed shredder residue
Shredder residue from waste electrical and electronic equipment is rarely a single commodity. It can mix copper wiring and aluminium with ABS, HIPS, polycarbonate and coated plastics, while batteries, toner, glass and organic contaminants add further variability. For precious-metals recovery, this mixed plastic-and-metal feedstock from shredder residue dilutes value, raises handling risk and makes conventional bulk acid refining inefficient.
ALS2Project presents Ikoi S.p.A.’s acidless separation technology as a way to concentrate valuable metal-bearing material before refining. Backed by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, the approach is aimed at compact recovery plants that can operate alongside WEEE recycling infrastructure. For Australian operators, its value depends on matching the technology to local feed composition, logistics and regulatory conditions.
A different route through mixed feed
ALS2 addresses the problem at the front of the recovery chain. Rather than dissolving an entire mixed residue stream in acid, the technology separates metal-bearing material from plastic-rich fractions and produces more concentrated, traceable outputs. This can reduce the quantity of feed requiring chemical treatment while preserving opportunities for suitable plastic recycling or refining.
Key operational differences shape the commercial case:
| Consideration | Conventional bulk acid refining | ALS2 mixed-residue separation |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment approach | Dissolves a broad mass of feed | Concentrates metal-bearing material without acids as the primary separator |
| Plastic contamination | Can increase reagent consumption and residue volume | Keeps more plastic-rich material within a separate grading stream |
| Main hazards | Corrosive liquids, heat, gas handling and liquid effluent | Dust, entanglement, batteries, coated components and fire risks |
| Plant requirements | Often substantial chemical and wastewater infrastructure | Potential for compact modules near an existing WEEE line |
| Typical outputs | High-assay metal solutions | Concentrates or specification-ready fractions requiring appropriate downstream processing |
| Commercial evidence | Throughput, reagent recovery and solution purity | Feed compatibility, metal capture, product purity, uptime and residue handling |
The separation stage does not replace every downstream refinery. Recovered metal fractions may still require smelting, electrorefining or other approved processing, and plastic outputs may need further sorting. Its potential benefit is a smaller, more uniform high-value stream entering those later stages, with less bulk material exposed to corrosive chemistry.
Characterising the feed before separation
Reliable separation starts with representative sampling rather than assumptions based on a plant’s general WEEE intake. Operators should test particle size, moisture, metal content, polymer type, coatings and hazardous constituents across several production batches. A sample taken from one shift can over-represent a particular appliance stream and lead to unrealistic recovery estimates.
In practice, mixed residue may pass through screening, density separation, magnetic separation or eddy-current separation before finer sorting. These stages remove readily identifiable metals or narrow particle-size bands, but they cannot resolve every case. Lightweight aluminium, porous plastics, laminated foils and metal-plated components may remain mixed or appear in the wrong fraction. ALS2 therefore needs to be evaluated against actual liberation and contamination rather than a generic electronics-waste average.
Feed controls also determine whether a separation campaign is safe and sustainable. Batteries should be removed before shredding wherever possible, while dust extraction, fire controls and inspection points address the risks created by shredded polymers and metal fragments. Acidless operation avoids adding bulk corrosive liquid, but it does not make brominated plastics, cadmium-bearing coatings or lead-contaminated residues safe. Each output stream still requires appropriate testing and a compliant destination.
Building an Australian recovery pathway
A modular ALS2 installation could suit metropolitan WEEE facilities in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, where mixed electronics are already consolidated and shredded. Locating separation beside an established collection and processing network reduces freight, handling and moisture exposure. It can also give councils and commercial waste operators a practical route to recover value from streams that currently travel longer distances or receive limited downstream treatment.
Regulatory planning should cover both waste movements and imported equipment. Australian Border Force handles customs formalities, while exports of waste and certain controlled materials are regulated through the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and related arrangements. State and territory rules can also apply to interstate transfers, hazardous waste and transport. Operators should confirm permits and commodity classifications before importing an ALS2 module or sending a representative sample across borders.
Standards and producer responsibility schemes create another layer of local accountability. Processing and handling activities should be checked against AS/NZS 5131, the Australian standard for electrical and electronic equipment reuse and recycling, as well as the e-waste stewardship arrangements operating through NSW, Victoria, Queensland and other jurisdictions. These systems can provide evidence of controlled recovery, but they do not guarantee acceptance of every output fraction.
The commercial opportunity is strengthened by Australia’s focus on critical minerals. Copper, gold, tin and other recoverable metals sit within the national Critical Minerals Strategy, while recycled material is increasingly relevant to manufacturers seeking traceable secondary inputs. A successful plant would still need to demonstrate consistent assays, predictable residue routes and costs that remain competitive with established refining channels. Local electricity prices, labour availability and transport distances must therefore be included in the investment case.
Controlling safety and proving recovered value
Acidless separation can reduce exposure to corrosive liquids and the volume of chemical effluent, but safe deployment still depends on an engineered hazard assessment. Shredded plastic can create combustible dust, static and entanglement hazards, while damaged batteries may remain in the feed. Local ventilation, fire suppression, access controls, maintenance procedures and operator training should be aligned with the risks identified during the trial rather than copied from a European installation.
Commercial performance requires evidence that can survive independent review. A mass balance should track incoming weight, each recovered fraction, residual material, moisture, downtime and re-processing. Metal recovery should be reported alongside product purity, because a high recovery rate has limited value if the concentrate carries excessive plastic or cannot meet a downstream refinery’s specifications. The same test should apply to the fate of non-target metals and plastic-rich residues.
Horizon 2020 support provides useful research and development context, but local validation remains essential. The partner’s spectroscopic process expertise is summarised in spectroscopic process expertise. Australian buyers should request supporting assay methods, test data and operating records, then verify them through a campaign using a representative local feed. Independent weighing, sampling and laboratory analysis can convert those references into a defensible basis for procurement.
Trial ALS2 with a representative Australian stream
A prudent first deployment would occur at an existing WEEE facility using material collected across multiple shifts and appliance categories. The trial should establish a conventional baseline, measure feed composition and track every output through an agreed mass balance. Acceptance criteria can then cover metal recovery, concentration quality, throughput, uptime, operator exposure and the cost and destination of remaining residues.
The next step is to contact Ikoi S.p.A. and the ALS2Project team with a representative Australian feed profile. Request a technical compatibility review, material sampling protocol, downstream acceptance criteria and an indicative business case, then select a host site near an established WEEE stream for a monitored pilot campaign.