Often perceived as mere waste, end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment, known as WEEE, is actually a truly strategic resource. Behind a disused computer lie critical materials, economic value, and an opportunity for the circular economy.
1. An unsuspected wealth of precious metals
Printed circuit boards, processors, connectors, and electronic components contain many high-value materials: gold, palladium, copper, aluminum, rare earths, and more. Some of these have become essential to global industry, but their extraction remains polluting and geopolitically sensitive.
2. A challenge of technological independence
Faced with the scarcity of natural resources and dependence on certain extraction zones (China, Africa, South America), recycling WEEE makes it possible to create a local recovery loop for secondary raw materials. This is a major lever for industrial sovereignty.
3. Tangible economic value
A batch of IT equipment can generate several hundred euros of valuable material, depending on its nature (servers, computers, hard drives, electronic cards, etc.). In France, professional sectors like RECYNEW allow companies to monetize their equipment while complying with regulations.
4. A source of innovation and employment
The WEEE sector generates numerous skilled jobs in sorting, repair, reconditioning, logistics, metal processing, etc. It also supports research into advanced recycling and the eco-design of tomorrow's electronic products.
In short, IT WEEE isn't just ordinary waste. It's a strategic resource that needs to be collected, sorted, and recycled. RECYNEW supports you in this process, which has a significant environmental and economic impact.