The Business of Electronics Recycling – Plastics Recovery

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MBA Polymers, Inc.
The Business of Electronics Recycling Plastics
Recovery
Dr. Darren F. Arola
ISRI Electronics Recycling Business Summit April
5-6, 2006 Las Vegas, NV
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MBA Polymers, Inc.
Company Information
Multinational plastics resin manufacturer.
MBAs raw material is waste plastic from durable
goods recycling - key player in the recycling
loop.
MBA sells post-consumer plastics to be used in
the manufacture of new durable goods.
Unlike most recyclers, MBA is high-tech
and establishing a global manufacturing footprint.
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Oil or Scrap?
MBA Polymers, Inc.
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MBA Polymers, Inc.
Benefits of Plastic Recycling (MBA model)

• lt10 of the energy consumption.
• Saves 2-3 kg of CO2 gas emissions per kg of
  recycled plastic manufactured.
• Lowers crude oil consumption.
• Plants are less expensive to build and more
  flexible.
• No chemicals used in the recovery of marketable
  plastics.
• Reduces landfilling and incineration.
• Environmentally responsible.

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MBA Polymers, Inc.
Is it Difficult.?

• Rapidly changing industry (legislation in US,
  WEEE, RoHS).

• Post-consumer plastics from e-waste are a
  relatively new material.

• Complex waste streams (different types and
• grades of plastics).

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Why is Plastics Recycling Difficult?
Durable goods recyclers produce a complicated
plastics-rich byproduct stream.
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Example of Clean Electronics Shredder Residue
(Primarily Computer/Business Eqpt - USA)
FR
FR
FR
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Example of Clean Automotive Shredder Residue
US
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MBA Polymers, Inc.
Shredded Mixed Plastics
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MBA Polymers, Inc.
Ground Mixed Plastics
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MBA Polymers, Inc.
Options for Plastic Waste

• Landfill
• Banned in some countries, costs escalating,
  pollution concerns.

• Incineration
• Costly, air quality concerns, capacity issues.

• Brokers or directly to third-world recyclers
• Might not be legal in some countries due to
  material make-up, broker/recycler stability,
  environmental standards and practices.

• World Class Recycling
• Large customers striving to close the loop
  require high-tech global solutions to supplement
  their take-back and manufacturing footprint.

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MBA Polymers, Inc.
Why World Class Recycling?
In order to close the loop, our customers
demand Virgin-like product quality.
Large volumes. Uniformity and
consistency. Certifications (ISO, UL, RoHS,
etc.). Environmental responsibility.
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MBA Polymers, Inc.
MBA Technology
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Closing the Loop
MBA Polymers, Inc.
Refurbish, parts, metals, glass, etc.
Consumers
OEMs, EMSs, molders
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MBA Polymers, Inc.
Customer Applications
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MBA Polymers, Inc.
Is it Difficult.?

• Rapidly changing industry (legislation in US,
  WEEE, RoHS).
• Post-consumer plastics from e-waste are a
  relatively new material.
• Complex waste streams (different types and
  grades of plastics).
• Global manufacturing footprint difficult to
  implement.

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MBA Polymers, Inc.
Why a Global Footprint?
Customers want global service.
Closing the loop is a priority for OEMs.
Site locations influenced by raw material
sourcing durable goods manufacturing locations.
Recycling legislation facilitates the supply of
plastic scrap raw material.
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Current MBA Operations
Austria
California
Guangzhou
MBA Polymers, Inc.
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MBA Polymers, Inc.
MBA Operations
California leading the US in recycling
legislation. Corporate headquarters
pilot-scale processing.
China the most rapidly growing market in the
world importing 50 of their plastic raw
materials.
Europe implementation of a comprehensive
program focused upon the recovery, treatment,
and recycling of e-waste (WEEE directive).
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• A joint-venture between
• MBA Polymers and
• Guangzhou Iron Steel Enterprises Holdings, Ltd.
• Location
• Guangzhou, China
• Nansha Development Zone
• Easy access of Guangdong Province and beyond
• Capacity
• 40 000 Tons per annum
• Grand Opening
• November 2005

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Material Separations Automated Eqpt
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Material Separations Automated Eqpt
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Formulation Extrusion
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Product Storage QA Lab
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Customer Applications
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• A joint-venture between
• MBA Polymers and
• Müller-Gutenbrunn
• Location
• Kematen an der Ybbs
• Danube vincinity
• Easy access Western/ Eastern Europe
• Capacity
• 40 000 Tons per annum
• Grand Opening
• March 2006

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MBA Austria Plant
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Raw material
Feeding the plant
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Material Separations
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Product Bins
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Formulation Extrusion
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QA Lab
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MBA Polymers, Inc.
Global Footprint Challenges

• Cultural and Business Practice Differences
• Negotiation of agreements
• Rule of law verses tradition and relationships

• Financing a Project in a Rapidly Changing
  Environment
• Convincing investors to put in equity
• Partners equity
• Bank financing

• Developing Government Regulations
• Importing raw materials
• Permits

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MBA Polymers, Inc.
Global Footprint Challenges

• Intellectual Property Protection
• Infrastructure and Service Support
• Engineering
• Equipment
• Contractors
• Supporting Overseas Projects
• Recruiting and retaining staff
• Weekly conference calls in a multicultural
  environment
• Translation of documents and conversations
• Staff living away from family working in
  difficult environments (language, food, weather)

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World Class Recycling - Closing the Loop
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MBA Polymers, Inc.
Increasing Metal Plastics Recovery

• Plastic sources often still contain
• Ferrous Metal
• Non-Ferrous Metal
• Printed Circuit Boards Wires

Plastics recovery would increase if the shredder
residue was upgraded. This would allow the
shredder to keep more metal and the plastics
recycler to receive more plastic. We call this
Pre-Processing.
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MBA Polymers, Inc.
What is Pre-Processing?
Pre-Processing upgrades raw shredded material
MBA Polymers Business
Item Aggregation
Metal Recycling (shredders)
Plastic Sourcing
Plastic Marketing Sales
Value-add services
Plastic Recycling
Other MBA Processing Steps
Pre-Processing

• Large Appliances
• Small Appliances
• Electronics
• TVs, Monitors
• Automobiles

• Pre-Processing is
• Upgrading of raw shredded material (RSM)
• Removal of additional non-plastic waste
• Concentration of plastics
• PPM can be exported more reliably
• Pre-Processing is normally performed at MBAs
  plants.
• Pre-Processing can be performed regionally before
  shipment to MBAs plants

Raw-shredded material (RSM)
Pre-processed material (PPM)
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MBA Polymers, Inc.
Pre-Processing Technology

• MBox
• Low cost, modular unit to increase separation
  results.
• Concentrates plastics, metals, and lights.
• Provides economic and risk avoidance advantages.
• - Lowers shipping costs of plastic-rich streams.
• - Keeps more metals with metal recycler.
• - Lowers export/import risks.

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MBA Polymers, Inc.
MBox Conceptual Drawing
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MBA Polymers, Inc.
Plastics Enrichment
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MBA Polymers, Inc.
MBox Product Streams
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MBA Polymers, Inc.
Darren Arola darola_at_mbapolymers.com (510)
478-1910 (office message phone) www.mbapolymers.c
om www.gisemba.com www.mba-polymers.at