How robotics could transform electronic waste into a technological treasure.

      E-waste has emerged as a worldwide issue. Regrettably, most of the discarded electronic devices, referred to as e-waste, are either dumped or handled in unsafe environments. Approximately 78% of electronic products are not recycled properly, and this waste continues to accumulate.

      In 2024, the global production reached 1.22 billion smartphones. When combined with billions of televisions, laptops, and computers, it results in a saturated market that perpetuates a throwaway culture.

      A United Nations report anticipates that e-waste will escalate to 80 million tonnes by 2030. “That’s equivalent to filling 1.5 million 40-ton trucks, which could circle the globe,” states Eric Ingebretsen, Chief Commercial Officer at SK Tes, which operates 40 international IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) sites and processes hundreds of millions of pounds of electronics each year.

      It is evident that there is an urgent global need for e-waste initiatives capable of reversing the situation while also creating business opportunities.

      A Danish robotic solution

      Researchers at the Danish Technological Institute are developing an AI-driven robotic solution aimed at addressing e-waste while scaling up, modernizing, and empowering the tech refurbishment sector.

      The demonstration of the project, presented by Mikkel Labori Olsen, a robotics technology consultant at the institute and researcher involved in the RoboSAPIENS project aimed at enhancing robot-human interaction, showcases a robot that automates the refurbishment of laptops, generating revenue while minimizing e-waste.

      The system comprises a robotic arm, a specialized toolbox, and a camera. It is trained to replace laptop screens, a manual and time-consuming task that local businesses find difficult to staff due to the tedious nature of the work, according to Olsen.

      So far, Olsen and his team have trained the robot to replace screens on two models of laptops and their submodels. They are currently working to enhance the robot's abilities to disassemble screens on additional laptop models and brands.

      Utilizing AI and visual recognition, the robot can adapt to varied laptop types, remove plastic protectors, unscrew, and carefully detach the screens. A recent video featured it demonstrating its capabilities.

      “We can significantly reduce waste if we simply change the screen of a still functional laptop instead of discarding it,” Olsen remarks.

      The business value of e-waste

      Depending on the region, laptop model, and other factors, a refurbished laptop can fetch around €200, whereas the material value derived from recycling an entire laptop, ground down, is merely around €10, states Olsen.

      “The key point is that by altering a few components, especially simple ones, substantial value can be generated rather than merely selling the recycled parts,” he adds.

      However, training the AI that powers systems like Olsen’s presents challenges. If the robot encounters unpredicted events not covered in its dataset, it may find it difficult to perform its tasks. Even minor adjustments, such as variations in screw colors, could necessitate new AI training to update the system's dataset.

      These unforeseen occurrences highlight the need for human oversight in robotic systems within the technology recycling sector, according to Olsen, as humans can address any issues the robot encounters.

      Why is e-waste an untapped billion-dollar industry?

      The potential value of e-waste is exceptionally high. A tonne of discarded smartphones yields more gold than a tonne of mined gold ore, as reported by the Astute Group.

      “In addition to gold, components such as copper, silver, palladium, and rare earth metals are essential for manufacturing the technology hardware that society demands,” explains Ingebretsen from SK Tes.

      Nonetheless, a significant portion of e-waste remains unrecovered. So, why aren’t tech companies or other sectors exploiting this market?

      According to Olsen, the sector has not yet been recognized globally for its substantial value, though companies are gradually acknowledging the prospects of robotic recycling of e-waste.

      Cost is another barrier hindering technological advancement. “Robots and automation are costly and intricate,” Olsen notes.

      Moreover, the vast variety of hardware, components, devices, model differences, and conditions of e-waste complicate the development of robotic systems that adapt effectively to various e-waste items without issues. AI capable of achieving this level of adaptability is highly advanced and largely remains in research and development.

      Modern tech challenges — and responses

      As technology becomes more condensed, manufacturers are fundamentally altering their approaches to device assembly, often opting to glue components together instead of using screws, which complicates disassembly and recycling without damaging parts.

      Despite these obstacles, Olsen remains hopeful. He acknowledges the strides being made by local, European, and international firms as they enhance their capabilities in either refurbishing technology or recycling components.

      In Denmark, companies such as Tier 1A, Refurb, and Greenmind demonstrate that refurbishment can be a viable and scalable business model. “Some of these