Applying artificial intelligence (AI) in e-waste recycling

To protect the living environment, everyone needs to join hands to find effective solutions to deal with the increasing types of waste in modern life. In particular, electronic waste is one of the types of waste that is causing many serious harms to human health and the environment. However, the development of artificial intelligence (AI) has opened a new door for e-waste treatment, making the sorting and recycling process faster and more accurate. In this context, WRX 2024 – an international exhibition on waste treatment and recycling technology in Vietnam, will be a place to focus on solutions applying artificial intelligence to address the harmful effects of e-waste that are affecting the environment and public health.

1. What is e-waste?

1.1. Concept

E-waste is all electronic products that have been used, damaged or replaced by a new product. These products can be household electronics such as televisions, computers, mobile phones, tablets, LEDs, and industrial electronics such as electrical cabinets, air compressors, air conditioners, and many other electronic products. E-waste contains many toxic substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium, beryllium, phthalates, and other heavy metals. The disposal and recycling of e-waste is an important issue, especially because of its harmful effects on the environment and human health.

1.2. The current situation of e-waste

Currently, e-waste is becoming one of the most pressing global environmental problems. According to UN data, global e-waste production is expected to increase from 52.2 million tons in 2020 to 74.7 million tons in 2030. However, only about 20% of the waste is collected and disposed of properly, while the rest is usually disposed of by dumping into the streets, landfill or burning, causing serious harm to the environment and human health.

In particular, many types of garbage contain toxic chemicals such as mercury, lead, asbestos, PCBs, which can pollute the environment and harm health if not disposed of properly. Meanwhile, Vietnam has one of the fastest garbage growth rates in Southeast Asia, with the amount doubling between 2010 and 2015. Vietnam is facing a great challenge in waste management and treatment to protect the environment and human health.

1.3. Causes of e-waste

E-waste is generated due to many different causes, including:

Speed of technological development: Technology is developing at a dizzying pace, and at the same time consumers are tending to change and upgrade their electronic devices with increasing frequency. This results in the generation of large amounts of e-waste.

• Short shelf life: Most electronic devices have a short shelf life, so users often have to replace them with new devices to meet their needs. Old products are then thrown away or sold to recycling organizations, however, not all of these devices are recycled.
• There is no effective recycling policy: Recycling e-waste requires a complex and expensive process, and not all countries have effective recycling policies to solve this problem. Many countries still lack clear regulations and support systems for recycling garbage.
• The growth of the black market: E-waste has also become a major source of income with people buying old electronics to separate valuable components and resell them on the black market. This causes a host of environmental problems, such as improper discharge and environmental pollution.

The causes of waste are diverse, including the development of technology, short shelf life, ineffective recycling policies, and the growth of the black market.

2. Application of AI in waste classification

In the 4.0 trend, artificial intelligence (AI) is being applied in many areas of life, including the treatment of electronic waste. Garbage sorting is an important step in the recycling process, reusing precious components and materials inside them, helping to minimize the waste of resources and at the same time protect the environment from harmful substances. However, garbage sorting requires accuracy and expertise, which needs to be carried out using scientific methods, thanks to which artificial intelligence has been applied to solve this problem.

Specifically, AI is applied in waste classification by using machine learning models to identify and classify electronic products into groups corresponding to functions and types of materials. As a result, the classification process becomes faster and more accurate than traditional methods. These machine learning models are trained from electronic product image data, through which AI can classify electronic products based on shape, size, color and other characteristics.

It is worth noting that, to apply AI in waste segregation requires cooperation between partners from organizations, businesses, governments, and social organizations. These organizations need to provide data on garbage, ensuring the accuracy and completeness of the data, thereby laying the foundation for the development of machine learning models. In addition, garbage sorting not only requires the application of artificial intelligence, but also depends on specialized human resources, technicians and workers with sorting skills.

With the ability to accurately detect and classify waste, AI will help enhance the efficiency of the recycling and garbage treatment process. This helps minimize the harmful effects of e-waste on the environment and human health. Moreover, the application of AI also helps reduce the cost and time of garbage disposal while enhancing the flexibility and accuracy of the sorting process.

However, the application of AI technology in waste classification requires investment and capacity improvement of waste treatment units. In addition, it is necessary to have clear legal regulations and appropriate support infrastructure systems to ensure the efficiency and security in the application of AI technology in waste classification.

3. Summary

Recycling e-waste is one of the important solutions to minimize their impact on the environment. Applying artificial intelligence in the separation of e-waste can increase efficiency and accuracy in the recycling and disposal process.

Within the framework of Waste and Recycling Vietnam (WRV) 2024, we can learn more about the latest recycling technologies and products created from the e-waste recycling process. The Waste and Recycling Vietnam 2024 exhibition hosted by RX Tradex is also a place for manufacturers and suppliers to showcase and showcase advanced recycling solutions and the products created from them.

With the development of artificial intelligence and new technologies, it is hoped that in the future it will be possible to dispose of e-waste efficiently and better protect the environment.