High-Tech Waste Management - Challenges, Technologies and Opportunities

The paper discusses the main challenges and trends of high-tech waste management, both from an intelligent process control and from an integrated product management point of view. An engineering approach to harmonize manufacturing, marketing and recycling is described on on ehand, while cooperation between the different market players and participants in the product life cycle as well as an appropriate project organisation are also given attention on the other hand. Using case studies, examples and experiences from different applications mainly from the automotive, electric and electronic industries, also the shift from downcycling to upcycling and also the important role of the product design are presented as the most important contribution s towards innovations and new opportunities within high-tech waste management.