Boliden opened its new electronics recycling facility at the Rönnskär copper smelter on June 29 and Sweden’s Minister for the Environment, Lena Ek, attended the event. The SEK 1.3 billion ($188 million) investment increases the smelter’s capacity to 120,000 metric tons per year (mt/y) making Boliden the world leader in electronics recycling.
The increased use of electronic products, shorter product lifecycles and stricter legislation governing electronic waste, means the global availability of electronic scrap is increasing. “A growing share of the metal production will originate from recycling. With this project Boliden combines high environmental performance with good business returns,” said Lennart Evrell, president and CEO, Boliden. The expansion project started in 2010 and the smelting of electronic material in the new facilities began in January 2012.
“Boliden Rönnskär has for many years been a technological leader in the field of recycling electronics. This expansion takes advantage of our extensive experience in recycling electronics and enhances our competitive position in a growing market,” said Roger Sundqvist, general manager at Rönnskär.
The investment is in line with Boliden’s view of metals’ eco-cycle in a sustainable society. By increasing Rönnskär’s capacity, Boliden is helping ensure that more electronic scrap is recycled, rather than being sent to landfills.
