Global sustainability regulations including EU ESPR and revised WEEE Directive push the electronics industry to boost PCB recyclability. Printed circuit boards contain valuable metals alongside hazardous materials, making recycling and material recovery a key ESG topic. New standards call for easier disassembly, recyclability labeling and digital product passports for electronic hardware. R&D projects focus on low-pollution metallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes to recover copper, gold and other metals from end-of-life PCBs, while reducing environmental impact during recycling.
