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Resumen del póster presentado en Symposium on Renewable Energy and Products from Biomass and Waste, CIUDEN (Cubillos de Sil, León, Spain), 12-13 May 2015 Electronic waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world due to the rapid pace of technology enhancement and development. The exponential growth of electronic waste contributes to a rapid increase in the rate of contaminants and waste entering landfills. This fact implies the need for an appropriate management of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Printed circuit boards (PCB) are one of the most complex constituents of WEEE, with a mixture of both valuable and/or hazardous elements. Thermal treatments represent an interesting alternative to recycle this kind of waste, but particular attention has to be paid to the potential emissions of toxic by-products. In this study, the emissions from thermal degradation of printed circuit boards (with and without metals) have been studied using a laboratory scale reactor, under oxidizing and inert atmosphere at 600 and 850 oC. The study comprises the analysis of gases, halogens and hydrogen halides, carbon oxides, light hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), chlorinated phenol, chlorinated benzenes and brominated phenols, among other semivolatile compounds, as well as polybromo- and polychloro- dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans and dioxin-like polychlorobiphenyls. The maximum formation of PAHs was found in pyrolysis at 850 oC, naphthalene being the most abundant. High levels of 2-, 4-, 2,4-, 2,6- and 2,4,6-bromophenols were found, especially at 600 oC. Emissions of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs were very slow and much lower than that of PBDD/Fs, due to the higher bromine content of the samples. Combustion at 600 oC was the run with the highest PBDD/F formation: the total content of eleven 2,3,7,8-substituted congeners (tetra- through heptaBDD/Fs) was 7240 and 3250 ng WHO2005-TEQ/kg sample, corresponding to the sample with and without metals, respectively. Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Spain): CTQ2013-41006-R. Valencian Community Government (Spain): PROMETEOII/2014/007

The permanent expansion of the market of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and the shorter innovation cycles, lead to a faster replacement of these appliances, making EEE a fast-growing source of waste (WEEE). As stated in Directive 2012/19/EU1 on waste electrical and electronic equipment, the content of hazardous components in EEE is a major concern during the waste management phase, and recycling of WEEE is not currently undertaken to a sufficient extent, resulting in a loss of valuable resources. Support for this work was provided by: Ministry of Education and Science (Spain) (CTQ2008-05520 project); Valencian Community Government (Spain) (PROMETEO/2009/043/FEDER project).

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F) have been studied for several decades and are well-known as unintentionally generated persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which pose serious health and environmental risks on a global scale1. Polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/F) have similar properties and effects to PCDD/F, as they are structural analogs with all the chlorine atoms substituted by bromine atoms. PBDD/F have been found in various matrices such as air, sediments, marine products, and human adipose samples. Support for this work was provided by the Generalitat Valenciana (Spain), research project Prometeo/2009/043/FEDER, and by the Spanish MCT, research project CTQ2008 05520.

Paper submitted to the 31st International Symposium on Halogenated Persistent Organic Compounds (Dioxin 2011), Brussels, Belgium, 21-25 August 2011. Brominated compounds are widely used as flame retardants in industrial operations. Due to their high efficiency, compatibility and small influence on mechanical properties, brominated flame retardants (BFRs) have a broad application area, mainly in the field of polymeric materials. Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is the most important BFR, representing around 60 % of BFR total production. The estimated global consumption of TBBPA was around 170000 metric tons for 2004. The authors thank the research project CTQ2008-05520 from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science and research projects ACOMP2011/224 and PROMETEO/2009/043/FEDER from the Valencian Community Government (Spain) for the support provided.

Paper submitted to the 31st International Symposium on Halogenated Persistent Organic Compounds (Dioxin 2011), Brussels, Belgium, 21-25 August 2011. Mobile phones are used for a variety of purposes, including keeping in touch with family members, conducting business, and having access to a telephone in the event of an emergency. Some people carry more than one cell phone for different purposes. In 2006 more than one billion mobile phones were shipped worldwide, 22.5 % more than the quantity shipped in 2005. By 2008 the number of mobile phone users around the world was predicted to reach two billion. Support for this work was provided by the Generalitat Valenciana (Spain) with projects Prometeo/2009/043/FEDER and ACOMP2011/224, and by the Spanish MCT CTQ2008-05520.