Electronics recycler eLoop announced that it will offer the industry a safer and more efficient process for recovering valuable goods found in end-of-life (EOL) flat-panel televisions and monitors, known as flat-panel displays (FPD). Using the country’s first fully automated robotic AI processing system, eLoop’s new FPD PRO® The technology improves efficiency and safety while increasing the volume being processed.
It’s in eLoop’s State College, Pennsylvania facility, FPD PRO® also provides the best available, safer solution for workers and the environment as FPD PRO® safely contain hazardous materials found in FPD.
Partnership with FPD Recycling®technology company from EuropeeLoop will be the first electronic waste (e-waste) recycler in the US to implement FPD PRO®, a fully automated robotic recycling system for FPD processing. It’s the fastest, most efficient, and safest way to process the nearly 45 million TVs sold in the U.S. each year when it’s time to recycle them. Because flat-panel displays typically have shorter lifespans than previous models, the number approaching or exceeding end-of-life use continues to grow, including the 220 million units sold worldwide in 2016.
“Due to the hazardous elements involved and the extensive manual labor required, the current method of disassembling FPDs for recycling purposes is inefficient, expensive and potentially harmful to the worker,” said Ned Eldridge, CEO and founder of eLoop. “Improved performance with FPD PRO® will allow us to provide this low-cost solution to recyclers so that they no longer have to expose their workers to hazardous elements while manually disassembling flat screens.”
With the partnership, eLoop becomes the most technologically advanced FPD recycler in the US, enabling the safest and most efficient recovery of materials. With the use of robotics, artificial intelligence, industrial vision and flexible automation for FPD disassembly, the processing time will be greatly reduced. Because it is automated and securely enclosed, workers will no longer be exposed to harmful substances such as mercury, cadmium and other hazardous substances such as lead (Pb) found in the LCD glass of newer screens.
“Working by hand, a worker can disassemble approximately four flat screens in an hour and is at risk of mercury exposure,” Eldridge said. “FPD PRO® will safely open up to 90 FPD per hour. This is a game-changing breakthrough.”
With this new automated AI process, eLoop will be able to more efficiently recycle FPDs so that additional clean recoverable components make their way into the circular economy and are kept out of landfills. This decision positions eLoop as the leading FPD processor in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Maryland. for recyclers and OEMs looking to save money on handling and shipping.
With FPDs being classified as hazardous waste and the increasing costs of unsustainable recycling both economically and environmentally, it is estimated that eLoop will save 7900 t CO2 per year when FPD PRO® is in full production, compared to the new material. This will contribute to both eLoop’s internal sustainability goals and support the state of of Pennsylvania goal of reaching net zero and beyond
“eLoop continues to lead the way by using cutting-edge robotics and artificial intelligence to safely and efficiently recycle FPD,” said CEO, Paudie O’Brien of FPD Recycling®. “We are excited to partner with eLoop to demonstrate how to combine cutting-edge technology with traditional electronics recycling. Our vision is that every used FPD becomes a valuable commodity, not a hazardous waste, and I’m glad to see that eLoop has the same vision.”
The eLoop choice for the FPD PRO location® there is some historical significance to this. The machine will be housed in eLoop’s State College, Pennsylvaniafacility at the former site of the Corning Inc. specialty glass factory, which for decades produced cathode ray tubes for televisions.
“This is a building that helped produce many of the country’s CRT TVs,” said Eldridge, “and now it will collect components and goods to improve the circular economy and support right-to-move repairs and thus support growth of local SME business.’
About eLoop
With more than 14 years of experience, eLoop has advanced IT lifecycle management to deliver the highest value to the organizations it serves. As one of the largest IT lifecycle managers in the US Northeast region, eLoop serves businesses of all types and sizes, from small enterprises to Fortune 500 organizations. With headquarters in Export, Pennsylvania, eLoop provides comprehensive cradle-to-cradle IT asset allocation (ITAD) services for all distributed and unallocated assets with a secure chain of custody providing full transparency and real-time updates throughout the process. eLoop’s focus is to recycle or recycle all assets while ensuring that data is protected every step of the way.
