Mechanical Property Assessment of Interlocking Plastic Pavers Manufactured from Electronic Industry Waste in Brazil

• Main Authors: Luiz Tadeu Gabriel, Rodrigo Fernando Bianchi, Américo T. Bernardes
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
• Series: Recycling
• Subjects: electric–electronic waste; interlock floor; mechanical resistance; polymers recycling
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2313-4321/6/1/15

The estimated production of world electronic waste until 2017 is approximately 6 Gt. Despite this enormous problem, there are no clear regulations regarding the orientation for disposal or treatment of this type of residuals in many countries. There is a federal public policy in Brazil that supports a network of Computer Reconditioning Centers—CRCs. These CRCs train young people and recover or recycle electronic equipment. Through this work, CRCs produce interlocking plastic pavers for application on pavements from recycled electronic industry waste. This article presents the characterization of these interlocking paver’s mechanical properties when applied on the pavement. This characterization is a necessary step to show the effectiveness of this product. We show that the plastic pavers behave similarly to the artifacts manufactured in concrete, thus creating commercial opportunities for this initiative, and contributing to the Brazilian Solid Waste Policy.