Modeling WEEE Recycling with Life Cycle Assessment: the case study of an Italian Treatment Plant

WEEE recycling presents unique challenges and opportunities, as these materials combine valuable resources such as rare metals with hazardous components that demand specialized management to minimize risks to the environment and human health. Despite progress, Italy only collected approximately 360000 tonnes of WEEE in 2022 – far from the European target of 65% - due to factors such as insufficient regulations and limited public awareness. This study investigates the environmental impact of recycling Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment(WEEE) through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of an Italian plant recovering plastics and metals through mechanical recycling to produce End-of-Waste (EoW) polymers. Recovered polymers—primarily, ABS and PS (flakes and pellets) and PP/PE were evaluated using a cradle-to-gate LCA approach and a mass allocation, with SimaPro and the EcoInvent 3.9.1 database, in compliance to ISO 14040 standard. A cut-off approach treated incoming waste as burden-free, with impacts assessed through the EU-recommended Environmental Footprint 3.1 method. Results revealed significant environmental benefits for recycled polymers compared to their virgin counterparts. ABS Flakes and PS Flakes showed a GWP of 1528 kg CO2-eq while Pellets showed slightly higher impacts due to the extrusion process. PP/PE showed the lowest impact at 1342 kg CO2-eq. Compared with up-to-date virgin processes from the database, ABS and PS Pellet showed an average reduction of more than 50% in GWP. Sensitivity analyses showed that the plant’s efficient processes are mostly impacted by waste disposal, and further gains are possible by recycling residual waste. Switching to a fully renewable energy mix further reduced environmental impacts. Finally to compare the impacts, an economic allocation was also performed. These findings highlight WEEE recycling as a key pathway for reducing emissions, conserving resources, and advancing circular economy.