eLoop Makes History
eLoop, based in Pennsylvania, is paving the way as the first e-scrap firm in the United States to install an FPD Recycling robotic flat-panel display dismantling system.
At its State College, Pa. facility, implementation of the new FPD PRO is underway. This cutting-edge technology integrates both artificial intelligence and robotics to safely remove hazardous components like mercury-bearing lamps from televisions, monitors, and laptop screens in an automated process.
Developed by Irish tech company FPD Recycling, this method is a result of years of research and development.
In recent years, flat-panel TVs have been replacing CRT display devices in end-of-life streams. Coinciding with California’s program statistics, last year non-CRT display devices accounted for 53% of recycled weight, while CRTs made up 47%.
However, by Q1 2022, this figure had shifted significantly with flat-panel TVs making up 62% of recycled weight. This trend has led to a greater need for automated systems to manage these products more efficiently.
A Complex Process
The practice of deconstructing a flat panel device is highly labor-intensive, without much to gain in terms of value. Also, these items contain harmful substances like mercury, cadmium, and lead which could be released into the environment when shredded, or damaged during the manual disassembly process.
“Because of the hazardous elements involved and the extensive manual labor required, the current method of disassembling FPDs for recycling purposes is inefficient, costly and potentially harmful to the worker,” eLoop’s CEO and founder, Ned Eldridge explained in a press release.
“Improved productivity with the 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 in manually disassembling flat screens.”
According to Eldridge’s calculations, an individual worker can take apart approximately four flat screen displays per hour. In contrast, the FPD Pro can break down around 90 screens in the same amount of time.
“This is a game changing breakthrough,” he stated.
Clear Financing Structure Lowers Upfront Costs
FPD Recycling, set in Lakewood, Colorado, has become the first company to introduce this technology in the U.S. The unit is anticipated to be up and running for eLoop by the end of Q4 of this year.
The company has detailed that eLoop is using a pay-as-you-go system rather than offering a major capital investment up front. To make services accessible to those with smaller operations, FDP charges a yearly fee and then adds on per-screen charges for each unit that surpasses a certain level. This way, companies can better manage financials and still take advantage of the technology.
“This finance model does two things,” Paudy O’Brien, CEO of FPD Recycling, acknowledged in the data sheet. “It allows for effective, high-value recycling, but it also removes barriers to entry for the recycler”.
Since its formation in 2018, FPD Recycling has been working diligently to refine its e-scrap “depolluting” technology. The current system at eLoop is the product of many years of R&D in partnership with ABB Robotics, a global robotic equipment supplier. After trials were conducted, more than 400,000 screens had been processed using this revolutionary approach.
FPD Recycling has designed this program with the ability to stay connected to other similar systems through cloud technology. Therefore, providing the FDP PRO with the capability to regularly expand its effectiveness.
eLoop Secures a Contract with the City of Pittsburgh
Established near Pittsburgh, eLoop also has locations in Export, Pennsylvania, and State College, all of which are e-Stewards certified.
Plus, eLoop’s State College branch is a subcontractor for the Pennsylvania Resources Council. This division recently acquired a contract with the city of Pittsburgh to recycle household electronic scrap.
“PA Resources Council is very excited to bring responsible, convenient, and affordable e-waste recycling service to the residents of Pittsburgh through this contract with the city,” Sarah Alessio Shea, deputy director of the PRC said.
FDP PRO to Reside in State College Facility
The FPD PRO will be set up in eLoop’s State College plant, which was originally a Corning factory used to manufacture CRTs.
“It’s a building that helped produce many of the country’s CRT television sets,” Eldridge stated.
“And now it’s going to harvest components and commodities to enhance the circular economy and support the right-to-repair movement and thus support local SME business growth.”
