Circular Electronics

Circular Electronics is one of the 25 multidisciplinary Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) projects launched as part of the MDCBL initiative, with the first edition running in 2025. In this project, students tackle the pressing issue of Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), the fastest growing waste stream worldwide. In 2019 alone, an estimated 53.6 million metric tons of E-Waste were generated, a figure expected to rise to 74.7 million metric tons by 2030 if current trends continue.

Students work in teams to explore the complex material composition of WEEE, which includes valuable precious metals, polymers, and hazardous substances. With only 17.4% of E-Waste currently documented as properly recycled, the project challenges students to rethink how electronic products are designed, used, and disposed of, aiming to shift from a linear to a more circular economy. Throughout the project, they are encouraged to develop solutions that address technical, regulatory, and business-related barriers to achieving circularity in electronics.

The project is coordinated by Lorenzo Ceccarelli and involves several external stakeholders, including companies such as PreZero and Neways, as well as organizations like Engineers Without Borders. These partners provide real-world perspectives and contribute to shaping the challenges students work on.

My role within the Circular Electronics project is to support students specifically with materials-related challenges. Given the complexity of the materials involved in electronics, I help students understand material properties, recycling constraints, and potential innovations that can facilitate circular design and manufacturing.

*) Responsible lecturer