Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in plastic waste of electrical and electronic equipment: a case study in Belarus

Plastic waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) can contain polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) that have been used as fire retardants for a long time. PBDEs were listed in the Stockholm Convention as persistent organic pollutants, so PBDE-containing plastic waste should be separated and disposed of in an ecologically sound manner. In the article, the results of bromine and PBDE content in plastic samples of WEEE collected in Belarus are presented. The screening method for bromine identification and HRGC/HRMS for PBDE identification were applied. It is shown that bromine is present in 43% of the 111 studied samples. Most often, Br-containing plastic was found in CRT monitor, CRT TVs and LCD monitor (about 50%), printers (35%), and LCD TVs (25%). PBDEs were revealed in 12 Br-containing samples, representing TVs, monitors, and printers. The sum of ∑₁₀PBDEs varied from 6.6 to 21,000 μg/kg. BDE-209 dominated in 9 samples (75% of cases); BDE-183, in two; and BDE-47 and BDE-99, in one sample. Based on the low content of PBDEs in the plastic, year of equipment production, and year of restriction of PBDEs applied in the countries-manufacturers, it was concluded that the presence of PBDEs in plastic is a consequence of contaminated waste recycling. Despite the relatively low concentrations of PBDEs (below the limit values established by the Stockholm and Basel conventions for POP wastes), further research is necessary with an extension of the list of analyzed types of equipment and identification of other brominated flame retardants.