IndustryAtlas

SUPPLY CHAIN HANDBOOK

Electronics resource recovery: retired equipment, PCBs, wafers and chemicals

Prepared by IndustryAtlasEditorial principles & corrections

Trace retired equipment, PCB/IC scrap and process liquids into refining, recovered copper and gold salts. Distinguish wafer reclaim, silicon slurry and chemical reuse, plus WASTE Recovery Technology’s electrowinning, BOO and anode distribution. Public roles do not establish named contracts; recovered volume does not directly translate into profit.

Most recent source review:

Reading guide revised:

Where do recovered electronics materials go?

Waste origin, material condition and reuse requirements determine the route. Boards and scrapped ICs yield recoverable materials; suitable wafers can retain their form through reclaim; chemical liquids enter industrial applications or qualified electronic processes according to composition and purification. Providers can divide these roles or integrate them.

  1. Waste boards and ICs → Separation and metal refining

    Collection and sorting precede composition-specific separation and refining. Metal recovery does not repair the board, and nonmetal outputs are not automatically electronic-grade glass cloth or resin.

  2. Eligible wafers and silicon slurry → Two different recovery routes

    PSI describes wafer stripping, polishing, cleaning and metrology; Semisils describes slurry conversion into recovered materials. Intact wafers and grinding by-products are not interchangeable feedstocks.

  3. Segregated chemical liquids → Regenerated chemicals meeting use requirements

    Shangda treats solvents, San Fu discloses TMAH regeneration and Semisils produces industrial sulfuric acid. TSMC examples show additional quality and qualification requirements for electronic-grade reuse, not universal approval for recyclers.

What changes the choice?

Compare accepted waste, delivered output and end use before asking whether a company processes materials, supplies equipment or provides analysis. Recovery volume, purity, customer qualification and named partnerships are separate evidence. Undisclosed customer relationships are not confirmed orders.

Sources for this overview

Electronics resource recovery

Electronic scrap collection

Segregation, dismantling and logistics

Recovery starts with identifying waste streams. Manufacturing scrap, boards, ICs and chemical liquids require different treatment routes.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

Role and delivery

Collection, sorting and dismantling prepare treatment batches. JYD and SDTI disclose electronics-industry services.

Separate solids and liquids

Solid-waste logistics differ from in-plant liquid collection systems. Cica-Huntek describes segregation by solvent, acid and alkaline streams.

Distinction: Collection does not establish in-house capability for every refining step or contracts among listed companies.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • SDTI · Taiwan · Example role · Electronic scrap services

    Waste treatment and resource recovery for IC, PCB and other electronics sectors.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

  • Jiin Yeeh Ding · Taiwan · Example role · Collection and sorting

    Electronic components, boards and metal-bearing liquids.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

  • ERI · United States · Example role · Electronics dismantling and recycling

    Retired devices routed into electronic waste processing.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

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PCB recovery and separation

Boards, offcuts and material separation

Waste boards and offcuts are separated into recoverable metals and nonmetal fractions. Populated boards, bare boards and different substrates need individual assessment.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

Treatment routes

Chinalab describes dry/wet crushing and gravity-table separation yielding copper powder and concrete additives, plus thermal treatment for different composite wastes.

Recovered outputs

Metals may undergo further refining. A disclosed nonmetal outlet is nonstructural concrete, not an established loop into electronic glass cloth or resin.

Distinction: General PCB recycling capability does not establish same-grade recovery for every PTFE laminate, advanced CCL or glass substrate.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Jiin Yeeh Ding · Taiwan · Example role · PCB processing

    Collection and processing of waste boards according to metal composition.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

  • Chinalab · Taiwan · Example role · PCB separation

    Crushing and separation into copper powder and nonstructural concrete additives.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

  • SDTI · Taiwan · Example role · PCB scrap services

    Disclosed service coverage includes PCB and electronic waste.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

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IC and packaging scrap recovery

Recovery of valuable metals

Scrapped ICs and electronic components are classified and treated according to composition to recover material value.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

Accepted material

JYD lists waste ICs, components and boards. Recoverable metals depend on component construction and analysis.

Different from wafer reclaim

IC material recovery differs from reclaiming suitable wafers and does not aim to restore the original chip function.

Distinction: A high chip selling price does not establish a high precious-metal recovery value.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Jiin Yeeh Ding · Taiwan · Example role · IC material recovery

    Published acceptance of waste ICs and electronic components.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

  • SDTI · Taiwan · Example role · Semiconductor scrap services

    IC-industry services; not restoration of chip function.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

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Recovered metal refining

Purification and material reuse

Metal-bearing scrap is recovered and refined into secondary materials. Gold, silver, platinum, palladium and other metals require feedstock-specific capability.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

Supplier roles

Solar Applied Materials discloses precious and rare metal refining; JYD lists toll refining and metal-bearing liquid recovery. Solids and liquids may follow different processes.

Products and specifications

End uses depend on purity, contaminants and customer specifications. Recovered copper alone does not establish high-speed PCB foil production.

Assay and settlement

Umicore discloses assay-based settlement for e-scrap. Assess recoverable content, treatment terms and pricing rather than the original chip selling price.

Distinction: These are material-processing roles, not confirmed orders between all recyclers and material suppliers.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Solar Applied Materials · Taiwan · Example role · Precious and rare metal refining

    Recovery of gold, silver, platinum, palladium and other elements by waste type.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

  • Jiin Yeeh Ding · Taiwan · Example role · Precious metal toll refining

    Gold, silver, palladium and platinum refining and metal-bearing liquid recovery.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

  • SDTI · Taiwan · Example role · Precious metal recovery from e-scrap

    Published acceptance of ICs, chips, gold-plated boards and PCBA scrap.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

  • Umicore · Belgium · Example role · E-scrap metal recovery and refining

    Accepts PCBs, CPUs, ICs and connectors with assay-based settlement.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

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Wafer reclaim

Stripping, polishing, cleaning and metrology

Suitable used wafers undergo surface processing for reuse in fab operations, a distinct business from extracting metals from scrapped ICs.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

Process and supplier

PSI discloses stripping, polishing, cleaning and metrology, alongside a separate new test-wafer product line. New test wafers are not reclaimed wafers.

Reuse boundary

Reclaimed wafers typically serve test and monitoring purposes. Eligibility and reuse cycles depend on wafer condition, remaining thickness and customer specifications.

Distinction: Wafer reclaim does not turn used CPUs into equivalent new CPUs or all silicon waste into advanced-process wafers.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Phoenix Silicon International · Taiwan · Example role · Wafer reclaim processing

    Stripping, polishing, cleaning and metrology; new test wafers are a separate product.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

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Silicon slurry recovery

Grinding waste and recovered materials

Grinding and cutting slurry can be processed into recovered materials, unlike wafer reclaim which preserves the wafer form.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

Disclosed example

Semisils describes recovery of wafer grinding/cutting slurry and recovered silica products.

Material and application

A semiconductor origin does not automatically give the output semiconductor-grade purity. Check the recovered product specification and actual application.

Distinction: Silicon, silica, CMP abrasives and intact wafers are different materials; their waste streams and outputs cannot be conflated.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Semisils · Taiwan · Example role · Silicon slurry recovery

    Recovery of semiconductor grinding/cutting slurry and silica products.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

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Organic solvent recovery

Segregation, separation and purification

Waste solvents are separated and purified for reuse. Industrial use and electronic-grade reuse require distinct specifications and validation.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

Disclosed services

Shangda lists IPA, PMA, acetone and NMP waste treatment; this does not establish electronic-grade qualification for every product.

Electronic-grade example

TSMC reported validation of recovered PGME/PGMEA at certain fabs in January 2026. This establishes that project, not a partnership with Shangda or other companies on this map.

Distinction: Recovery yield, chemical purity and customer process qualification are separate metrics.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Shangda Chemical · Taiwan · Example role · Waste solvent purification

    IPA, PMA, acetone and NMP, without assuming electronic grade for all products.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

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TMAH developer recovery

Spent developer and regenerated chemicals

TMAH recovery uses dedicated regeneration processes to return useful components of spent developer to chemical supply.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

Representative supplier

San Fu discloses TMAH regeneration through electrodialysis and technology transfer to its subsidiary International Nitto. This relationship is described under San Fu.

Customer qualification

Concentration and quality disclosures do not establish adoption by every customer, fab or process. Reuse depends on individual requirements and qualification.

Distinction: TMAH recovery capability does not establish regeneration capability for every acid or organic solvent.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • San Fu Chemical · Taiwan · Example role · TMAH regeneration

    Published electrodialysis recovery and subsidiary International Nitto investment.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

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Waste acid regeneration

Separate acid streams and output grades

Suitable spent acids are regenerated into usable products. Acid identity, contaminants and output applications define each route.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

Industrial-grade example

Semisils describes converting semiconductor waste sulfuric acid into industrial acid for uses including fertilizers, pigments and detergents.

Cross-industry outlet

This example routes electronics waste to other industries. No direct return into advanced wafer processing is claimed for this industrial-grade product.

Distinction: Sulfuric acid recovery does not establish capability for hydrofluoric acid, phosphoric acid or all mixed acids.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Semisils · Taiwan · Example role · Industrial sulfuric acid regeneration

    Semiconductor waste acid regenerated into industrial-grade product.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

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Chemical recovery systems

Collection, distillation and filtration

Equipment suppliers provide in-plant liquid collection, segregation and regeneration systems, distinct from waste processors and recovered-chemical sellers.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

Representative supplier

Cica-Huntek lists collection and regeneration systems using processes such as distillation, filtration or chemical replenishment depending on the stream.

Capability boundary

Systems depend on feed composition, output specifications and plant conditions. A product listing does not establish contracts with every recycler shown.

Distinction: Equipment supply and waste processing are different roles, even when a group participates in both.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • Cica-Huntek · Taiwan · Example role · Collection and regeneration systems

    Chemical segregation, distillation, filtration and regeneration systems.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

  • WASTE Recovery Technology · Taiwan · Example role · Electrowinning systems and maintenance

    RecoCell systems and operation/maintenance services.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

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Recovery analysis and quality checks

Composition and reuse requirements

Analysis supports waste classification, process selection and output quality. Metal assay and electronic-chemical process qualification are distinct tasks.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

Disclosed service

SDTI lists analytical laboratory services. This establishes an analysis role, not TSMC qualification work or every possible test method.

Reuse assessment

TSMC describes spectral comparison and specification checks for recovered solvents. Testing, process validation and commercial supply remain distinct stages.

Distinction: An analysis result does not establish arbitrary customer approval or return to the original process.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • SDTI · Taiwan · Example role · Analytical laboratory services

    Published analysis services; confirm the scope for specific tests.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

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IT asset retirement and reuse

ITAD, data sanitization and remarketing

Retired servers, computers and other IT assets are inventoried, tracked and sanitized before routing to reuse or material recovery.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

Two output routes

Eligible devices are tested, refurbished and resold. Devices requiring dismantling enter scrap sorting and material recovery. ERI lists both services.

Different value sources

Resale retains equipment functionality, while metal recovery depends on material content. Revenue sources, costs and timing differ.

Distinction: Retirement does not mean immediate smelting. Equipment reuse rates are not PCB or chip material recovery rates.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • ERI · United States · Example role · ITAD and remarketing

    Asset disposition, sanitization and routing to reuse or recycling.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

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Metal-bearing wastewater recovery

Process liquids, on-site electrowinning and BOO

Metal-bearing liquids from PCB, semiconductor and display production can undergo tailored pretreatment and electrowinning to recover solid metals.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

WASTE Recovery Technology’s role

RecoCell treats copper-bearing wastewater, with options for nickel and cobalt streams. This differs from buying scrap chips or dismantling boards.

BOO and equipment supply

In BOO, the operator invests in, builds and operates on-site equipment. Equipment and maintenance are separate offerings; assess contracts, throughput, metal output and operating inputs.

Distinction: Higher chip or PCB shipments do not imply proportional recycler profit; actual waste streams, contracts and costs still matter.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • WASTE Recovery Technology · Taiwan · Example role · On-site recovery and BOO operation

    RecoCell metal recovery configured for the wastewater stream.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

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Copper recovered from wastewater

Solid metal output and product specifications

Electrowinning can turn copper-bearing liquids into solid copper for sale or further processing, distinct from mixed metal fractions separated from shredded boards.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

Disclosed product

WASTE Recovery Technology states that RecoCell recovers solid copper with copper content above 99%. This is a product claim for that system, not a universal recovery specification.

Reuse requirements

Impurities, physical form and buyer specifications also matter. Recovered copper is not automatically qualified for advanced copper foil or semiconductor plating solutions.

Distinction: Recovery, commercial sale and qualification for a particular electronics process are different stages.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • WASTE Recovery Technology · Taiwan · Example role · Recovered copper output

    RecoCell discloses solid copper with copper content above 99%.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

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Insoluble anodes for PCB plating

Titanium mesh, distribution and fabrication

Titanium-based anodes with mixed-metal-oxide coatings are process components in electroplating equipment. This node covers manufacturing consumable supply.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

WASTE Recovery Technology and De Nora

WASTE Recovery Technology distributes De Nora DT-series insoluble anodes and offers custom titanium frames, hooks, fixtures and integration.

Separate from recovery

Anodes serve the plating process; RecoCell treats metal-bearing wastewater. The same company participates in two distinct activities.

Distinction: Anode distribution does not establish spent-anode recycling or in-house manufacture of every distributed product.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • WASTE Recovery Technology · Taiwan · Example role · De Nora distribution and titanium fabrication

    DT-series anode distribution plus custom titanium frames and fixtures.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

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Gold salts and precious-metal materials

Material manufacturing beyond refining

High-purity metals can be processed into plating or other application materials. Manufacturing, quality control and customer qualification are separate roles beyond refining.

Entry sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

SDTI products

SDTI manufactures and sells gold salts for plating boards, connector wires and lead frames, alongside a sputtering-target business.

Feedstock and qualification

Operating both recycling and materials businesses does not prove every product uses 100% recycled feedstock. Origin, recycled content and customer approval need separate evidence.

Distinction: Gold-salt sales are not waste-treatment fees or a direct measure of recycling throughput or profit.

Company roles

Scope of these company examples

  • SDTI · Taiwan · Example role · Gold salt manufacturing and sales

    Gold plating materials for PCBs, connector wires and lead frames.

    Product / role source

    Sources reviewed: 2026-10-30

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