SHREDDING & SAMPLING

At UAB Insimeta, our main focus is providing electronic waste shredding, sampling, and testing services. Our specialized equipment is used to crush the e-waste and select a representative sample. We also use the same equipment to separate the less valuable elements, such as iron and aluminum.

After a representative sample is made, it is analysed by fire assay in a designated laboratory. During the testing process, precious metals amount is determined and the value of the shipment is known.

After the testing is complete, the components are sold to recycling factories in Europe and Asia to be used as secondary raw materials for the production of new products.

Description of the e-waste sample process:

The entire shipment (e.g., 10,000 kg) is shredded into 2 cm x 2 cm or 4 cm x 4 cm fractions, depending on the shipment size. This is necessary for homogenization of the substance, as the distribution of precious metals on PCBs is typically very uneven. The crushing process homogenizes the substance.

Most of the material is processed in this manner.

A sample comprising a quarter of 5% of the initial mass is selected and further crushed into 6 mm x 6 mm fractions. The sample selection occurs continuously throughout the entire shredding process, from start to finish.

A 5-10 kg sample is separated from the fourth quarter material. This sample represents the entire shipment and undergoes further testing by fire assay in the laboratory.

This process is carried out in collaboration with several of the largest electronics recyclers in the world, including companies in Netherlands, Sweden and Germany. Extensive testing has demonstrated that these fraction sizes and sample quantities yield the highest accuracy.