Stena Metall Develops X-Ray Lead Glass from Electronic Scrap

Stena Metall, a Swedish metal recycling company, is introducing a process to recycle old computer monitors into x-ray protection glass.

“With this new patented product, we can utilize more of the glass in electronic waste,” said Detlef Oertel, responsible for R&D in the board of GRIAG Glasrecycling, which is part of the Stena Metall Group. “The new lead glass product protects against radiation and can be used, for example, at hospitals.”

Only 35 percent of the glass in Europe's electronics waste is recycled. This means that around 300,000 tons of glass aren't used for material recycling even though there are proven methods to process it. Since its start, GRIAG Glasrecycling has recycled glass from more than ten million television sets and monitors at its facility outside Berlin, Germany. 

“We recycle glass from electronic waste from customers in ten European countries. The potential market for the material is strong, and in the years ahead we expect to double capacity,” says Staffan Johansson, president of GRIAG Glasrecycling.

In recent years the company has developed innovative new products from the glass in electronic waste. “With our new x-ray protection glass, it will be possible to convert glass from television and computer monitors to a new product with environmental advantages,” he continues. “Independent tests show that the radiation protection is comparable to that of existing products on the market.”