Recycle Cost / Profit of PCB from USB Flash Drive
To recycle a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) from a flash drive depends on a couple of key factors. Most important are the materials used when making the PCB and the available recycling processes once the old USB flash drive is sent for recycling.
Not that many are super interested in this, but here is the breakdown for recycling a printed circuit board from a USB flash drive:
A flash drive’s PCB is mostly made up several key materials where each material serves a specific purpose in it’s operation. Most of the device, about 60–70% consists of fiberglass or epoxy resin, which provides structural integrity. Copper traces and layers inside the PCB, making up 10–20% of the product and used as electrical conductivity for the electronics product. Additionally, electronic components such as integrated circuits (ICs), capacitors, and resistors account for 10–15% of the board’s composition – this plays a crucial role in data storage and processing. The remaining 5–10% consists of various other materials like gold plating, solder, and adhesives, which contribute to connectivity, durability, and assembly.
When recycling a USB flash drive only certain materials are truly recoverable.
Copper, which makes up about 10–20% of the PCB, is highly recyclable and is often extracted during the recycling process.
Gold, though only about 1% of the board, is valuable and found in connectors and contact pads, BUT requires specialized methods for recovery.
Silver, present in trace amounts, can sometimes be found in solder or coatings and is also recoverable.
Electronic components, which constitute 10–15% of the PCB, can sometimes be desoldered and reused, though most are shredded and smelted to extract precious metals. However, fiberglass and epoxy resin, making up the majority (60–70%) of the PCB, are difficult to recycle and typically end up as waste or are repurposed as filler material.
For example, during the PCB recycling process, copper is often separated using a combination of mechanical shredding and chemical treatments, allowing it