Tools

To perform sorting and dismantling operations, several pieces of equipment are required, all of which need to be purchased before launching the enterprise. The most important are workbenches, shelves, small tools,containers (boxes, roller bins, etc.) and a set of scales (mechanical or electronic).

The minimum set of tools per workbench recommended consists of :

Telecommunications

The centre must be equipped with effective means of communication (phone, fax, Internet connection) to be able to communicate efficiently with customers, suppliers and subsidiaries. A low-bandwidth Internet connectivity may not be sufficient to run an active centre. It is recommended to have a high-speed Internet connection.In areas not covered by cable or ADSL, there is the possibility to establish a high-speed Internet connection via satellite, which guarantees a rapid, reliable and permanent Internet access.

This type of connection requires specific outdoor equipment (satellite dish, cable, etc.) as well as a computer (with DVB-s card). There are several types of subscription offers for satellite connection, providing different bandwidths.

The transmission/reception material required is generally specific to the provider. Advantages for each type of subscription must be carefully considered, in order to select the best offer with the best bandwidth.

Water

Within the context of environmental protection, it is imperative to avoid wasting water, especially when its supply is uncertain. It also is impera tive to recover and recycle the water used by the activity. Best practices include saving water by using it more than once and collecting rainwater in tanks thanks to gutters.

As it is not drinking water but “industrial” water, it needs to be sieved and clarified. In these operations, water is filtered with a membrane, or with sand or carbon filters.

Electricity

A reliable mains electrical supply is essential to the operation of a refurbishment workshop. Without a reliable source of power, it is impossible to use a test bed. Therefore, priority in operating expenses must be given to the security of the power supply. Workshops must be equipped with an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), more commonly called inverters.This device provides a stable power supply to electronic or electric components. The minimum requirement for an inverter is 650mVa. In most extreme cases, the recycling site should resort to the installation of its own generator.

The power cables coming from the electric meter must be of sufficient size to support the total power of the workstations in test (power of the central processing unit + power of the monitor) which are connected simultaneously to the cable. There should be an upstream cutout or a circuit breaker for each power cable in the electric meter. To ensure the safety of individuals, it is preferable to have ground fault circuit interrupters. Each test bed should be equipped with a 10 to 15 amp fuse. A professional workshop must have electrical emergency stop buttons at every workstation.

Health and Safety

Different devices can be used to ensure security: security bars, a volumetric alarm, smoke detectors, video surveillance, fire extinguishers under a maintenance contract and pharmacy. Static water supply and fire extinguishers should be easy to get to, in order to intervene quickly in case of fire.

Premises must also be secured to reduce the risk of theft. Moreover,they must be well ventilated and clean, to allow employees to work in healthy conditions.

Open a Sales Area

The entrepreneur may choose to open a sales area. This space dedicated to welcoming customers (about 30 m²), should face the street and some equipment should be put in the window. It is usually equipped with a reception desk and shelves to arrange reconditioned equipment. It must always be tidy, clean and well lit.

These areas are socially important, because they enable computer science fans to meet and different generations to mix. They are also educational places that help to reduce the digital divide.

Courtyard to Carry out Loading and unloading

The recycling site should have a courtyard to carry out loading and unloading operations, park vehicles and store equipment temporarily (when the appropriate precautions are taken). The courtyard is also the area in which equipment is sorted, before being sent to the storage room.

Example for fitting out a Recycling area see Picture.The parking area should be able to accommodate a small delivery van or a pickup, a convenient access to the collection truck must be arranged and a sufficient area for the unloading operations must be cleared.

The courtyard must be properly maintained and should not draw the neighbourhood’s attention to any unattended equipment. This area should be swept daily to remove nails, glass splinters and other debris that can damage vehicle tires. Waterproofing surfaces is recommended for two reasons: it helps the collection of rainwater and prevents the infiltration of polluting substances in case of leakage. If the recycling site has several courtyards, each of them should be equipped with an independent water disposal system; so that pollution risks could be limited by the closing of gates.This courtyard should be secured with wire fencing.

The Workshop

Testing, dismantling and refurbishing operations are carried out in the workshop. This area must be organized in order to optimise the efficiency of these operations. The workshop must include several test beds and dismantling stations. As assembly-line work is not efficient for manual dismantling operations, each workstation should function independently.

In some cases, it would allow the most efficient operators not to be slowed down by less experienced employees. The workstation must also be arranged so that a trolley can move around in the workshop to bring equipment and pick up components and material resulting from the dismantling operation.

The Storage Area

The recycling centre must have a storage room for materials in transit, i.e.equipment waiting to be treated, sold or dispatched to another industry. To face the irregularity of supplies, the organization of the storage room should be easy to modify.The storage room also enables the enterprise to keep running even when equipment supplies are low. The storage area is generally the biggest, and should be at least three times as big as the dismantling and sorting area.This part will be equipped with shelves, racks and areas of weighing with a scale of 1 to 500 kg. If the storage space exceeds 250 m3, a fork-lift may be needed.

It is recommended that a classification system be defined (using numbered sections) to make the handling and locating of material easier. Depending on the reclaiming industries existing in the area, it is also possible to use a shredder or a compactor in order to reduce the quantity of plastics and to put them into bundles. In this case, an appropriate solution must be considered for the treatment of waste.

The Infrastructure

The recycling site must be divided into several areas, separating activities from one another. Ideally, the site should have (at least) a storage room,a courtyard, a workshop and an office to welcome clients and manage the activity. The dimensions required for those various areas may vary according to the production volume contemplated. For instance, if most supplies come from abroad, the site must provide space to sort and store the contents of containers. Also, the subsets potentially fit for reuse must be stored in closed premises, where they are protected against bad weather.

The plan below shows a site with a 300 m² storage room, a 200 m² courtyard and a 100 m² workshop. Ten to fifteen employees can work in such premises.

The Location

The choice of location of the recycling site must be one of the entrepreneur’s main concerns. The site should preferably be set up near trading hubs and main highways, in order to facilitate exchanges with suppliers and clients. It should also be relatively close to urban and commercial zones, so that all people, even the poorest, can have access to the resale shop.

Moreover, the entrepreneur is advised to consider the place in order to find a local treatment of ultimate waste as soon as the business is set up. He must study beforehand the various methods available and the offer proposed in the local area. A good way to find such a location is to ask real-estate agents or local authorities for information.