Disrupting the €1 Trillion metal industry

Obiettivo

We are DEScycle, a clean-tech company with the mission to replace outdated and polluting smelting technology with an innovative, eco-friendly, and profitable solution for sustainable metal recycling from e-waste (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment or WEEE), in particular from printed circuit boards (PCBs) and Data Centre Hardware.
The mission of the company revolves around the replacement of outdated and polluting technologies for metals’ recycling. This will be achieved through commercialisation of our groundbreaking technology which allows the recovery of 99% of metals from e-waste with a positive environmental impact.
Established in 2018 in the UK, our vision is to transform the €1 Trillion metals industry by introducing an innovative metals recovery solution, finally ending market reliance on energy intensive, polluting processes and on the use of highly toxic chemicals.
Our technology is an innovative metal recovery process that utilises a new eco-friendly class of chemistry, DES (Deep Eutectic Solvents). DES was first discovered at the University of Leicester (UoL) 20 years ago and has been developed since through €16m worth of R&D investment. Our company leveraged UoL’s know-how and has licenced the background IP from UoL. Key academics have been brought into the company (Dr Rob Harris, co-inventor of the initial IP) and DEScycle has created its own DES-related IP since 2020.
Starting from the first year of commercialisation, we will prove the ability to deliver an increased number of recycling facilities for precious metals from e-waste (currently only 3 facilities in Europe) that can be located in both urban and industrial areas. This will increase supply chain value and and help to drive up collection and recycling rates; diverting this waste stream from landfill/ incineration. We will contribute to the Net Zero Ambition by delivering significant GHG emissions savings (up to 90%) as compared to state-of-the-art WEEE/e-waste recycling.