Dive Brief:

• Many electronics contain rare earth magnets, which are used for their high magnetic properties. But recycling these magnets has been tough to do, though a new process developed at University of Pennsylvania may have solved the problem.
• In addition to being hard to recycle, rare earth magnets are tough to mine and refine, which puts a premium on the need to recycle these materials. Neodymium and dysprosium are two such elements, and are widely used in electronics.
• The university’s new process makes recycling such magnets cheaper and easier than getting raw materials. The process uses typical lab equipment and happens in a relatively brief time frame.

Dive Insight:

E-waste collection and recycling is the bane of many cities because it’s a costly venture and oftentimes, users must pay a fee out of pocket to dispose of such waste. But the new recycling process developed at Penn is promising, and could help divert more e-waste from landfills, while also decreasing environmental impacts.