Kick-off meeting of LIFE2017 project BiotaWEEE

Reydesa Recycling and BiotaTec had a kick-off meeting of LIFE2017-ENV/ES000216 BiotaWEEE project on the 17th of July at the facilities of Otua Group in Legutio, Spain.

The main objective of the project " Bioleaching of WEEE wastes for the Recovery of Valuable Metals" is to recover valuable metals (mainly Cu, Ag and Au) from the non-metallic fraction of the Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) of different Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) by the application of BiotaTec's approach as novel more efficient 2-step bioleaching technology. This technology will allow obtaining metals as a secondary raw material from alternative sources and methane from organic compounds of the waste stream. Consortia of the project consist of 2 partners - Reydesa Recycling and BiotaTec.

BIOTATEC was created in 2007 as a spin-off from Tallinn University of Technology. For 9 years, the company performed metagenomic testing of environmental samples as ISO17025 accredited testing lab and fulfilled various R&D projects for industries and governmental institutions. Since 2010 the company has investigated the possibilities to improve the technology of bioleaching for polymetallic ores that contain organo-metallic complexes. In 2015 given R&D became the main activity of the SME. Company has submitted 2 patent applications related to innovative bioleaching technology with higher efficiency for ores considered to be “low-grade” for conventional metallurgy and even conventional bioleaching.