“When we set out on iRECYCLE-Malaysia, the ambition was straightforward to state and hard to do: build a genuine UK-Malaysia partnership that turns electronic waste from a disposal problem into a domestic source of critical metals. A year in, I am impressed by how much of that ambition has already moved from paper into practice.

Year 1 has been about laying foundations. We have brought together chemists, engineers and social scientists across Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), Universiti Malaya (UM) and Universiti Technologi Petronas (UTP), recruited and settled our early-career research team, and established the analytical and separation capability that the next two years depend on. Just as importantly, we have built the relationships – with academic colleagues, with industry, and with policy stakeholders on both sides – that will determine whether this work leaves the laboratory.
What gives me most confidence is the character of the collaboration. This is not a UK project with Malaysian participants; it is a shared programme with shared priorities, and our partners are shaping the research agenda as much as we are. That is the only basis on which a partnership of this kind succeeds.

My thanks to everyone who has contributed to a demanding and productive first year – and to UKRI and the Ayrton Fund for making it possible.”

Professor Peter Nockemann, Principal Investigator

2. Inaugural Symposium – December 2025: Our first major gathering, hosted in Kuala Lumpur, brought together researchers from all partner institutions for a full day of in‑person presentations, planning sessions, and collaborative discussions. This symposium established shared priorities, strengthened cross‑team relationships, and showcased early research progress.

4. Public Engagement & Outreach: Our NI Science Festival event “What’s in Your Pocket? The Secret Life of Smartphone Minerals!”, in partnership with the RiSC Network+ project, introduced the public to the hidden world of critical minerals inside everyday devices. This event helped raise awareness of the environmental and geopolitical challenges linked to mineral supply chains—an essential part of the e‑waste conversation.

Hear from Universiti Malaya PDRA, Dr. Zafira Madzin:

“During Year 1 of the iRECYCLE-Malaysia project, I am involved with the policy and stakeholder engagement activities under WP 5, focusing on mapping local and global e-waste value chain. One of the most rewarding aspects of my first year has been exploring how effective policies and collaboration can accelerate Malaysia’s transition towards a circular economy. My work has focused on understanding the country’s e-waste value chain, identifying where value is created and lost, and examining how existing policies and regulations can better support sustainable resource recovery and critical metal recycling.

Presenting this work at the iRECYCLE Symposium at QUB and engaging with policymakers, industry representatives, and fellow researchers has reinforced that solving the e-waste challenge requires more than technological innovation, it also requires governance that enables innovation to thrive. I hope the evidence generated through this research will help shape policies that not only strengthen Malaysia’s recycling industry but also contribute to a more sustainable, resilient future for generations to come.”

Hear from Queen’s University Belfast PDRA, Dr. Pete Goodrich:

“During Year 1 of the project, WP1.1 focused on the development of a green chemical process for metal recovery from waste printed circuit boards (PCBs). This work involved evaluating various pretreatment strategies that could be integrated into a sustainable hydrometallurgical process using commercially available organic acids under moderate operating conditions. The findings from WP1 provided valuable insights into leaching and selective metal recovery processes investigated in WP2, including the recovery of both bulk and precious metals. These results also informed the techno-economic assessment and life cycle analysis activities undertaken in WPs 3 to 5, helping to evaluate the overall feasibility and sustainability of the proposed recovery process.”

Hear from Queen’s University Belfast PDRA, Dr. Sadish Oumabady:

“My work during the first year of the iRecycle-Malaysia project made significant progress across WP4 and WP5. In Task 4.1, I developed an Excel-based modular life cycle assessment (LCA) framework to evaluate different scenarios for metal recovery from waste printed circuit boards (wPCBs) using greener leaching chemicals. Initial laboratory-scale assessments and benchmarking against conventional leaching methods revealed notable differences across key environmental impact categories. Alongside the LCA, I carried out a techno-economic assessment (TEA) of the chemical leaching processes to evaluate their economic feasibility and support decision-making for future process development. In WP5, I completed a systematic literature review to identify knowledge gaps in circular business models for e-waste management. A recent field visit to Malaysia also provided valuable first-hand insights into current e-waste management practices, helping to validate our research direction and pave the way for the next phase of the project.”

Hear from Queen’s University Belfast PDRA, Dr. Sanskrita Madhukailya:

“During the first year of the project in WP2, significant progress was made across both chemical and electrochemical recovery pathways. Baseline operational data was successfully established by conducting traditional mineral acid leaching and stripping experiments, providing a rigorous industrial benchmark to evaluate green workflows. To streamline solvent extraction (SX), third-layer emulsion and phase-separation bottlenecks were resolved by identifying optimal operational pH windows and fine-tuning organic modifier combinations with extractants such as D2EHPA, P507, and Cyanex systems. Simultaneously, a novel electrochemical dissolution protocol was designed and standardised for controlled potential and current-driven metal leaching. Finally, initial SX and stripping protocols were developed using WP1 organic lixiviants paired with green organic stripping agents, demonstrating recovery of metals while potentially eliminating reliance on mineral acids.”

Ayrton Midpoint Workshop:

Principal Investigator, Prof. Peter Nockemann, joined the UK Research and Innovation Ayrton Fund Midpoint Workshop in London on Tuesday 23^rd June 2026. It was a great opportunity to connect and hear more about the other 13 UKRI Ayrton Challenge Fund projects! Many thanks to the Ayrton team for organising the event.

Symposium III, Kuala Lumpur: We look forward to our next Symposium, taking place in Malaysia in December 2026. This will be an opportunity to connect again with colleagues, share project updates and key achievements.

We also look forward to meeting with key industry partners and engaging with a wide variety of local stakeholders as part of our open symposium event. More information to follow.

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