LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting sources are more environmentally friendly and energy saving compared to traditional light sources and their usage has been increasing year by year. The amount of waste generated by LED lighting sources is also increasing gradually. Since 2018, Taiwan has started to recycle and process waste LED lighting sources. However, the current data information on LED lighting source resource materials, resource recycling and reuse technologies, and circular industry chain systems in Taiwan are still incomplete. Under the international trend of zero carbon emissions, it is important to evaluate the low-carbon benefits of its resource circulation. This project aims to establish LED waste lighting source resource recycling and utilization technology and circular industry chain system. The main work items include: A. LED lighting source resource material classification and characteristic analysis, B. LED lighting source waste optical plastic recovery processing and reuse technology, and C. LED lighting source recycled material carbon footprint and its low-carbon benefit evaluation. The research team has completed the following tasks: (1). Establishment of LED lighting source resource material characteristic data (database), (2). Development of waste optical plastic component recoveryand reuse technology (including: trial production of regenerated PS plastic pellets and regenerated PS plastic monomers), (3). Development of waste optical plastic recycled plastic value-added reuse prototype product technology (including: trial production and performance evaluation of prototype products for simulated wood building materials, as well as small-scale trial production field verification of prototype products with embossed simulated wood boards), (4). Linking related companies in the LED lighting source waste optical plastic resource circular industry chain, and (5). Calculation of carbon footprint of recycled materials generated by LED waste lighting source recycling processing and evaluation of its low-carbon benefits. We hope that this research can enhance the diversity and application value of domestic LED lighting source waste optical plastic reuse channels, and assist in establishing a new circular value chain for domestic LED lighting source recycling industry.

LED lighting source, Waste diffusion plate, Recycling, Recycled materials, Carbon Footprint