ROMANIA and TURKEY - Scientists claim to have found a method to turn PCBs into material suitable as fuel, or for industrial use.

In a recently released report called Feedstock Recycling from the Printed Circuit Boards of Used Computers, the process reportedly reduces the remains of a printed circuit board to a material called pyrolysis oil, which can be further refined like petroleum for fuel, or can be used by industries to make other chemicals.

While the researchers noted that the waste equipment was difficult to recycle because of additives, heavy metals, and toxic flame retardants contained in PCBs, in their report, the scientists describe the steps used to eliminate or remove almost all of the hazardous compounds from the material.

The process reportedly uses high temperatures, catalysts, and chemical filtration to remove the toxic elements, with the end result being an oil that can be safely used as fuel or raw materials for a number of consumer products.