Top 5 Dry Process PCB Recycling Equipment Suppliers in Canada

Based in Toronto, EcoCycle Solutions has been a household name in Canadian recycling tech since 2008, and their focus on dry process PCB equipment has made them a go-to for small to mid-sized recyclers. What really sets them apart? Their compact granulator with dry separator equipment —a all-in-one machine that’s designed to fit into tight spaces without skimping on performance.

Let’s talk specs. The EcoCycle CG-DS 500, their most popular model, can process 500-800 kg of PCBs per hour. It starts with a pre-shredder that breaks down circuit boards into small chips, then feeds them into a granulator that grinds the material into fine particles (down to 2mm). The real magic happens in the dry separator: a combination of air classification and electrostatic separation that splits the metal-rich fraction from the plastic and fiberglass. Recyclers report metal recovery rates of 95% or higher with this system, which is impressive for a machine that’s only about the size of a large SUV.

What do customers love? The user-friendly interface. “We’re a small team, so we don’t have time to train operators on complicated machinery,” says Mike Chen, owner of Ontario E-Recyclers in Hamilton. “The CG-DS 500 has a touchscreen panel that walks you through each step—even our new hires were up and running in a day.” EcoCycle also offers lifetime technical support, a big plus in an industry where downtime can cost thousands.

EcoCycle isn’t just about compact machines, though. They also offer custom dry process lines for larger facilities, including integration with air pollution control system equipment to meet Canada’s strict emissions standards. For recyclers in provinces like British Columbia, where air quality regulations are particularly tight, this turnkey approach has made EcoCycle a top choice.

Headquartered in Edmonton, Northern Recycling Tech (NRT) has built its reputation on brute strength and reliability—qualities that matter when you’re processing tons of PCBs every day. Their flagship product? The circuit board recycling plant with dry separator 500-2000kg/hour capacity , a beast of a system designed for industrial-scale recyclers. Think of it as the “workhorse” of the dry process world.

Let’s break down the workflow. NRT’s WCBD-2000A plant (their top-selling model) starts with a heavy-duty shredder that reduces PCBs to 50mm pieces, then a secondary granulator that gets them down to 1-3mm. From there, the material moves to a multi-stage dry separator: first, a vibrating screen removes oversized particles, then an air classifier separates lightweight plastics from heavier metals, and finally, an electrostatic separator zaps any remaining metal-plastic mixtures to pull out even trace amounts of copper or gold. The result? Up to 2,000 kg of processed material per hour, with metal recovery rates hovering around 98%.

“We process about 10 tons of PCBs a week, and the WCBD-2000A hasn’t skipped a beat in three years,” says Sarah Lopez, operations manager at Alberta E-Waste Solutions in Calgary. “What sold us was the durability—NRT uses hardened steel blades in the granulator that only need replacing every 6 months, compared to our old machine which needed new blades monthly.” Northern Recycling Tech also offers a 5-year warranty on the separator components, a rarity in the industry.

Another perk? NRT’s focus on energy efficiency. Their dry plants use variable-speed motors that adjust power based on material load, cutting electricity costs by up to 20% compared to fixed-speed systems. For facilities in Northern Canada, where energy bills can be sky-high, this is a game-changer.

Vancouver-based Green Circuit Systems isn’t just about recycling equipment—they’re on a mission to make the entire process carbon-neutral. Founded in 2015 by a team of environmental engineers, their dry process PCB systems are built with sustainability in mind, starting with their air pollution control system equipment that comes standard with every machine.

Take their GC-DP 1000 dry plant, for example. It processes 800-1000 kg/hour, but what really stands out is the integrated air filtration. As the granulator and separator work, a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter and activated carbon scrubber capture 99.97% of dust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) before they can escape. That’s a big deal for recyclers in British Columbia, where the Ministry of Environment has strict limits on particulate emissions (no more than 0.1 grams per cubic meter). Green Circuit’s systems not only meet those standards—they exceed them.

But it’s not just about compliance. The GC-DP 1000 also uses recycled materials in its construction: 30% of the machine’s steel frame is made from recycled scrap metal, and the plastic housing for the control panel is 100% post-consumer plastic. “We wanted a supplier that walked the walk on sustainability,” says James Wilson, owner of Pacific E-Recycling in Victoria. “Green Circuit’s system uses 30% less energy than our previous setup, and the emissions control means we’ve cut our carbon footprint by 40%. Plus, their team helped us apply for a BC government ｇｒａｎｔ for green tech—we got $20k back on the purchase.”

Green Circuit also offers training programs for operators, including a “Sustainability Certification” that teaches best practices for minimizing waste during processing. It’s this holistic approach that’s made them a favorite among eco-conscious recyclers.

• GC-DP 1000 dry process plant (800-1000 kg/hour)
• Integrated HEPA + carbon air pollution control system (emissions <0.05g/m³)
• 30% recycled materials in construction; energy-efficient design
• Operator training and sustainability certification included
• Customizable to process mixed e-waste (PCBs + cables + small electronics)

Montreal-based CEWI is the new kid on the block, founded in 2018, but they’ve quickly made a name for themselves with innovative dry process PCB equipment. Their claim to fame? The dry process equipment line that uses AI-powered sorting to boost metal recovery rates even higher. Yep, you read that right—artificial intelligence in recycling.

CEWI’s SmartSort D1500 plant combines traditional dry separation with computer vision. After the granulator turns PCBs into particles, a high-speed camera scans each piece, and AI software identifies metal-rich fractions in real time. The system then uses air jets to separate those fractions into different bins, ensuring that even tiny gold flakes or silver wires aren’t lost in the plastic mix. Early adopters report recovery rates of 99% for copper and 98% for gold, which is a big jump from the industry average of 95%.

“We process a lot of old medical equipment PCBs, which have really thin gold plating,” says Pierre Dubois, technical director at Quebec E-Recyclage in Montreal. “With our old dry system, we were losing about 15% of that gold. The SmartSort D1500? We’re now recovering almost all of it. The AI learns over time, too—after a month, it started recognizing rare metals like palladium that we didn’t even know were in the boards.”

CEWI’s machines aren’t cheap—their entry-level SmartSort starts at around $250,000—but the ROI is quick for recyclers dealing with high-value PCBs. They also offer a lease-to-own program, which has made their tech accessible to smaller operations. Plus, their customer support is 24/7, with a team of engineers in Montreal ready to troubleshoot via video call if something goes wrong.

Based in Vancouver, Pacific PCB Recovery (PPR) specializes in custom dry process equipment for recyclers with unique needs—think medical waste facilities, military surplus handlers, or companies dealing with PCB-laden items like CRT monitors or old telecom equipment. Their circuit board recycling equipment isn’t one-size-fits-all; instead, they design systems tailored to the specific materials their clients process.

One of their most popular custom builds is the CRT-PCB Dry Separator, designed for recycling old computer monitors (CRTs) that contain leaded glass and PCBs. Traditional dry systems struggle with CRT glass, which can contaminate metal fractions, but PPR’s machine adds a magnetic separator and a density-based sorter to separate leaded glass from PCB metals. The result? A system that processes 300-500 kg/hour of CRT-PCB mix with 99% leaded glass removal.

“We handle a lot of military surplus electronics, which have PCBs with specialized coatings,” says Lisa Wong, owner of Western E-Recycling in Surrey. “PPR came to our facility, tested our materials, and built a dry system with a custom heating element that softens the coatings without melting the metals. Now we can recover 97% of the copper, where before we were stuck at 80%.”

PPR also excels at small-batch processing. Their MiniDry 300 system is designed for labs or research facilities that need to recycle small quantities of PCBs (100-300 kg/hour) without the hassle of a full-scale plant. It’s compact, quiet, and meets strict lab safety standards, making it a hit with universities and government research centers.

What really makes PPR stand out, though, is their customer collaboration. They invite clients to their Vancouver factory during the design phase, so recyclers can tweak specs like granulator speed or separator airflow before production starts. It’s a hands-on approach that leads to equipment that fits like a glove.