The kinetics of pyrolysis of electronic packaging material are investigated under various heating rates (5, 10, 15, 20 K/min) in an inert atmosphere using a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) technique. The pyrolysis characteristics of samples are examined by SEM, XRD, FTIR, ICP-MS and EA. The effect of heating condition on the surface area and pore structure of samples is discussed. Two reaction stages are involved for the pyrolysis of electronic packaging material when nitrogen is present in the carrier gas. The corresponding kinetic parameters, including activation energy, pre-exponential factor and reaction order are presented. The apparent activation energies can be divided into three groups. The results will be useful in developing pyrolysis or incineration systems for plastic waste from electronic components. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.