Agenda - Council - 10/14/1980 - Laserfiche WebLink

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- 12 - e office paper recycling campaigns aimed at capturing the higher quality white office bond grade material. Four non-profit re- cycling centers also provide curb side pickup service for recy- clables on a voluntary basis. Two independent haulers have combined refuse removal service with a newspaper pickup service for their customers and one firm may expand pickup service to include other materials in the near future. One independent scrap processor/ redemption center provides a curb-side pickup service for all recyclable materials in five neighborhoods in Minneapolis on a voluntary basis. PICKING Picking, or salvaging, is the process of removing valuable materials from the mixed waste stream for later sale or reuse. Picking is typically an unstructured materials recovery system that can occur at any point along the collection and disposal route. Frequency of picking activities and recovery rates directly correspond to the materials' market prices. Picking is a common practice throughout the collection and dis- posal industry. However, organized programs are rare because of the cost of labor and the complex and fragmented structure of the Region's solid waste management system. Picking is often used in combination with mechanical separation technologies at the front end of refuse-to-energy facilities. Some transfer stations and landfills currently pick out materials on a more random basis. In California, large-scale picking crews are employed at sanitary landfills as mixed refuse is dumped. Valuable items are retrieved using a conveyor system before the refuse is buried. 4. MECHANICAL SEPARATION Mechanical separation methods capable of segregating solid waste into valuable components have developed based on techniques used in mining and paper industries. Although still somewhat exper- imental, there are two basic approaches to mechanical material separation: wet processing and dry processing. Both approaches utilize a series process that begins with volume reduction'6sing a shredder,, then classifies the stream into light and heavy frac- tions, and final processing to recover marketable materials using magnetic separators and other equipment. Mechanical separation often precedes incineration within.refuse-to,energy facilities. Ferrous-aluminum magnetic separators are currently being used throughout the Region at larger-scale recycling centers and scrap metal processors, and at materials market facilities. In general, only ferrous and aluminum metal recovery is currently technically and economically feasible using mechanical separation technology. 5. PRELIMINARY CONCLUSIONS Approximately two-thirds of all solid waste is capable of being recycled, including paper, glass, metals, plastics, rubber and textiles. However, only about one-third or 33 percent is realistically recoverable (MPCA, 1979). The entire recyclable component of the waste stream cannot be recovered because of the