Agenda - Council - 11/25/1980 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

- 16 - 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. 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 experi- mental, 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 using 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. 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 realis- tically recoverable (MPCA, 1979). The entire recyclable component of the waste stream cannot be recovered because of the economics of sorting and removing contaminants from recyclable materials. It is estimated that the Region currently recycles about 14 per- cent of the total solid waste generated through source separation of the following materials: newspaper, office paper, corrugated, other paper, plastic, rubber, wood, yard waste, ferrous appli- ances, ferrous cans, aluminum scrap, aluminum cans, and glass (see Table 4). The existing recovery system consists of neighborhood recycling centers, scrap dealers, commercial office paper and corrugated recovery programs by local mills and several leaf and composting operations. Based on current market trends and improving source separation systems, it is reasonable to assume that an additional four to six percent of the total waste gener- ated may be recycled by the year 2000 through office paper, glass and aluminum recovery programs without any new effort from the government sector. Any additional recycling will require a cooperative effort from both local government units and solid waste collection, recycling and disposal industries.