Before starting to talk about the operation of waste treatment plants, we must fully understand the operation of a recycling chain, what it consists of and its different phases.
What is recycling or recovery of waste?
Recycling, as we all know, consists of subjecting used materials or waste to a transformation or exploitation process, also called ‘recovery’, so that they can be used again.
This process is carried out with all types of waste and materials, from the smallest that we generate in our homes (domestic) to those large tonnage waste from mining operations and / or construction (industrial).
The waste recovery process
In order to carry out this recovery and the correct treatment of waste, several actions are carried out that form a chain of steps or stages.
- Collection and transport: Once the waste has been generated, it is time to collect it wherever it is and transport it to the point where it will be treated.
In the domestic sphere ‘we throw away the garbage’, but in the industrial sphere the process is much more complex. Such is the complexity that companies or industries that generate waste hire other companies to manage it, or, in some cases, have their own transportation methods.
- Transfer plant: It is a plant that collects waste, in this way gathers as much waste as possible, taking advantage of all possible space so as not to carry out transport with little amount of garbage.
- Classification: This process is key in recycling, it is the moment in which the waste is separated and classified to be able to treat it jointly. The waste is unified according to its type and gathered in different groups to be able to be transported and treated separately.
- Waste treatment: Once classified, they are transported to the specific plants of each material for their next treatment. It must be taken into account that there are different plants to treat different wastes that are generated and that each plant uses a different and unique technique.
The solid waste treatment or recovery plant
SOTECMA designs, manufactures and installs solid waste treatment plants. Specific plants for the treatment, transport and classification of recyclable materials thanks to their extensive experience in solutions for handling bulk solids.
The plants have different areas and sections in which there are different facilities and equipment that allow their collection, transport, screening, etc.
Among the specific equipment for waste treatment that we manufacture at SOTECMA we find:
- Belt conveyors (transport)
- Screw conveyors (transport)
- Vibrant bottoms (storage and extraction)
- Horizontal silos (dosing and weighing)
- Mixers (mixed)
- Humidifiers (mixed)
- Bag filters (filtered)
- ATEX classification equipment (special equipment)
As the waste reaches the treatment plants, it is classified according to the criteria of those that can be reused and those that cannot. The latter end up in controlled waste deposits.
Once this classification has been carried out, the waste will receive the different treatments, depending on the type of material, for its future reuse.
Types of materials that can be recovered
For the materials that can be recovered we differentiate two types:
- Waste that comes from construction and demolition works. These materials have a recycling process that we will focus on more specifically later in this post.
- Materials such as metals, glass, paper, etc. They arrive at the treatment plants together and are separated and classified, mostly manually. Once separated there are two options: send those wastes that cannot be recycled to controlled deposits; or store them in deposits of classified materials those wastes that can be reused.
Finally, the commercialization of reusable materials by companies comes into play. These companies will use the materials to recycle and turn them into new products that later we find in our day to day.
What about construction and demolition waste?
Technological advances allow us to complete a building or demolition project and recycle the remaining materials according to their properties and characteristics so that they are used in one way or another in a new work.
Most of the time, the remaining waste from these projects is used for the production of aggregates, with which they will later be converted into concrete in a Concrete or Concrete Manufacturing Plant. However, they can be used in other ways.
Main construction and demolition waste
As in a home, not all materials are recyclable and we cannot reuse them. You have to check the quality of the waste before recycling, and thus ensure that the new materials meet the conditions and requirements for a new construction.
Among the materials that can receive a second use we find:
- Asphalt: the remains of a paving can be reused in construction of new roads.
- Concrete: its residues are used for the base of road constructions and it is one of the components to produce new concrete.
- Wood: although we are talking about wood contaminated with paint, we can recover it for another use. The treatment of wood can be used to produce fuel or as a landscape decoration.
- Metals: some of the metals that can safely receive a second use are doors, pipes, sheets and window frames. We melt iron and steel for reuse. If the recovered materials are whole pieces, it can be sold to scrap metal shops.
- Plastic and glass: although they are difficult materials to find in a demolition, the reuse of them is possible thanks to the recycling industry, as it happens in the home.
Types of construction waste according to their potential use
The classification of materials is based on the review process, where they will be cataloged depending on the secondary use they may have. We can classify into:
- Reusable Materials: Usually we are talking about steel, wood, brick, block, tiles or masonry. They can be reused as fill in new buildings or for paving temporary roads that connect the building with other access roads.
- Recyclable materials: mostly metals, plastic and glass that can be destined for the recycling market. These materials are treated in order to be reused.
- Materials for the manufacture of secondary products: above all we are talking about remaining materials that come from rock, ceramics and concrete, in order to be recovered to manufacture secondary products. Likewise, metals, plastics and glasses can also have the same purpose.
Reusing these building materials has a positive impact on the environment.
Among them we highlight striking impacts: the first is on the transport of materials, since the transfer of these construction materials involves great pollution, especially in the air. By recovering the waste we avoid a greater number of transfers to the landfill and new materials for another construction. And the second, the impact on the earth by creating new materials.
Main waste to deal with our facilities
SOTECMA be care about the environment, and one of the points in which we work is the recycling and recovery of various materials.
Among the waste that can be treated with our equipment and facilities we find:
- Solid urban waste
- Packaging
- Organic waste
- Metals
- Wood
- End of life tires
- Glass
- Biomass
We provide solutions, both for individual equipment and global solutions that require engineering, processes and equipment, manufacturing and assembly of complete facilities. We also work on the development and implementation of equipment and facilities according to the ATEX standard, modifying and adapting existing equipment and production plants to this standard.
If you have any questions about the Waste Treatment Plants, contact us and we will gladly assist you.
