LAWR

February 2014 Local Authority Waste & Recycling 11 WASTE HANDLING escalating production of waste. More specialists are needed within this complex field. The negative environmental and health impacts of primitive WEEE recycling methods are constantly reported on in the media, but there needs to be greater awareness of the more sophisticated technological options that exist for this type of waste handling. When managed by an Approved Authorised Treatment Facility (AATF), 'waste' electronic products are kept separate from other waste streams and – if not suitable for re-use – are carefully pre-treated to ensure the removal of any hazardous substances. Efforts then need to be made to recover incredibly valuable commodities within the WEEE such as gold, copper and palladium, to name just a few. Of course shredders and sorting equipment can help here, but the most sophisticated of operators will thoroughly hand-separate as much of the metal as possible. This minimises the level of valuable and potentially harmful metals being lost in the dust that inevitably arises from WEEE processing, however slow the shredder speed. Keeping it simple There is nothing wrong with wanting to ensure waste handling operations remain as straightforward as possible. Some companies' goals are simply to ensure the business runs smoothly, whilst supporting the UK's recycling targets, and nothing more. But even these seemingly uncomplicated objectives can be tricky enough in some instances and once again carefully selected technologies have an important role to play. In the manufacturing and machining industries for example, fine shavings of metal swarf can become almost impossible to handle when they tangle together and form a large mass. Here the priority for a waste handling plant is size reduction, so that the metal can be shredded down to produce a more manageable chip. To take this one step further and improve the company's bottom line, the shredded fraction can then be sent to a specialist wash plant. Once the cutting lubricant has been cleaned off, the result is a non- contaminated metal which can then be smelted down or baled for re-sale. Of course if the metal is a valuable non-ferrous substance such as brass or titanium, the material will attract an even greater price. This all goes to show that the metal landscape is one of great opportunity in the UK. Pleasingly, the individual illustrations of companies developing innovative metal recycling processes are already becoming more prevalent. However, it is important to raise further awareness so that organisations within the industry understand exactly what is possible. It is simply a case of establishing a budget and investing in the right technologies, configured to suit the project specification, in order to achieve the desired end result. Mobile Washing Systems "A tailored package to meet your specific needs" Including: • MOBILE DEWATERING SCREENS & CYCLONES • MOBILE WATER RECYCLING PLANT • MOBILE CENTRIFUGES FOR SLUDGE REMOVAL Total water recirculation = Lower water use Does not require settlement lagoons CRUSHERS AND DRY SCREENERS ALSO AVAILABLE SEE THE VIDEO OF THE PLANT WORKING ON OUR WEBSITE SELF DRIVE SELF DRIVE & OPERA & OPERA TED PLANT HIRE A TED PLANT HIRE A V V AILABLE AILABLE � (01527) 89 3343 www.sedavis.co.uk Built On Ambition BOA Recycling UK Ltd. Rorrington 12, SY156BX Chirbury Shropshire, United Kingdom Tel: +44-(0)1938561790 Fax: +44-(0)1938561791 www.boarecycling.co.uk We Impress. Others try to convince from 60 to 225 tons press force The choice for a baler is not ours We realise that the choice for a baler depends on the material to be pressed. The Impress® baler therefore comprises cutting, prepress flap and double prepress flap balers. BOA offers different baling solutions for different types of material. www.boarecycling.co.uk BOA Impress® Different bale methods, specific strengths The greatest pressing force in its class Low operational costs Safe, rigid and reliable Chris Oldfield is managing director of waste shredding specialist UNTHA UK.

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