LAWR

MRF SPECIAL April 2015 Local Authority Waste & Recycling 21 Maximising plant efficiency Incorporating 'future-proof' design con- cepts into MRF layouts and operations are vital if they are to meet the needs of the ever-evolving waste management market. However, how do you upgrade existing ones? Stadler UK's Trevor Smart reports. Many UK material recovery facilities (MRFs) are reaching the age where they either need to be replaced or require a serious upgrade. Most of our MRFs were designed and built up to 15 years ago, and the advancements in technology, working practices and increasing quality requirements of the waste industry today dictate that MRFs operate in a more efficient way. Given the myriad of issues around the development of new facilities, refurbishment is the only option in many cases and can, in fact, present MRF operators with a number of opportunities. The need for plants to become more cost effective – increasing throughput with reduced overheads – is a major driver when choosing when, and how, an upgrade will be undertaken. Key to any refurbishment works is establishing the most effective way of processing the material being handled. Operators need to look closely at the composition of the feedstock coming into their MRF, and at what end product is required. Often this will have changed significantly since most MRFs were designed and built, and the need for higher quality sorting with less waste making its way to landfill is now a significant driver when designing and installing a MRF refurb. Stadler UK, the UK arm of sorting and processing equipment supplier Stadler Engineering, is currently working on an upgrade of the J&B Recycling MRF in Hartlepool. Initially this MRF had just one Near Infrared (NIR) sorting machine – which is all that was required when the facility was built. As a result of the upgrade, Stadler will be installing up to five NIR sorting machines, enabling the facility to sort material more accurately and more quickly. Increased automation also gives the operator greater throughput together with a purer end product, increased operating efficiency and less waste going to landfill. Materials recovery facility management largest Mercedes-Benz Dealer has supplied a pair of Actros tractor units to resource contract. Gary Elms, Viridor's South-West Regional vehicle and plant engineer, says the "20% more efficient in terms of the fossil fuel energy" it uses. YOUR ROUND-UP OF THIS MONTH'S TOP STORIES ACROSS THE INDUSTRY WINNER TAKES IT ALL - Viridor has announced that it has been awarded the contract to process and sell dry recyclate materials from the London Borough of Lewisham. It will collect and transport kerbside recycling materials to Viridor's MRF in Crayford. Trevor Smart is sales manager at Stadler UK dealing with at least 1,000 tonnes of mixed dry recyclable waste in a year. The Code states: "Under the code the first reporting period will start on 1 October 2015, and testing should commence from this date. In any year, there will be four reporting periods." Before 1 October 2016 one sample should be taken for every 160 tonnes of waste received from each supplier. After that date the frequency will be increased to every 125 tonnes. Many MRFs are reaching the age where they need to be updgraded

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