What is recyclable waste? in the family of recyclable waste we find: Plastics, ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, wire, rubber, tyres, wood, pallets, paper, cardboard, glass, textile waste, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), construction waste and end-of-life vehicles (ELV). Recyclable waste is waste that can be transformed into secondary raw materials, so that other products can be produced. Recyclable waste is divided into four broad categories: plastics, glass, paper/cardboard and metal. It also includes wood, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), rubber and construction waste… In France, 355 million tons of waste were produced in 2010 according to a study submitted in January 2013 by the Department of the Commissioner-General of Sustainable Development. If we include quarry fill (mineral waste backfill), 60% of waste is recycled. Across the European Community, this percentage varies widely from one country to the next. According to a European Commission report published in August 2012, 33% of municipal waste generated in the EU is recycled. 54% is treated in waste storage facilities. Austria, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, with a rate between 60% and 70% inclusive, are the four leading European countries in the field of recycling. Conversely, Latvia, Slovakia, Lithuania and Romania recycle fewer than one out of ten waste items. And Bulgaria is the sole member country that recycles none of its waste. Internationally, the United States recycled an estimated 34% of its waste in 2010. What happens to recyclable waste? Recyclable waste undergoes materials recovery. This recovery is referred to as “closed loop” when the materials are recycled and then reused in the product it came from: glass becomes more glass, PET from water bottles becomes a water bottle. It is called “downcycling” when the materials are directed toward other uses: rubber from tyres becomes a soft surface for playgrounds, and PET for example is turned into polar fleece. Plastics recycling FPR France Plastic Recycling, recycling plant PET pellets of recycled PET / Photo Credit: © SUEZ ENVIRONMENT / Pierre Emmanuel Rastoin The manufacturing of PET granules and flakes, recycling of agricultural films, recycling of industrial plastics… Plastics recycling possibilities are being developed to such an extent that in France, plastics recycling has increased ten-fold over the last ten years. To recycle plastics, mechanical equipment is used to separate, wash and refine them (separation is done using infrared detection, cameras, density, Foucault currents, etc.). Plastics are then ground into flakes. In Europe, one out of every three plastic containers in 2011 was recycled. Paper and cardboard recycling Paper and cardboard recycling on the other hand, is primarily used to supply paper and cardboard manufacturers. Paper such as newspapers, journals and magazines are made from cellulose fibres that are mainly extracted from wood or old recovered and recycled paper. The fibres in this case are called “recycled cellulose fibres” (RCF). These RCF are transformed into new paper pulp by means of a defibering process: fibres are suspended in water and “contaminants” like ink and varnish are removed. The resulting pulp, depending on the level of quality, can then be used to make new paper and cardboard packaging. According to the Confederation of European Papers Industry (CEPI), Europe recycles 78% of its paper and cardboard. Ferrous and non-ferrous metals recycling Sorting of household waste from Villers-Saint-Paul - Metal / Photo Credit: © Pierre Emmanuel RASTOIN Deposits of ferrous and non-ferrous metals are mainly found in building demolitions, production scraps, dismantled complex end-of-life products like cars, planes and boats. To recycle ferrous and non-ferrous metals, their quality must first be analysed after which they are sorted by type (copper, steel, aluminium, stainless steel, etc.). They are then compacted, cut up, sheared or ground and separated before being supplied to steel mills, refineries and foundries as a substitute for raw materials. According to a 2011 report by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), lead, silver and gold are the three most recycled metals in the world. The first because it mainly exists in batteries and the other two because of their rarity. Glass recycling Glass, in turn, is first sorted to remove metallic elements and ceramics, which are not recyclable. Bottle caps and labels are then removed using a blower. Finally, the glass is ground up and can be used to make new containers. In Europe, the recycling rate for container glass was 68% on average in 2010, according to the latest report published by the European Container Glass Federation (FEVE). Wood recycling Recycled wood shavings used as a commodity in the panel or as biomass industry - treatment plant for non-hazardous waste - Beringen, Belgium - SITA Recywood / Photo Credit: © SUEZ ENVIRONMENT / Abacapress / Eric Vidal Lastly, wood for recycling is collected from local authorities, industry, superstores and sawmills. Once broken down into shavings, it can be used to make particleboards. Wood that is chemical-free can be burned in individual or joint boilers. Non-reusable pallets are broken down into shavings that can be recycled into medium-density fibreboard or used in bioenergy. Reusable pallets, once repaired and checked, are put back into circulation. In 2011, France’s wood recycling market represented 5 million tons. And of this total, 3.5 million tons were recycled, versus 1.8 million ten years earlier.
Posted on: Sat, 19 Jul 2014 02:28:40 +0000
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