~wabk goods:

l by Al Maten I

1 nthe< techr

:ompu liques

ter Age, new recycling are making progress.

What happens to old computers, copiers and fax machines when people are done with them in their homes or businesses? Some of them are sold as used equipment and some are do- nated to nonprofit organizations, but the vast majority go to the landfill.

As the demand grows for information technology products that are smaller, lighter and better designed, the plastics volume in these categories continues to increase. AC- cording to the Society of the Plastics Indus- try, in 1994, three billion pounds of plastics were used for electrical and electronic equip- ment applications, including housings, en- closures and cabinets. If the pace of dis- carding continues, a Camegie-Mellon Uni- versity study predicts, about 150 million computer carcasses will reside in U.S. land- fills by the year 2005.

All that disposal of durables may be chang- ing, though. The plastics and electronic equip- ment industries are making significant progress in pioneering research into recover- ing and recycling an increasing amount of plastics from old information technology products (computers, fax machines, copiers,

m Resource Recyclirtg September 1995

telephones, pagers, cal- culators).

Over the last three years, industry efforts have. resulted in two new research and de- velopment centers, fea- turing new technology that will help improve the quality and reduce the cost of the durable plastics recycling proc-

A technician monitors prodrrct j7olv at tlze second stage of a mldti- stage air classification spstem at MBA Polyners, Inc., Berkeley. California. The unique, state-of-he-arr system can produce up to four ess.

Comuanies such as different streams using only sic

IBM, A?&T, Xerox, Hewlett-Packard and Digital Equipment Corporation have programs in place to take back some end-of-use products. AT&T has taken back some 41 million pounds of res- idential, commercial and industrial infor- mation technology products since 1994. The plastics and information technology indus-

tries are committed to assessing the alter- natives to today’s disposal practices and to developing technologies to help ensure that the recovery and recycling of plastics from end-of-life information technology prod- ucts are economically and environmental- ly responsible.

Al Maten has been director of durables programs for the Americun Plastics Council since July 19% Maten serves as technical advisor and program manaser between APC members and interested paflies in the durables industry.

I

Advanced plastics recycling technolo- gies currently in development are expected to:

I/ increase throughput

ti decrease operating and capital costs

ti improve purity and cleanliness

/ expand separation techniques.

L major reclamation project In 1993, the Ameritan Plastics Council an- nounced a major program to investigate the reclamation of plastics from old computers, copiers, fax machines and telephones. The re- covery effort is marked by a unique collabo- ration between plastic resin producers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The initial effort focused on recycling plas- tics from equipment components provided by AT&T, Digital Equipment Corporation, Hewlett-Packard, IBM and Xerox. In a co- operative effort, APC and wTe Corp. (Bed-

Müki-Prducts Recyding Facility wTe Corporation’s Multi-Products Recy- cling Facility (MPRF) uses mechanical processing technology to recover engi- neering plastics and metals from end-of- the-road durable goods. The MPRF, locat- ed in Boston, uses a process line to separate and sort the component materials into clean streams of recyclable product. The MPRF can separate mixed plastics and recover se- lected resins as clean flake.

claim technologies due to high metal c tent or excessive bulk.

Working with a number of clients. MPRF has demonstrated that it can rec er engineering plastics and metals from tomotive plastic parts, computer and bl _ ness machine housings, household apI antes and manufacturing scrap. The An ican Plastics Council assisted with resea and development aspects of the project

Recent modiications to the facility have wTe’s MPRF is available to indust> increased its capacity and capabilities. The and commercial clients to conduct PI MPRF is now fully equipped to handle essing trials on various types of dura’ truckload quantities and can process mate- goods streams. Custornized demonstrat. rials at rates up to 1,000 pounds per hour or and test programs can help develop an _ higher, depending on the incoming streti. fective recycling strategy before comn According to Chris Ryan, general manag- ting resources and capital to a full-scale F’. er of the MPRF, the facility is particularly gram. The company also uses the faci; suited to recovering plastics from streams for toll processing of post-industrial a 1 that cannot be handled by conventional re- post-consumer materials.

L

ford, Massachusetts) began operating a re- search and development Multi-Products Re- cycling Facility (MPRF) at a wTe site in Boston in December 1993.

The R&D facility processed more than 100,000 pounds of plastic items from differ-

ent types of durable products and gene’ a clean plastic stream. This information nology equipment included foreign mat. such as attached metals or labels, adl. foams and other plastics. The ultimate of these efforts was to advance the ecor

SIXTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE of ‘l& COMPOSTING COUNCIL Octobe;

THE COMPOS~NC COUNCIL 7.

Complete registration form ond return with poyment to:

C-

I

11-13 at the$$reenbelt Marriott Hotel in Beltsville, MD. ‘Ibis is a con&ence for the composting, wastewater treatment, and

formation, techniques of odor nianagement, and effective methods of có@municating with the

public. All of the relevant questi&surrouncliig odor concems wii be answered: K%zt is it?

‘~How do you measure it?‘HLw do‘jou c&t&,it? How do iou regulate it? and Whk is the I relationshi0 between odor and bublic heatth? Exoerts from academia. eovemLe;t and lndustrv

Phone (703) 7392401 Fax (703) 739-2407

will reviiw and discuss the latest research and advances in assessing odor and its implications in will reviiw and discuss the latest research and advances in assessing odor and its implications in

the composting, wastewater keatm$, anci animal management industrles. Case studies and the composting, wastewater keatm$, anci animal management industrles. Case studies and

‘tichnical guidance will be highlighted during the conference. More than 46 RESÉARCH POSTERS ‘tichnical guidance will be highlighted during the conference. More than 46 RESÉARCH POSTERS

addressing air quality issues~wi!l complement panel presentations. TRAINING SEMINARS: Best addressing air quality issues~wi!l complement panel presentations. TRAINING SEMINARS: Best

Practices fir Composting Wo~kshop, National Backyard Composting Training seminar, and Uting Practices fir Composting Wo~kshop, National Backyard Composting Training seminar, and Uting

Sm& zip. Country Sm& zip. Country Telephone

On Wednesday, Oct. ll, 1 planto attend the following special session: 0 Best Practices Training Workshop Cl Using Compost & Other Organic

E. E. Fax Number E‘

Compost and Other Organic Products. A review of Food for the Earth projects will be given. Attendees will have an ODDOI~U& to tour USDA facilities. If vou have a stake in maintainin~~ air

q&ty around your facility, you need to attend this conference. CONFERENCE FEE: $350 for

Council members and $400 for nonmembers. Fee includes a reception, one lunch and dinner, all

panel presentations and poster sessions, and transportation between the USDA facility, hotel, 6. and tours. Academics and g&emme& officials qualify for the member discount. Registration

. &ter October 2 will incur a $75 surcharge. Ca&ellati& after that date will be subject to f/‘=\ ’

Products 0 National Backyard Composting

Training Program 0 Foodfir the Earth 5 Degradable Polymen Meeting Conference Fees-Check Enclosed 0 Member-$350 0 Nonmember-$400 0 Please bill my Cl MC Cl Visa 13 Amex

a $75 fee. Call the Marriott Hotel at l&J22&9290 for hotel feservations at $95/niaht c - .*, 3~

I Cxdholder’s Name

Cxd Number

Expuatlon Date

Cardholder’s Signature

Ba I Rrsource Recycling September 1995 Circle 247 on RR service card

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quired significant manual labor to separate for- 1 éign material and segregate plastici by resin types, because of a lack of automated process- es. The MPRF demonstrates, on a pilot scale, that a continuous process can be designed to deal with post-use durable plastics.

ic understanding and the state of the art of conventional recycling.

Using proven technologies from the plas- tics, solid waste. mining, food processing and traditional recycling industries, the MPRF is constructed in stand-alone modules. These modules offer maximum flexibility and al- low individual equipment types to be tested and processing sub-systems to be evaluated.

Unit equipment process capacities for the var- ious feedstocks depend on the size, compo- sition and physical characteristics of the ma- terial.

In the past, most of therecovered items re-

At the MPRF, plastic parts move from the conveyor into a shear shredder for primary size reduction. Ferrous and non-ferrous met- als are removed by a magnetic rotating drum and a mineral jig. Air classifiers remove lib- erated foam, fiber and other light materials; then sink/float classifiers operating with wa- ter solutions at different specific gravities sep- arate various plastics by their density. The plastic material is washed and dried to pro- duce clean flake for recycling into test pieces by resin suppliers.

Upgrading the MPRJT The information gained during the facility’s initial operation is being used to improve the operations. The MPRF sink/float classifica- tion lines have been upgraded by replacing one classifier with a new, larger one, and by significantly modifying the other to increase throughputs and enhance separation effec- tiveness. A state-of-the-art rotary grinder has been installed in the multi-stage size reduc- tion line to enhance liberation. increase throughput rates and improve particle size and shape control.

In addition, the original, modified she; shredder has been rehlmed to a standard she;, shredder for gross size reduction, greatly in creasing throughput. The size reduction lin, has two magnetic removal steps, one after th,

shear shredder and the other after the new ro- tary grinder.

Demonstrating new recycling technology To complement the MPRF facility, APC ix conducting a project with MBA Polymers.

THE WHOLE 1s ONLYAS GOOD As THE SUM OF ITS PARTS

M.A. 735 Rotary Trommel

Sup~oti structure of hrauy duty

carbon steel chan&. 3 inch

diameter boles throughout car-

ben steel drum to facilitate

debris wmoual.

M.A. 700 Series Granulutor - The 700 series granulators are

built exclusively of special wear-

resistant alloys. Cast-steel con-

struction results in increased

unit weight and assures trouble

free operations and longer hfe.

The rotor is 4140 steel, heat

treated to a high degree fw

strength and durability.

i--- I-, Trommel

Gl2llUl~tO~ Bale Breakei Spm Dryer

M.A. 732 Bale Breaker

Hrav) duty carbon steel channel

pan, rotors, dn’ue & idler shafts.

Steel tee bar cagt with remouable

side screens for easy mainte-

nance. Complete with adjlrstable

h~draulic pownr unit.

AT M.A. QUALITY COMPONENTS ADD UP To A TROUBLE FREE PLASTICS RECLAMATION SYSTEM

M.A.‘s Post Consumer Plastics Reclamation components combine a reputation for dependability with highly efficient equipment that installs easily, sares labor & power and lasts longer. They are the only component manufacturer that has operated a Post Consumer Plastics Reclamation System since 1989. Their tradition of quality components will provide the most reliable additions to your existing lines.

M.A. INDUSlJ3IES. ING.

P.O. Box 2322,303 Dividend Drive, Peachtree City, GA 30269 (404) 487-7761 Fax (404) 487-2710 Telex 542685

M.A. 2í70 Spin Dryer

Support strarture o/formed

stainless steel tubing and rollrd

stainless .steel @ate. Closed ron-

struction, welded, stainless sterl

rotor, rotor bladrs and rotor

screens with hook senm and

latches for casy acwrs.

Circle 120 on RR service card R~.YOWW Reqcling September 1995 m

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dcmonstrate n& technologies for identify- ing and separating plastics from durable goods for recycling. The 10,000~square-foot facility, which began operating in April 1995, features the “Advanced Plastics Recycling Pilot Line,” incorporating some of the most advanced plastics recycling technologies in the U.S.

Tbe Berkeley facility is focusing on iden- tifying and developing new and advanced me- chanical recycling technologies. These tech- nologies will be designed to increase through- puts; lower operating and capital costs: im- prove the cleanliness and purity of recycled plastics; and develop new types of separation techniques.

The pilot line incorporates various stages in a sophisticated recycling process, includ- ing a size reduction operation that can ac- commodate foreign materials, such as met- als; a unique, state-of-the-art. three-stage air classification system that can produce up to four different streams using only air; and a unique low-energy, high-throughput wet

‘. grinding system. Once properly sized, the materials then pass through a series of hy- drocyclone separation systems to remove any remaining foreign material and to sep- arate plastics by density, a process that can be much faster than the commonly used sink/float methods.

lLIL LLLLI~~~~~gy LII~LATL ib uevelopmg af this new facility could dramatically improve the quality of post-consumer recycled plas- tic and will reduce costs throughout the re- cycling process. This pilot line will serve as a proving ground for future full-scale recy- cling systems and technology that ultimate-

ly will be transferable to many industries and recycling operations.

In the automotive, electronics and other industries, paints and coatings are effective- ly used for both decorative and functional rea-

+ COMMINGLED CONTAINERS t HOUSEHOLD WASTE

t OFFICE WASTE PAPER + YARD WASTE

Circle 39 on RR service card

MBA PoJymers MBA Polymers, Inc. (Berkeley, Califa nia) carries out research for the Americ,, Plastics Council, the Poly Urethane Rk cycle & Recovery Council, plastics COI‘ panies, original equipment manufacturs (OEMs), and local, state and federal agc: cies. According to Mike Biddle, MB Polymers’ president, the facility has a se; arate laboratory for developing al;. demonstrating state-of-the-art identific., tion. It currently has severa1 pieces (‘ equipment that can identify plastics in í7\, seconds or less and is working with th manufacturers as part of an APC projec to further develop these instruments. !’ also has laboratories with plastics anal! sis and testing equipment to evaluate rc cycled plastics produced by its process an others. MBA Polymers plans to con: mercialize its processing technology ove the next severa1 years.

Information technology equipmen manufacturers (as well as other OEM\ such as automotive manufacturers) use thi facility to explore both how to recycle es isting products and how to design futur, products so they might be recycled morr easily.

-r

WASTE PAPER SHREDDERS

MODEL 20 quickly shreds magazines, books, newspapers, waste paper, corrugated cartons, foils, films, and plastics, for baling and packaging material. Compact, economical, safe. Instantly adjustable shreds from 1/8”, 1/4” to 1/2”. Built for continuous trouble free industrial service.

Est. 1854 Call Collect (216) 332-0024

Made in U.S.A

Indusi1~01 Poper Shredders l 101 MilI Street l P 0 BoxlBO l Salem. OH 44460.018C

Circle 287 on RR sewice card

sons, but they present challenges to the post- consumer processes of identifying and recy- cling plastics. The pilot line facility also will include a new paint and coating removal sys- tem, which is intended to improve existing processes that are frequently used in the aero- space and other industries.

Identifying plastics quickly Both the Berkeley and MPRF facilities in- clude a new fast plastics identification sys- tem based on mid-infrared technology that, with assistance from APC on modifications,

can now distinguish at least 23 different types of plastic - an important step in properly sorting plastics for recycling. The equipment, P/ID 28, is made by Bruker Instruments. Inc. (Billerica, Massachusetts), and was modified specifically for APC by Bruker.

Introduced in February 1995, one version of the P/ID 28 equipment is a three-foot-tall, semi-portable instrument that identifies the chemical composition of varying plastics, reading the “fingetprint” of virtually any sam- ple of plastic. Using reflected light, plastic parts held up to the instrumentare “scanned” and identilied within five seconds, much more quickly than traditional laboratory plastic iden- tification equipment.

Unlike near-infrared identilication equip- ment evaluated previously, this system can identify black plastics as well, and it requires minimal sample preparation time. Modified specifically for use with plastic materials, the equipment is highly reliable and easy to use. It is available to recyclers, material suppliers, labs and other entities involved in recycling for approximately $50,000. There is also a less rugged version for laboratory use, avail- able for $40,000.

Designing for recyclability Another important activity undertaken by APC and other interested parties has been the development of a guide that provides engi-

neers with concepts and information to help them develop information technology equip- ment with recyclability designed into the equipment.

In compiling the guide, APC’s Informa- tion Technology Industry Subcommittee made important progress in getting major industry representatives to agree on inter- nationally acceptable labeling practices for plastic parts. From its inception, the sub- committee has worked with plastic resin sup- pliers and stakeholders, including OEMs, scrap processors, Microelectronics and Com- puter Technology Company and related trade associations, such as the Information Tech- nology Industry Council (formerly the Com- puter and Business Equipment Manufactur- ers Association) and the Electronic Indus- tries Association.

Today, information technology equipment designs are now being modified to more ful- lyincorporate environmental considerations. Past designs focused primarily on tradition- al design parameters, with environmental cri- teria considered later. Now, however, envi- ronmental stewardship concems are pushing environmental considerations to the forefront of design.

The design guide contains a synopsis of basic environmental design considerations applicable to information technology equip- ment, covering a variety of products. in- zluding data processing equipment (com- ?uters, calculators and computer-aided de- jign systems) and communication equip- nent (telephones. fax machines and pagers). The guide is structured for use by mechan- cal designers, but also provides insight on iesigning for environmental management òr those employees whose activities affect lesign.

Because the concept of design for the en- iironment (DFE) is still new and no univer-

sal formula exists for its implementation. in- tegration of DFE criteria into particulai designs will be product- and company- specific. DFE criteria can be integrated into other design goals. For example. design foI maintenance and servicing. design for as- sembly and design for disassembly are often compatible with DFE, which includes de- signing a product to be more easily recycled at the end of its productive life.

APC recognizes that designing environ- mentally friendly information technology equipment requires blending environmental considerations with traditional design crite- ria while minimizing costs. The guide includes design information that provides generic rec- ommendations from plastic resin manufac- turers, the recycling community and OEM representatives serving on the ITI subcom- mittee.

Cooperation among groups To continue to advance recovery and recy- cling R&D and to help support a viable re- cycling infrastructure. al1 affected parties - plastic resin suppliers. OEMs and industry associations - must continue their broad- based cooperation. RR

For more information about APC activities orto obtain copies of the “Designing for the Environ- ment Cuide” cal1 (800) î43-5790.

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Circle 152 on RR service card

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