Treatment and valorization plants in materials recovery supply chain

Aim of industrial symbiosis is to create synergies between industries in order to exchange resources (by-products, water and energy) through geographic proximity and collaboration [1]. By optimizing resource flows in a “whole-system approach”, a minimization of dangerous emissions and of supply needs can be achieved. Resources exchanges are established to facilitate recycling and re-use of industrial waste using a commercial vehicle. Several paths can be identified in order to establish an industrial symbiosis network (Figure 1, left), in relation (i) to the life cycle phase (raw material, component, product) and (ii) to the nature (material, water, energy) of the resource flows to be exchanged. Sometimes by-products and/or waste of an industrial process have to be treated and valorized in order to become the raw materials for others. In particular, two main treatment processes can be identified: refurbishment/upgrade for re-use (Figure 1, center) and recycling for material recovery (Figure 1, right). A brief overview of technological and economic aspects is given, together with their relevance to industrial symbiosis

Study on the Feasibility of Hazardous Waste Recycling: The Case of Pharmaceutical Packaging

bottles in poly(ethyleneterephthalate) (PET), for syrup; plastic bags and films of varying composition and thickness];• pharmaceutical waste [flexible multi-layered (plastic and aluminium) sachets containing granular medicine].; Hazardous waste management should fulfil the following three main goals: (i) to protect human health and the environment, (ii) to reduce waste while conserving energy and natural resources and (iii) to reduce or eliminate the volume of waste to dispose of. The lasttwo of these goals may derive from recycling, which aims at reducing raw materials and energy consumption and decreasing the volume of waste materials that must be treated and disposed of.However, recycling must be conducted in a safe way, ensuring human health and environment protection. Recycling activities should be regulated at a different degree on the basis of the risk they cause to human health and the environment. A hazardous wastedestined for recycling must be identified by type and recycling process in order to determine its level of regulation.Pharmaceutical packaging represents a very small percentage of hazardous waste, but its management can cause problems for the environment, depending on the type of packaging waste is concerned. Such waste may include:• uncontaminated waste (assimilated to domestic waste: paper, cardboard, glass, plastic);• contaminated waste (paper, cardboard, glass, plastic), e.g. waste that has been in contact with cytotoxic products, blood, blood-derived products or radioactive products.Waste is created at all stages of the supply-chain: production, distribution and use of a pharmaceutical product. At each step, care therefore needs to be taken, either by the manufacturer or the end-user, to protect the environment.In several European countries, pharmaceutical manufacturers must dispose of their waste, or by themselves or by external specialized companies, and are encouraged to recover packaging waste. In both cases, waste management represents a considerable cost for themanufacurers.The use of environmental-friendly packaging (i.e. recyclable or degradable packaging) has to be considered. Valuable packaging materials, such as aluminium paper, glass and plastic materials, can been extensively recycled if they have not been in contact with toxic or dangerous substances.The chapter is focused on a feasibility study for the management of packaging waste from a pharmaceutical plant, considering the following phases:• waste materials characterization;• preliminary tests on waste processing;• set up of size reduction (comminution) operations.Experimental tests have been executed on several typologies of packing, as listed:• primary packaging [bottles in high density polyethylene (HDPE), for suspension to be reconstitute

Fluid-Dynamic Characterization and Efficiency Analysis in Plastic Separation of the Hydraulic Separator Multidune

Recovery of useable plastics from post-consumer and manufacturing waste remains a major recycling challenge. The global consumption of plastics was reported to be 230 million tonnes in 2005 of which 47.5 million tonnes were produced in Europe (25 European Union countries + Norway and Switzerland). Of the European production, only 22 million tonnes were reported as having been collected. Of this collected waste, 4 million tonnes were recycled as a manufacturing feedstock (18%) and 6.4 million tonnes went into energy recovery (29%), with the balance (11.6 million tonnes) probably being disposed in landfills. The recycling of plastics is a process essential to reduce the efflux of materials to landfills and to decrease the production of raw materials. In recent years awareness of the importance of environmental protection has led to the development of different techniques for plastic recycling. One issue related to the recycling of this material is the presence in the market of many types of plastics (polymers with additives), often with similar characteristics that make them difficult to differentiate in the recovery phase. The separator “Multidune” is a hydraulic separator by density. Its name derives from the characteristic undulate profile of the channel where separation occurs. The channel is constructed from a sequence of closed parallel cylindrical tubes welded together in plane which are then sliced down the lateral mid-plane and the lower complex is laterally shifted relative to the upper complex. The Multidune allows solid particle separation according to their specific weight and the velocity field establishing within the apparatus. Previous investigations suggested the flow within the Multidune is organized into three main patterns. Principally, a longitudinal transport flow takes place, where the velocity is high. A particle belonging to this region can move from one camera to another. The second region is the lower recirculation zone with high values of the vorticity field. Particles belonging to this region undergo the vertical impulse of the fluid. The thrust is proportional to the vertical velocity component and, in conjunction with gravity and buoyancy, determines the destiny of a particle. If the thrust is larger than the net weight of the particle, an interaction with the principal transport flow occurs and, consequently, the particle will move to the following chamber. The third region is the upper recirculation zone whose dimensions are smaller than the other recirculation zone. If a particle moves from the principal flow to the secondary vorticity zone, it will have the chance to come back to the previous chamber, assuming the principal transport flow thrust does not prevent it from falling out. Because of the role played by velocity, the fluid dynamic investigation of the Multidune apparatus is a preliminary step to carry out in order to investigate its capability in separating solid particles. For this reason a novel experimental campaign was set up and image analysis was employed to detect the velocity field within the apparatus

Experimental investigation of the productivity of a wet separation process of traditional and bio-plastics

The separation process within a mechanical recycling plant plays a major role in the context of the production of high-quality secondary raw materials and the reduction of extensive waste disposal in landfills. Traditional plants for plastic separation employ dry or wet processes that rely on the different physical properties among the polymers. The hydraulic separator is a device employing a wet technology for particle separation. It allows the separation of two-polymer mixtures into two products, one collected within the instrument and the other one expelled through its outlet ducts. Apparatus performance were analyzed as a function of fluid and solid flow rates, flow patterns developing within the apparatus, in addition to the density, shape, and size of the polymers. For the hydraulic configurations tested, a two-way coupling takes place where the fluid exerts an influence on the plastic particles and the opposite occurs too. The interaction between the solid and liquid phases determines whether a certain polymer settles within the device or is expelled from the apparatus. Tests carried out with samples of increasing volumes of solid particles demonstrate that there are no significant differences in the apparatus effectiveness as far as a two-way interaction takes place. Almost pure concentrates of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), and Polycarbonate (PC) can be obtained from a mixture of traditional polymers. Tests conducted on Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Mater-Bi® samples showed that the hydraulic separator can be effectively employed to separate bio-plastics from conventional plastics with remarkable grade and recovery

PET and PVC separation with hyperspectral Imagery

Traditional plants for plastic separation in homogeneous products employ material physical properties (for instance density). Due to the small intervals of variability of different polymer properties, the output quality may not be adequate. Sensing technologies based on hyperspectral imaging have been introduced in order to classify materials and to increase the quality of recycled products, which have to comply with specific standards determined by industrial applications. This paper presents the results of the characterization of two different plastic polymers—polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)—in different phases of their life cycle (primary raw materials, urban and urban-assimilated waste and secondary raw materials) to show the contribution of hyperspectral sensors in the field of material recycling. This is accomplished via near-infrared (900–1700 nm) reflectance spectra extracted from hyperspectral images acquired with a two-linear-spectrometer apparatus. Results have shown that a rapid and reliable identification of PET and PVC can be achieved by using a simple two near-infrared wavelength operator coupled to an analysis of reflectance spectra. This resulted in 100% classification accuracy. A sensor based on this identification method appears suitable and inexpensive to build and provides the necessary speed and performance required by the recycling industry

Control of Operative Conditions in CRTs Glass Recycling Process

Dismantled CRTs are generally used in the production of new CRTs in close-circuit recycling scheme, but CRT technology is becoming obsolete, clue to the technological changes towards flat panels so new applications must be found. On the other hand, new legislation, such as the European Directive on Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), will require increased recycling and recovery rate, while landfilling should be more and more a residual option. CRTs contain mainly two types of glass (funnel and panel), welded together with a lead frit. In colour equipments, the funnel contains a significant quantity of PbO (18% similar to 20% in weight), and present a carbon coating on the inside surface. The panel, instead, is characterized by high levels of BaO (9% similar to 11% in weight) and SrO (8% similar to 10% in weight). In this study, the whole process for CRT glass recycling has been tested to obtain a product able to meet the required market standard. A mechanical process at industrial scale has been tested, consisting of an attrition operation controlled by a screening unit. It has been monitored in order to set up the best working conditions in terms of fine particles production and quality control. The products (input, oversize and undersize) have been characterized by image and chemical analysis to determine morphologic, morphometric and compositional properties. The analysis on under-size product allowed individuating the suitable rotational speed and water content to control fine particle production and decontamination. The obtained glass cutlets, thus, have been utilised in a thermal process at laboratory scale to produce a porous glass suitable for structural and insulating applications in building constructions, using calcium carbonate as foaming agent. Different operative conditions have been tested, varying process temperature and concentration of the foaming agent. The properties of porous glass obtained have been investigated by physical analysis, in order to set up the proper conditions

Metalli essenziali. Rischi ed opportunità per l’Italia nel quadro delle strategie europee

Negli ultimi anni, si è verificata una rapida espansione nel mercato delle alte tecnologie, per fronteggiare la quale è cresciuta di conseguenza la domanda di materie prime, soprattutto di metalli, per cui i Paesi europei in particolare rilevano un elevato tasso di dipendenza dalle importazioni. Attualmente l’Europa, infatti, gioca un ruolo da protagonista nel mercato delle alte tecnologie a basso impatto ambientale, in cui è richiesto l’impiego di metalli ad alta performance, definiti “essenziali” in quanto caratterizzati da scarsità di riserve a livello mondiale, spesso concentrate in Paesi con fragile stabilità politica ed economica, oltre che da bassi tassi di recupero e riciclaggio. Tali circostanze hanno sollevato preoccupazioni diffuse per i rischi associati alla catena di approvvigionamento di tali metalli, al loro impatto sulle politiche nazionali e per le ripercussioni su innovazione e crescita economica. Per affrontare tali questioni, molti governi hanno sviluppato strategie per fronteggiare eventuali restrizioni nell’approvvigionamento dei metalli essenziali. La stessa UE ha emanato recentemente una serie di documenti, a partire dall’Iniziativa sulle Materie Prime (CE, 2008),che ha prodotto il Report sulle Materie Prime Essenziali (CE, 2010) sviluppato dal “Raw Materials Supply Group” e la comunicazione del 2011 (CE, 2011), in cui sono state identificate le azioni prioritarie. In questo lavoro, nel quadro delle strategie europee, verrà focalizzata la situazione italiana, evidenziando criticità da un lato e politiche e strategie dall’altro

The control of separation processes in mechanical recycling of waste refrigerators by partition function

The recycling of e-waste in general allows the recovery of valuable materials, which can be reused as secondary raw materials. However this implies, to adopt reliable treatment processes to achieve specific standard characteristics. Actually, the market standards are very strict and strongly affect the economic value of recovered materials. In particular, waste refrigerators recycling allows the recovery of different plastic materials and metallic fractions (ferrous and non ferrous), whose economic value has considerably increased in the last years. Only in Italy, in 2010, approximately 66,000 tons of waste refrigerators were collected for recycling. An efficient recycling treatment could assure about 85% of recovery rate. In this paper, a model to control and characterize the materials recovered from mechanical recycling of carcasses dismantled from waste refrigerators is proposed. The treatment flow sheet consists of various separation and comminution operations. A mathematical model was implemented to determine a partition function, utilizing data obtained from the treatment of 100 waste refrigerator carcasses, carrying out mass balance of recovered materials. The partition function was used to determine control parameters and assess the quality of the recovered products, and, therefore, of the applied technologies. The results have shown that for waste refrigerator carcasses it has been possible to reach for ferrous metals a recovery rate of 97.5% with purity of more than 98%. Other metals also reached a good quality (about 87% for non-ferrous metals, 92% for mixed recyclable plastics), but with lower recovery rates. © 2012 Bentham Science Publishers. All rights reserved

Optimization of C&D waste management by the application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology: the case of the Municipality of Rome, Italy

In recent years, in Italy, a large quantity of construction and demolition (C&D) waste has been generated: in the year 2004 a production of about 46,0 Mt of C&D waste has been estimated. After mechanical treatment, this waste can be recovered and recycled as secondary raw material, determining economic and environmental benefits, by reducing landfill, transportation and primary resources consumption. To date, the recycling rate of C&D waste in Italy is only 10%, due to the amount of recycled product. This study is aimed at carrying out an analysis of C&D waste flow, in the Municipality of Rome, Italy, considering both the amount properly disposed or recycled, and the amount illegally dumped on the territory or in the containers for municipal solid waste. Furthermore, application of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology has been applied in order to optimize C&D waste recycling, considering the environmental impact connected to different C&D waste management schemes. Data obtained from the LCA methodology allowed one to quantify the environmental performance, to estimate the costs of each scheme considered, and finally to evaluate the best C&D waste management

LiSUM project, Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Window

The fellowship is aimed to contribute in a research program at University of Nanjing, for both the purposes of teaching and research in the field of application of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to civil/industrial process analysis and to input/output stream optimization aimed to environmental impact minimization, with particular attention to economic valuation of environmental damage. It is an original approach in its application, which may open new and important research horizons. The proposed methodology can be applied both to optimize industrial processes (for good or service production) and to analyze alternative scenarios for decision-making in environmental policy. . Furthermore, the fellowship is aimed to stimulate NJU staff’s interest in environmental issues, to encourage cultural and educational transformation of China and to improve the international cooperation between universities