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METALS RECYCLING


UK metals recyclers are leading the way in developing new technologies and processes to recover high value materials essential to meet future materials recovery targets.


Progress has been made in the recov- ery of high-grade plastics and rubber from scrap vehicles (end-of-life vehi- cles) but in order to maintain and fur- ther improve the UK’s metals recycling infrastructure, the planning system must make provision for new recy- cling and recovery facilities and avoid damaging existing ones.


Most local waste plans do not give adequate consideration to metals recy- cling facilities. Household waste tends to be the main focus and so adequate provision for the recycling of end-of- life vehicles (ELVs), waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and commercial and industrial waste is somewhat lacking.


The concern is that previously “exempt” sites could be refused plan-


Metals need support


Ian Hetherington explains why planning is central to developing materials recycling and recovery


ning consent for changes to existing facilities because local waste plans do not consider them necessary. Many metals recycling businesses have been trading on the same sites for generations. Planning permission can be granted for residential developments which can force these businesses into expensive and frequently unsuccessful legal action to resist restrictions being imposed on operating hours, noise and vehicle movements.


As well as the need to resist these restrictions on existing metals recy- cling facilities, existing, well-run sites need to be able to expand operations to meet demand.


Magnets are hired for skip waste separation


North West Recycling has purchased and installed its seventh magnetic separator unit from Master Magnets, a leading manufacturer of magnetic separation and industrial metal detec- tion equipment. Magnetic separators are commonly


used in skip waste applications for the reclamation of recyclable metals. With scrap metals being particularly valu- able, the incentive to divert them from landfill sites is much more significant and investments in these projects are seeing much quicker returns. Master Magnets provides


a wide


range of ferrous and non-ferrous separa- tors, which are manufactured at its UK facility. Each separator is designed to handle specific applications to ensure that the most cost-effective solution is always applied, says the company. North West Recycling has been a valued Mastermag customer since 2009 and the first of its two recycling sites now incorporates overband separators,


a magnetic conveyor pulley and an Eddy current separator system. The overband magnets have been installed at three areas at the waste site to extract large ferrous contaminants. The self-cleaning magnet systems are most commonly fitted above conveyor belts to provide a continuous separa- tion of metals. Following on from a secondary separation process carried out by the magnetic conveyor pulley, the waste material is then fed onto the ECS125 “R Type” Eddy current separa- tor where non-ferrous metals such as aluminium are then separated from the remaining non-metallic product. At North West Recycling’s second site, a 750mm-wide Eddy current sepa- rator


that incorporates a rare earth


drum magnet is being used to process around four tonnes per hour of wood chip material. The wood chip is fed over the drum magnets surface by a vibratory feeder.


Any ferrous contaminants such as


New facilities such as thermal recovery operations need to be sited close to existing equipment such as shredders to avoid unnecessary carbon emissions. If the UK is to increase recycling rates, divert waste from landfill, reduce carbon emissions and underpin the Government’s “zero waste” vision, the planning system needs to recognise the essential role being played by metals recycling.


With the right policy and legislative framework firmly in place, the met- als recycling industry can continue to further develop materials recycling and recovery.


The magnetic separator


Ian Hetherington is director general of the British Metals Recycling Association


nails and screws are held to the mag- netic surface and discharged behind the centre-line of the drum, while the wood chip simply free falls onto the Eddy current conveyor.


“The Master Magnets equipment that we have incorporated into our waste processing plants has been performing very well,” says Rick Allan, North West Recycling’s chief executive.


“The customer service that we get from Mastermag is also great and we will continue to contact them for any future magnetic separator require- ments that we may have.”


www.mastermagnets.com March 2012 Local Authority Waste & Recycling 39


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