WASTE RECYCLING Mixed C&D wastes welcome
Advances in sorting technologies now enable high recycling rates to be achieved for mixed waste consignments. Tara Donaghy of the McGrath Group explains how.
A typical construction or demolition project can generate up to a dozen different waste streams from metals to glass, timber, plasterboard, concrete, plastics and hazardous materials. While contractors are duty bound to collect plasterboard separately on-site (Landfill Directive 2009) and typically will salvage any metal waste separately for its resale value, further segregation of the other materials often may be hindered by a lack of space within the site boundary to locate skips for each material type or even an area for any segregation to take place. The McGrath Group is one of the South
East’s largest and most established waste recycling organisations with over 40 years’ experience. Our continuous investment in human, technical and logistic resources enables us to offer a solution to these restrictions. Over 80% of the C&D material we handle is
collected or tipped as mixed wastes (EWC Codes 170904 and 191212). Fortunately, advances in technology in recent years have enabled sophisticated post-segregation systems to be developed which allow mixed C&D wastes to be sorted into individual materials streams. At our Materials Recycling Facilities (MRFs) in London and Essex the integrated application of mechanical, magnetic and manual techniques are used
which enables us to segregate over 95% of the C&D wastes we receive into individual material streams with just 5% sent for fuel to energy. An increasing number of waste management companies tip mixed wastes with us, attracted by the high recycling rates and full Duty of Care documentation. Customers automatically receive digital consignment notes by email and regular summary reports which contain an inventory of transactions, breakdown of materials by waste hierarchy categories as well as gross and net carbon data which can be passed on to their clients to help them demonstrate best practice and legal compliance. While the skip hire side of McGrath’s
business is regularly making use of these facilities, with on-demand collections of mixed wastes from various sites around the capital, the main thrust of our business is waste management. With 24/7 operation we welcome enquiries from all skip hire/ waste management operators and are committed to complete confidentiality regarding our customer’s business partnerships which we respect at all times. All our customers receive detailed analysis of the waste we process for them in a full report which allows them to demonstrate that best practice (e.g. the Hierarchy of Waste) has been applied and evidence for sustainability schemes such as BREEAM and CEEQUAL. Skip hire companies operating in and
around the capital have the benefit and convenience of our location and automated systems. Our MRFs in Hackney and
Barking are ideally located to accept wastes generated in London being located on two of the capital’s major arterial routes, the A12 and A13, and close to the A406 (north circular) and M25. The latest technology has been applied to the tipping process so that digital signature pads implemented at the weighbridges speed up the process of discharge of wastes and electronic consignment notes are automatically emailed to customers from our digital waste management system. Our latest investment is in two new self-service weighbridges that are currently being installed at Barking, which will further cut turnaround times for drivers. To ensure complete confidence in
accurate data, weighing equipment is internally calibrated by our maintenance team on a weekly basis and externally by the respective manufacturers, Avery Weigh- Tronix, every 3-6 months. All documentation and certificates are retained by our Maintenance Division for 6 years. In addition, our management information
offers a complete audit trail that will break down the exact level of waste produced and material delivered which will give complete transparency and accountability, on which complete comprehensive waste product and recycling figures can be based. All of our reports can be site, company or material specific. Earlier this year The McGrath Group launched the UK’s first waste report that calculates the carbon emissions generated during the waste management process.
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SHM December 2015/January 2016 Issue 121
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