The recovery of resources from waste substances is becoming increasingly important. Raw materials are becoming scarcer and the costs of dumping waste continue to rise. The result is an increased market demand for the recovery of glass, plastic and metals from waste.

Randers Municipality, as one of the few municipalities in Denmark, has invested in a system that recycle:

• ferromagnetic metal (iron, steel)
• weakly magnetic metals (processed stainless steel)
• non-ferrous metals (aluminum, copper)
• glass
• and plastic containers from the household waste stream

The recycle system is composed by several separators, a steel wire mesh, a spell sight and several conveyor belts. The spell sight devide the mixed waste stream of glass, metal and plastic containers into two streams based on size. Both streams flows under an overbelt magnet which removes the iron, steel and processed stainless steel containers. The waste stream with the bigger pieces of plastic and glass flow then by 4 employees. The employees sort the plastic in 3 different fractions and the glass in 2 different fractions.

The waste stream with the smaller pieces flows through an eddy current separator, which separate the non-ferrous metal from the waste stream. An eddy current separator consists of a special end roller in which a magnetic rotor with rapidly changing magnetic polarity generates an induction field. This produces a magnetic eddy current in electrically conductive metal particles that contain no iron (non-ferrous metals). This interplay of forces results in the ejection of the non-ferrous part from the product flow.

The waste stream contains now of broken glass and smaller plastic containers. The stream flows by a steel wire mesh where the broken glass is separated. What remains on the belt is smaller plastic containers and rubbish. The smaller plastic containers are handpicked by an employee and the rest flow on the belt to a garbage container.

Every household in the municipality are able to throw their mixed waste of glass, metal, and plastic containers in a garbage bin outside their homes. It is an easy system for the citizens.

Due to our recycle system we are able to separate the waste, make resource out of it and still make it profitable.

For technical description of the recycle system, please contact the profile contact person, Tenna Storgaard.