A LOW COST AUTOMATED PROCESS FOR RECOVERY OF RECYCLABLE PLASTIC AND GLASS CONTAINERS FROM SOLID WASTE

THE DISPOSAL OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE (MSW) IS A COSTLY PROBLEM FOR ALL MUNICIPALITIES. THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY HAS RECOMMENDED THAT SOURCE REDUCTION, RECYCLING, VOLUME REDUCTION, AND LANDFILLING BE APPLIED, IN THAT ORDER, IN THE TREATMENT OF MSW. RECYCLING HAS RECENTLY BECOME A MAJOR COMPONENT OF MUNICIPAL WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS. HIGH COSTS OF LABOR INTENSIVE CURBSIDE RECYCLING PROGRAMS HAVE BROUGHT ABOUT A SECOND GENERATION TECHNOLOGY, MIXED WASTE PROCESSING, FOR ACCOMPLISHING HIGHER LEVELS OF RECYCLING AT REDUCED COST. THE ECONOMICS OF MIXED WASTE PROCESSING DEPENDS UPON EFFICIENT AUTOMATED PROCESSES FOR RECOVERING RECYCLABLES FROM MSW. EFFICIENT AUTOMATED TECHNOLOGY EXISTS FOR RECOVERY OF STEEL, ALUMINUM, COMPOSTABLE FOOD WASTE, AND PAPER PRODUCTS FROM MSW. THESE ITEMS MAKE UP THE BULK OF MSW. HOWEVER, THE ONLY EXISTING METHOD TO RECOVER GLASS AND PLASTIC CONTAINERS FROM MSW IS TO MANUALLY HANDPICK THEM FROM THE WASTE. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PHASE I RESEARCH PROGRAM IS TO DETERMINE FEASIBILITY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A LOW COST MECHANICAL PROCESS FOR RECOVERING POST-CONSUMER PLASTIC AND GLASS CONTAINERS FROM MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE.