Sorting Film Plastics in MRFs Current Status Current single-stream sorting technology depends heavily on rotating shaft screens. Film plastics wrap on the screen shafts and disks. –Degrades screening & sorting efficiencies –Increases time spent cleaning screens –Increases possible heat/fire hazards due to friction Two-stream processes fare no better: –Container sort lines have trommels and air classifiers –Film contamination blinds screens at paper mills MRFs now sort film mainly to protect the system vs. recovery

Sorting Film Plastics in MRFs Methods Options to sort film plastics & associated issues : –By hand Relatively ineffective on singular items Difficult to assure quality –Rotating shafts in advance of screens Only in prototype use? No control for quality – really a pre-screen role –Reverse air sorting Same comments as prior item –“Optical/Sensing” equipment Best opportunity for quality control Must be installed after screens

Sorting Film Plastics in MRFs Beyond the Mechanics… Specifications and Quality –Different grades for ‘shrink wrap’ and ‘retail bags’ >>> MRFs make a mixed grade –Contaminants: food products, paper, wood, food wraps, oil and grease, metals –Given that most sorting will occur at the front of the sorting process where materials loading is heaviest, these contributors are difficult to minimize. –Added issue: Import restrictions relative to quality for offshore markets.

Sorting Film Plastics in MRFs Making it Easier Selective targeting and clear information –Residential: just retail bags? –Commercial: just shrink wrap? Prepare materials for sorting –Place bags within bags [“bag in bag”] Accommodate increased sorting and handling costs –Few MRFs are designed (bunkers, baling, storage) to add this material to their recovered products list. –Should not depend on material value to fully defray operating costs.