Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling

C&D Waste Recycling Process

The general purpose of C&D waste recycling is to process the input into valuable materials such as wood, RDF, paper, and ferrous and non-ferrous metals and minimize the waste fraction sent to landfills.

The process of C&D recycling typically involves several key steps:

1. Collection and Transportation: C&D waste is collected and transported to a recycling facility.
2. Sorting and Separation: Once the waste arrives at the recycling facility, it is sorted into different categories based.
3. Crushing and Grinding: Large pieces of concrete, masonry, and asphalt are often crushed and ground into smaller pieces for easier processing.
4. Metal Separation: Metals are separated from other materials using a magnet or eddy current separator.
5. Wood Processing: Wood waste is typically chipped or shredded into smaller pieces for use as fuel, mulch, or in the production of engineered wood products.
6. Final Processing: The separated materials are then processed further to produce new products or feedstock for the manufacturing of new products.

C&D recycling systems generally consist of:

• Cranes for presorting
• Feeders
• Size reduction equipment
  • Primary shredders
  • Secondary shredders
• Screening systems
  • Trommel Screens
  • Disc screens
  • Anti-wrapping screens
• Manual sorting conveyors
• Air drum separators
• Windsifters
• Magnetic separators
• Sorting robots

C&D Recycling Companies

C&D recycling companies produce valuable materials such as wood chips, aggregates, and metals.

For C&D recycling companies, concrete recycling is becoming an increasingly popular way to utilize aggregate left behind when demolished structures or roadways.

The most common type of C&D wood generated is dimensional lumber. Still, plywood, treated wood, and manufactured wood such as composite panels can come into a C&D recycling company.

Ferrous and non-ferrous metals can be sorted out from construction and demolition waste with a well-designed recovery process.

C&D Recycling Innovations

There are several exciting innovations happening in the construction and demolition (C&D) recycling industry. Some of the latest include:

1. Mobile Recycling Technology: Portable recycling equipment that can be moved to construction sites is becoming increasingly popular. This technology allows contractors to recycle more waste on-site, reducing the amount of material that needs to be transported to a recycling facility.
2. Increased Recycling Rates: Advances in sorting and separation technology have led to increased recycling rates for C&D waste. This means that more waste can be recycled, reducing the amount that is sent to landfills.
3. Improved Data Management: Companies are now using data management systems to track waste and monitor recycling progress. This allows for more efficient and effective recycling operations and helps to identify areas for improvement.