Separation and Sorting Technology

Separation and sorting technology innovations in waste handling and recycling operations

If there is one part of the recycling process that is not only complicated, but also hard, it is the part of separating and sorting the recyclables. Effective recycling relies on effective and efficient sorting. Separating the different elements found in waste streams is crucial for enabling the recovery of useful materials, minimizing the amount of material sent to landfill and allowing recyclable materials to find a new purpose. There is a wide range of sorting and separating technologies on the market today. This Technology Zones offers an insight into the latest innovations in separation and sorting technology.

Articles about Separation and Sorting Technology

TOMRA Sorting Recycling Launches INNOSORT FLAKE Featuring Dual-Sensor Sorting Capability

MÜLHEIM-KÄRLICH – TOMRA Sorting Recycling extends its offering of high-precision flake sorting solutions with the innovative INNOSORT FLAKE sensor-based solution that combines color and material sorting, reliably removing PVC, metals and opaque flakes. It is the ideal all-in-one sorting solution for plastic recovery facilities, which ensures constant and high-quality output as well as high throughput – at attractive conditions.

April 12, 2019

Introducing Scrap Metal for Robotic Sorting

Sort metals such as brass, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, or zinc with ZenRobotics Heavy Picker! Just like humans, the robot can identify metals based on their unique characteristics like color or shape. A three-armed Heavy Picker+ makes up to 6900 picks/hour! The Heavy Picker can also be used for negative sorting of ELV meatballs, wires, residue, etc.

April 2, 2019

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TOMRA Sorting Recycling Introduces INNOSORT FLAKE at PRS Europe 2019

TOMRA Sorting Recycling offers a full range of options to recycle plastics. Its flake sorting technologies upgrade throughput using a single machine while ensuring constant and high-quality output.

March 22, 2019

Unbeatable Value for Money: Doppstadt’s Solution for Processing Mixed Construction Waste

Impressive results at impressive prices: Doppstadt is now offering a smaller, cheaper version of its proven mixed construction waste separation process.

March 18, 2019

Single Site Sorting Plant for Post Consumer Packaging

Germany’s largest approved single site for recovering post-consumer packages has been successfully commissioned. Company owner Christian Hündgen and sorting specialist STEINERT discuss how they have successfully collaborated to comply with the new packaging legislation.

March 15, 2019

TOMRA Sorting Recycling Publishes E-Book Analysing the Viability of Using 100% Recycled Plastics

TOMRA Sorting Recycling has published an e-book examining the role that recycling can play in providing solutions to the world’s worsening resource crisis. It explores the technical feasibility and progress made towards 100% recyclability of plastics and highlights the opportunities of using high-quality recycled plastics for manufacturers of plastic products and packaging.

March 14, 2019

Experts for Separation and Sorting Technology

Eric van Looy (Sense2Sort – Toratecnica)Being a technical engineer, Eric has spent more than 2 decades on the development of sensor based sorting technologies to advance recycling processes. Since 2006 he pursued automated spectroscopy technologies like XRF (at that time also together with Tom Jansen) and LIBS. Today, sorting has become possible to an unmet extend and with the second generation of Sense2Sort LIBS sorters, it has become possible to identify the elemental composition of each metal piece at high throughputs and up to 6 fractions with one machine. Sense2Sort-Toratecnica focuses on sustainable, reliable and responsible solutions for a max of eco-economical sorting sense. This also involves the design of advanced sorting plants and consultation work.

Tom Jansen (TOMRA Sorting GmbH)After studying Chemical Engineering at the Technical University of Eindhoven, the Netherlands, Tom started working as Sales Engineer at Innov-X Systems. He initially focused on selling handheld XRF equipment in the Benelux, while gradually extending the geographical territory over the years. From 2007 he was heavily involved in the pioneering of automated XRF sensor technology, bringing this new technology to the metal scrap market worldwide. Tom joined TOMRA Sorting (then Titech GmbH) in 2011 as Sales Manager responsible for the Metal Recycling market in the Netherlands and Belgium. Since then, in his role as Segment Champion for the ELV shredder segment, he has also supported the metal recycling market in the Middle East region, Italy, Greece and projects in several other countries.

Eugene van den Boomen (Goudsmit Magnetics Group)Eugène van den Boomen has over 20 years of experience in all technical aspects of Magnetic Recycling Equipment. He is closely involved with the development of Eddy-Current separators, inductive sensor- & high-gradient separators, overband separators, magnetic head pulleys and drum separators for recycling and recovery applications. These systems are installed in the Goudsmit Test Centre where companies can test bulk samples of various materials. This simplifies the final choice of a specific separation system and guarantees customers an optimal separation result.

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Sesotec Sorting Systems at New Zealand’s first PET Recycling Plant

20,000 tons of virgin PET is imported to New Zealand annually. New Zealand government’s Waste Minimization Fund supports the project to reduce that environmental harm. A grant enables the parent company Flight Group Ltd. to open New Zealand’s first PET recycling plant in Wellington and spend NZ$ 12 million (US$ 8.8 million) on a full upgrade at its facility including a wash plant for PET bottles.

March 11, 2019

Improve the Drying Process of Paper Pulp Rejects with OLP

VENLO – Paper pulp rejects are a waste stream originating from the recycling process of paper. Besides some fibres, these rejects include a large amount of non-recyclable plastics that are separated from the wet paper pulp. This makes the rejects extremely suitable to be used as alternative energy.

March 5, 2019

PICVISA’s Testing Facility

CALAF – PICVISA’s testing facility, which is 800m2, is an industrial-scale testing lab for the recovering of waste and for recycling. Through this facility, the performances and productions of the PICVISA equipment can be confirmed for a wide range of residues, using the most advanced technology and in real functioning conditions.

March 1, 2019

MSS Receives Patent for PrecisionFlow™ Eject Hood Design

NASHVILLE, TN – MSS, Inc., the optical sorting division of CP Group, announced they received a patent for their PrecisionFlow” eject hood for optical sorters.

February 21, 2019

Separation and Sorting Technology