Recycling Product News July/August 2024, Volume 32, Number 5
DESIGNED FOR TWO-RAM BALERS A C C E N T ® 4 7 0
S T RONG PE OPLE . S T RONG PR ODU C TS . S T RONG T IE S .
Accent W ire Tie is the largest supplier of baling wire and wire tier technology in the recycling and waste industry. Our leading line of bale packaging equipment includes the Accent 470® W ire Tier, featured on balers around the world and the Envirobale® bagging system for solid waste containment. Accent W ire Ties’ sales and service technicians teams have hands-on experience and stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends. Accent W ire Tie has forged the strongest ties in the industry since 1986.
FE A T U RE S & B E N EF IT S
Four-wheel drive design for exceptional performance and reliability
Pivot-out or removable parts cartridge cutting maintenance time from hours to minutes
No mechanical or hydraulic adjustments needed, allowing for trouble-free operation
Meets ANSI, CSA standards and is CE compliant
Hi, tech Goodbye, downtime
PERFORMANCE DELIVERED
Seven decades of experience sets our balers apart.
Engineering refined over the years yields a baling chamber that maximizes geometry and physics, delivering exceptional bale density and integrity. Our proprietary auto-tie design ensures reliability and productivity.
American Baler takes performance to new heights.
American Baler is a proud member of the Avis Industrial Recycling & Waste Equipment Division.
20 COVER STORY SHEAR POWER LEVERAGES TEN YEARS OF EXPERTISE TO LEAD IN SPECIALTY ATTACHMENT SOLUTIONS AND ON-SITE SUPPORT
Q&A: AWMI HELPS WOMEN BREAK BARRIERS IN THE METAL INDUSTRIES
THE DRY VERSUS WET DEBATE FOR LITHIUM BATTERY RECYCLING
FROM THE COVER
Shear Power Corp. celebrates a decade of expertise in specialty attachment solutions. See more on page 20.
WE’D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU
Do you have a story, equipment, or technology innovation, commentary, or news that our readers in the recycling industry should know about? Drop us a line any time.
Contact: Editor Slone Fox at sfox@baumpub.com or 604-291-9900 ext. 335 JULY/AUGUST
EDITOR IN CHIEF ktill@baumpub.com 604-291-9900 ext. 330
sfox@baumpub.com 604-291-9900 ext. 335
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/ VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES
sam@baumpub.com 604-291-9900 ext. 110
ADVERTISING PRODUCTION
production@baumpub.com 604-291-9900 ext. 222
DESIGN & PRODUCTION
Morena Zanotto
morena@baumpub.com 604-291-9900 ext. 325
PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER Ken Singer ksinger@baumpub.com 604-291-9900 ext. 226
VICE PRESIDENT/CONTROLLER Melvin Date Chong mdatechong@baumpub.com
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FROM THE EDITOR
THE SOUND OF SUSTAINABILITY
While slogging through rush hour traffic the other day, the radio hosts announced that Coldplay’s upcoming album will be released on CD and vinyl records made from recycled plastic. According to the band, it will be “the world’s first album released as a 140g EcoRecord LP.” But what does that mean?
The EcoRecord, developed by Sonopress, utilizes recyclable plastic as its primary material and doesn’t rely on natural gas for production. According to the company, this process cuts down the environmental impact by up to 85 percent compared to standard manufacturing methods. Each of Coldplay’s records will be made from nine recycled plastic bottles, while CD editions of the album will be made of 90 percent recycled polycarbonate.
Traditionally, vinyl records are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which means they’ll more or less last indefinitely in a landfill. Over the years, the music industry has introduced a variety of eco-friendly initiatives aimed at reducing its environmental impact. There have been records made from recycled ocean plastics gathered from shorelines, while several other companies specialize in shredding vinyl offcuts and old records to make PVC granulate. Why is this significant? It showcases the circular economy in action and promotes sustainable practices among fans and artists, hopefully leading to more green innovations in the industry.
Of course, every rose has its thorns. The quality of these recycled materials can vary, potentially affecting the sound quality of the record. Sourcing and processing the materials to meet these high standards can also be a bit tricky. And while Coldplay is taking the lead, scaling this approach across the entire music industry will require substantial effort.
It’s also important to note that the increasing popularity of streaming and digital downloads has reduced the demand for physical albums. The result is lower resource consumption, waste generation, and carbon emissions associated with manufacturing, packaging, and transporting CDs and vinyl records.
The commitment to sustainability doesn’t stop at music itself. Many artists are now producing merchandise like t-shirts and posters from recycled or sustainably sourced fabrics and paper, while others offer plant-based merchandise like vegan leather jackets and accessories. Record labels are also reducing
Over the years, the music industry has introduced a variety of ecofriendly initiatives aimed at reducing its environmental impact. There have been records made from recycled ocean plastics gathered from shorelines, while several other companies specialize in shredding vinyl offcuts and old records to make PVC granulate.
the use of plastic shrink wrap as more sustainable packaging options become the norm.
Overall, Coldplay’s use of recycled materials for their album marks a significant step toward a more sustainable music industry. This initiative not only showcases the potential of the circular economy but also inspires further innovation and commitment to reducing environmental impact. As more artists and companies adopt these practices, the music industry can play a pivotal role in promoting sustainability and environmental stewardship.
SLONE FOX Editor
SENNEBOGEN’S ELECTRIC EGREEN MACHINES HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO REDUCE COSTS UP TO 50% COMPARED TO DIESEL. ELECTRIC SERIES MACHINES CAN ALSO REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT, OPERATING COSTS, AND DOWNTIME.
Qualified technical support network
Optional pony motor in counterweight
Electric motor - no battery
Proven cable system
Easy to service and support
FEDERAL GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR ELECTRIC MACHINES
LINDNER AND EREMA COLLABORATION ACHIEVES
CONSISTENT RECYCLED PELLET QUALITY
Back in 2023, Lindner and the EREMA Group founded BLUEONE Solutions. This collaboration aimed to assess the plastics value chain for the future fine-tuning of individual process steps from collection to recycling. The experience of EREMA has now been combined with knowledge from Lindner Washtech. Process control is an important part of plastics recycling, which is why the two companies focused on it first.
“Together, we have developed a platform that allows data to be exchanged between the extruder and the washing system,” said Manfred Hackl, CEO of the EREMA Group. “This enables us to analyze the data more precisely so that effective improvement measures can be deduced.”
Key parameters are taken into account and monitored via a digital interface. It is possible to use information relating to the current throughput of the EREMA pre-conditioning unit to optimize the washing process so that it can compensate for fluctuations in capacity and achieve a significant increase in output.
“To ensure sustainable recycling, it is necessary to find the right process for each application and to make sure that the individual process steps are perfectly coordinated,” said Michael Lackner, managing director of Lindner. “We use the latent heat generated during the extrusion process as an energy source for the washing and drying process. This enables our customers to sustainably reduce their energy costs and carbon emissions.”
According to Hackl and Lackner, the key question is how to improve the end product and increase the overall efficiency of the recycling process at the same time. This will only work if companies work together along the value chain.
WM TO ACQUIRE STERICYCLE FOR $7.2 BILLION
WM will acquire all outstanding shares of Stericycle for approximately $7.2 billion, including roughly $1.4 billion of Stericycle’s net debt. Stericycle is a provider of regulated medical waste and compliance services as well as secure information destruction services.
“Our sustained focus and commitment to transforming our business over the past five years has uniquely positioned Stericycle for this transaction, which creates significant value for shareholders, unlocks new opportunities to deliver diversified services to customers, and supports investment in the growth and development of our team members,” said Cindy J. Miller, Stericycle’s president and CEO. “As customers seek to manage a greater volume and variety of materials in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way, Stericycle’s knowledge and expertise in regulated medical waste and secure information destruction are compelling additions to WM’s broad portfolio of environmental solutions.”
The acquisition advances WM’s growth strategy, underscores the importance of executing its sustainability initiatives, and aligns with its financial goals. Specifically, WM expects the addition of Stericycle to:
Expand WM’s environmental service offerings. The acquisition of Stericycle adds a platform of assets in the medical waste and secure information destruction industries to WM’s suite of solutions.
Continue its commitment to waste solutions. This acquisition allows WM to continue its investment in growing North America’s recycling infrastructure and increase the value of Stericycle.
Strengthen the foundation for long-term growth as a service provider. The acquisition will bring together employees who are passionate about managing the environmental needs of communities.
Create significant synergies and grow WM’s earnings and cash flows. WM expects the transaction to generate more than $125 million in annual run-rate synergies. The transaction, which was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, is expected to close as early as the fourth quarter of 2024.
PROJECT FINDS $1.5 BILLION OPPORTUNITY FOR FIBRE-TOFIBRE RECYCLING IN THE U.S.
Fashion for Good has launched the Sorting for Circularity USA report which delves into consumer disposal behaviour, textile waste composition, and the potential for fibre-to-fibre recycling within the U.S. It also provides insights for making informed decisions for further investments, infrastructure development, and the steps toward circularity.
The U.S. is a leader in textile consumption and waste generation, positioning itself as one of the largest sources of secondary raw materials for post-consumer textile feedstock. Despite this, only 15 percent of the textile waste generated in the U.S. is currently recovered, with 85 percent ending up in landfills or incinerators.
In the pursuit of establishing a functional reverse supply chain and the necessary infrastructure, two critical areas lack data: consumer disposal behaviour and material characteristics of post-consumer textiles. The project addressed these gaps through a national consumer survey and waste composition analysis.
The survey revealed that 60 percent of respondents divert textiles, while four percent discard them, driven primarily by factors such as condition and fit. On the other hand, the waste composition analysis unveiled that over 56 percent of post-consumer textiles are suitable for fibre-to-fibre recycling, with cotton and polyester being the most prevalent fibre types, indicating a substantial potential for these textiles to be used as feedstock for mechanical and chemical recycling processes.
The project revealed a $1.5 billion opportunity for fibre-to-fibre recycling by redirecting non-rewearable textiles from landfills and incinerators to recycling streams. The report outlines growth strategies for the U.S. textile recycling industry, emphasizing enhanced financial value through efficiency improvements, increased commodity valuation, and policy mechanisms like EPR schemes. This redirection of textiles toward recycling underscores the substantial economic potential of embracing circularity in the textile industry.
VAN DYK BECOMES SOLE U.S. DISTRIBUTOR FOR GREYPARROT ANALYTICS PLATFORM
Van Dyk will serve as the sole distributor of the Greyparrot Analyzer across all 50 states. With Van Dyk having installed 2,400 units to date, it is well-positioned to provide the physical recycling infrastructure while Greyparrot’s ability to embed AI waste analytics into software and hardware systems adds an essential digital layer.
The companies plan to retrofit large MRFs across the U.S. with AI sorting capabilities to boost recycling rates, maximize material purity, and digitally quantify emissions.
Two large recyclers of post-consumer materials in the U.S.
have signed on as waste facility owners and operators to pilot Greyparrot’s AI waste analytics in America. Greyparrot’s analyzer uses AI camera systems to provide 100 percent visibility into waste streams at recycling plants across 20+ countries. In 2023, it helped facilities analyze more than 25 billion waste objects, characterizing them into 89+ categories in real time to collect seven layers of data such as material type, mass, financial value, brand, and GHG emissions.
SK TES REPURPOSED 6.2 MILLION ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN 2023
SK tes repurposed over 6 million assets for reuse or recycling in 2023 as part of its goal to recycle 1 billion kilograms of electronic devices by 2030. In 2023, SK tes processed 101,766,393 kilograms of equipment, including 6.2 million electronic devices.
Worldwide, annual e-waste generation is rising by 2.6 million tonnes a year. SK tes says that it needs to keep expanding its capacity to meet the growing global needs of its clients when it comes to managing IT and data centre equipment and batteries.
This year, SK tes plans to ramp up operations at its battery recycling facility in the Netherlands and break ground on an additional facility in Europe. The new facility will complement existing SK tes battery recycling facilities in Germany, France, Singapore, and China.
From 720 to 1,375 T of cutting force
The utmost in scrapyard mobility
Patented jam resistant hold down
Full automatic lubrication system
EXPORT OVER 4.4 MILLION TONNES OF PLASTIC WASTE
Anew research report from CleanHub ranks the top 10 countries that export and import the most plastic waste annually. The top 10 export more than 4.4 million tonnes of plastic waste per year, accounting for 71 percent of all plastic waste exports.
With many governments reluctant to release official figures, highlighting the complicated nature of global plastic waste disposal, the research has been compiled from various key industry and scientific reports for a definitive ranking. Some countries export and import an enormous amount of plastic
waste per year, simultaneously getting rid of the plastic they can’t process while taking in plastic they can turn into material to manufacture new goods.
Key report findings include:
• The top 10 exporting countries are all high-income, developed nations, and seven of them are in Europe.
• Germany, Japan, and the UK are the top three plastic waste exporting countries.
• The Netherlands, Turkey, and Germany are the top three importers of plastic waste.
• Many nations have reduced plastic waste exports over the past year – notably the U.S. by 28 percent and Germany by six percent.
• In the last year, Japan’s exports have increased by seven percent, Canada’s have grown by 10 percent, and the Netherlands’ has shot up by 69 percent in the past four years.
• Around five million tonnes of used plastic are exported each year, 55 percent of which is discarded.
EUREKA RECYCLING EARNS GOLD
MRF GLASS CERTIFICATION
The Glass Recycling Coalition (GRC) has named Eureka Recycling as the recipient of a gold-level certification for its material recovery facility in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The MRF qualified for gold status due to its glass sortation and cleaning equipment providing high-quality recycled glass to processors and manufacturers.
The single-stream MRF started operations in 2005. The facility sorts 400 to 450 tons of materials daily and utilizes glass cleaning equipment including a glass breaker, trommel screen for size separation, and vacuum system. The MRF sends its
clean glass to a beneficiation facility, which further sorts and cleans the material to produce glass cullet used for manufacturing new bottles, fibreglass, and other products.
The free certification program offered by the GRC recognizes MRFs with additional equipment and operational procedures to clean up glass in both single- and dual-stream systems, resulting in the production of higher-quality and marketable glass.
The GRC MRF Glass Certification program launched in the fall of 2019. In 2022, the glass certification criteria were updated to prioritize end-market consistency and more thorough glass cleaning before beneficiation. Eligible applications are judged on their current MRF infrastructure and the results of a glass purity test aligned with ReMA’s Three-Mix Specification. An independent committee scores applications and awards MRFs with either gold, silver, or bronze certification. MRFs holding this certification will have a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
U.S. TIRE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION FORMS THE TIRE RECYCLING FOUNDATION
During its ninth Tire Recycling Conference, the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA), in partnership with the Tire Industry Association (TIA), has formed the Tire Recycling Foundation. This new initiative will secure funding and allocate grants for research, education, interven-
tion, and demonstration projects targeting critical knowledge and research gaps within the U.S. tire recycling supply chain. The goal of the foundation is to recycle 100 percent of end-oflife tires into circular, sustainable markets.
The newly established Tire Recycling Foundation Board has set ambitious research initiatives to be supported with fundraising targets of $300,000 in 2025 and $2 to 3 million in 2026. A key focus area for the foundation is accelerating the adoption of rubber-modified asphalt (RMA), an emerging end-of-life tire market with performance, economic, and environmental advantages. RMA extends pavement lifespan, enhances skid resistance and ride quality, and reduces traffic noise. RMA has demonstrated its cost-effectiveness by minimizing maintenance requirements and total life cycle costs.
RECYCLED MATERIALS ASSOCIATION TOOLKIT PROVIDES STEP-BY-STEP ESG GUIDANCE
The Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) has launched its Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Toolkit, an ESG resource designed to help recycled materials companies understand ESG expectations, opportunities, and requirements. As a ReMA member benefit, this latest addition to ReMA’s work in ESG offers tools and guidance that members in the workplace can utilize.
Members can use the toolkit to learn about the background, concepts, value, and process of ESG strategy and implementation in the recycled materials industry. The toolkit is divided into seven chapters, covering topics ranging from explaining ESG basics to reporting frameworks and value creation. Additionally, links are provided to the ReMA library of ESG workshops and webinars.
SPOTLIGHT
INTRODUCTIONS & UPDATES
Volvo CE DEMOLITION EXCAVATOR
Designed mainly for demolition applications, the EC500 straight boom excavator from Volvo CE gives operators a 30 percent increase in pin height over the standard boom model. The 25.5-foot straight boom fitted to the EC500 is equipped with heavy-duty features to withstand demanding job site conditions. The machine includes a powerful and fuel-efficient engine, a demolition-specific cab, and enhanced safety features like an optional remote control that allows the operator to run the machine from a safe distance. To stand up to the rigors of demolition, the excavator is reinforced with boom/bucket cylinder protection, full track guards, heavy-duty belly covers, and heavy-duty side doors.
EDGE Innovate SCALPING SCREEN
The EDGE SCREENPRO S18 tracked scalping screen is a 18- by 6-inch (5.4- by 1.75-m) two-deck screen with interchangeable flip flow and conventional scalper screens for flexibility. The SCREENPRO S18 is designed to process aggregate, construction waste, organic materials, and more. With numerous screen media options and configurations available, the EDGE S18 can be utilized as a standalone unit or placed before or after a primary crusher. Other features include a low-level feed hopper, two- or three-way split configuration, hydraulic folding discharge conveyors to facilitate the quick transition from operation to transport, and a fully integrated power unit with large service access.
Genesis Attachments MOBILE SHEAR
Genesis Attachments’ GRP 480 is a hydraulic mobile shear designed exclusively for processing rebar. It features numerous bolt-on wear parts and surfaces for easy maintenance and jaw protection. The bolt-on, weldable lower tusks work with the weldable, replaceable piercing blades to efficiently sort and separate rebar bundles. Additionally, a bolt-on plate on the cutting side of the upper jaw provides a replaceable wear surface and protects the jaw’s parent material. The rebar processor features a 24-inch jaw opening with a 26-inch jaw depth and fits up to 48,000-pound carriers second-member mounted and 90,000-pound carriers third-member mounted.
Demolition excavator
Mobile shear
Scalping screen
TANA
ELECTRIC WASTE SHREDDER
The TANA Shark 440ET electric waste shredder is designed to efficiently shred a wide array of waste materials, such as tires and mattresses, into the desired particle size while producing zero emissions. The 440ET comes fitted with two VEM electric motors that harness auxiliary power for easy mobility and swift deployment for work. Convenient quick couplings for mains power ensure reliable performance. The 440ET is also significantly quieter than traditional diesel-powered models (114dB vs 120dB) and has the ability to shred on electricity and drive on diesel.
SENNEBOGEN MATERIAL HANDLER
SENNEBOGEN’s 826 G-series material handler is available with five undercarriage variants and has a reach of 13 metres. With an operating weight of 26 to 28 tons, it is convenient for waste, recycling, scrap, and timber applications. The Maxcab, which can be raised by 2.8 metres, offers smooth and fatigue-free work, even when driving at high speeds. The panoramic window provides an overview of the entire working area and ensures maximum safety when loading and maneuvering. Cameras and other safety features ensure optimum protection for operators, job sites, and the machine itself.
Electric waste shredder
Material handler
STRENGTH THROUGH
SHEAR POWER LEVERAGES TEN YEARS OF EXPERTISE TO LEAD IN SPECIALTY ATTACHMENT SOLUTIONS AND ON-SITE SUPPORT
BY SLONE FOX, EDITOR
THROUGH SERVICE
Over the last decade, Ontario-based Shear Power Corp. has gone from a modest operation to a significant force in the hydraulic attachment market. Starting out with just two employees, one rented service bay, and a single service truck for mobile repairs, the company seized an opportunity in an underserved sector.
“It was a growing market with limited support and knowledge to ensure that the installation was done correctly, allowing the attachments to work reliably and at 100 percent efficiency,” says Greg Morely, vice president of sales and service at Shear Power. “We committed to be the business that would offer just that, and invested into different product lines to fill the needs of our customers across multiple industries.”
Recognizing the need for specialized support and reliable installation all in one place, Shear Power has since expanded its offerings to cater to the metal recycling, demolition, construction, forestry, and mining industries.
“We started out as a dealer for Genesis attachments, selling their shears and heavily supporting the product in Ontario,” says Morely. “Then it just expanded from there. We hired a team of mechanics and I took over running the company in about 2015. It’s just been consistent growth since then.”
those attachments, they knew there was a local company that they could rely on for that support.”
Shear Power now operates three fully equipped service trucks that provide on-site services including maintenance, technical support, and installations. After outgrowing its initial space, Shear Power hit another milestone in 2017 when it moved to a 10,000-square-foot facility in Strathroy tailored to meet its specific business needs.
With a 10-ton overhead crane, six repair bays, a machine shop, a component rebuild area, and a spare parts warehouse, this decision allowed the company to both expand the team and handle larger service jobs more efficiently. The same year, Shear Power also secured a dealer agreement with ShearCore for the Fortress line of shears, and today Shear Power serves as a dealer for other prominent brands including OilQuick, BladeCore, and more.
RELATIONSHIPS ARE KEY
At the core of Shear Power’s success is a strong team dynamic and employees that have been instrumental in providing unique and memorable customer service, says Morely. “The determination, focus, and attitude of our team is our largest asset. We have a great atmosphere with high morale throughout, and that is seen by our customers, competitors, and everyone in between. I believe that we provide an experience each time that is a pleasure for all, leaving the customer with a sense of desire to work with us again for their next service or equipment need.”
In the early days, it was kind of a slow market. For me in the service truck, it allowed me to go out and support the shears that were existing in the field and develop a relationship with those customers and instill some confidence that we can support them.
Greg Morely VP of Sales and Service, Shear Power
HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
This growth can be partly attributed to Morley’s extensive experience in the field. He grew up working on his family’s farm and maintaining their fleet of highway trucks before his career path eventually shifted toward heavy equipment. Over the years, he progressed from a shop technician to a field service technician, then a shop foreman, and ultimately to his current position where his firsthand experience enables unique and in-depth product knowledge from both the technical and operational sides of the business.
“In the early days, it was kind of a slow market. For me in the service truck, it allowed me to go out and support the shears that were existing in the field and develop a relationship with those customers and instill some confidence that we can support them,” says Morely. “That made it a lot easier. When the market turned around and they were looking to replace some of
Equally important are the relationships Shear Power has built over the last 10 years with suppliers, vendors, and customers. Strong relationships have always been a cornerstone of the company’s business, creating an important rapport that drives its growth, says Morely.
“We learned the value of our people very quickly, and have been very fortunate over the years to employ some of the best people in the business. It’s largely because of our team, and their supportive families, that we have built a strong reputation for offering the best product support possible, when and where our customers need it,” says Morely. “We’ve also established a great group of suppliers and vendors that have supported us over these first 10 years. Without the support of each and every one of them, we wouldn’t have been able to achieve what we have today.”
KEEPING PACE WITH INDUSTRY CHANGES
As Shear Power looks to the future, its focus remains on maintaining momentum and seeking even more efficient ways to serve the industry. Although the current market poses challenges like high interest rates, increasing equipment costs, and reduced commodity prices, Morley says Shear Power will stay ahead of customer expectations by providing fast and fair service even as the industry becomes increasingly competitive.
“It’s important to be as valuable as possible in the opportunities available to you. Buyers of any product expect more today than ever before because of the rising costs and challenges they face day to day, and we understand that,” says Morely. “We ensure that our people are properly trained and equipped with the tools needed to react quickly and confidently.”
Shear Power’s offerings cater to the metal recycling, demolition, construction, forestry, and mining industries.
Marking the sale of a Fortress FS55R shear.
Shear Power operates three fully equipped service trucks that provide on-site services including maintenance, technical support, and installations.
Addressing these challenges, Morley highlights how simpler, more advanced attachments are revolutionizing operations.
“Hydraulic attachments have definitely advanced over the years to have more power and run more efficiently. They’re designing and building more attachments now for multiple different industries to make certain challenges in those industries a lot easier,” says Morely.
Manufacturers are continuing to expand their range of attachments to better suit more industries, including specialized attachments designed to tackle industry-specific challenges. Morley notes that customers are prioritizing attachments and couplers that simplify processes and eliminate manual labour, an invaluable feature in the midst of the ongoing labour shortage across a variety of industries.
“We’re always looking at attachments at the different shows and trying to stay ahead of the market as things advance and improve,” says Morely. “We always want to try to make sure that we’re offering the best possible attachments and equipment to our customers.”
LOOKING TOWARD ANOTHER DECADE
While celebrating Shear Power’s 10th anniversary, Morley reflects on a decade of hard work, dedication, and the strong relationships that have fuelled its success. His vision for the future is straightforward: “The biggest thing is lots of consistent growth into markets where there is a need for a strong attachment supplier in the recycling industries. Then, continue to grow our team to make sure that we’re getting a chance at every opportunity out there and that we can support all of the
The biggest thing for me is that we have to grow consistently and controlled so that that support never falls off or delays with the customers that we’ve built a rapport with already.
Greg Morely
product lines that we take on as we expand.”
Even with a decade of success under its belt, Morley makes it clear that exponential overnight growth is not Shear Power’s goal, and that strategy is key.
“The biggest thing for me is that we have to grow consistently and controlled so that that support never falls off or delays with the customers that we’ve built a rapport with already,” says Morely.
A commitment to its customers and track record of reliability position Shear Power to embrace new challenges and chart the course in the industry. With each milestone achieved, Shear Power reinforces its dedication to quality, innovation, and meaningful connections for more decades to come. RPN
The metal industries have long been a man’s world, but the Association of Women in the Metal Industries (AWMI) is changing that. AWMI equips women with tools and opportunities like mentorship programs that pair seasoned professionals with newcomers for guidance and support, educational resources that keep members informed about the latest innovations, and networking events for women to connect, share experiences, and build professional relationships. Together, these elements create a support system that empowers women to excel.
Since its conception in 1981, AWMI has served as a lifeline for women breaking barriers in the metal industries. When leadership roles were scarce for women, AWMI created a space to connect and support each other’s professional growth. Today, AWMI has built a diverse membership spanning numerous sectors within the metal industries, from transportation to scrap metal recycling, finance, and beyond (Figure 1).
Can you tell me a bit about your background in the industry?
I have been working in the metal industry for over 20 years. I came to this industry accidentally as opposed to purposefully, but I’m so thrilled that I did! Montgomery Scrap Corporation was a client of mine at my first post-collegiate real-world job and I just fell in love with it. I was hired as a scrap buyer and would eventually become their first female commercial director and first female executive officer! I got
Q & A ANNA TOMPKINS DISCUSSES OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN THE METAL INDUSTRIES
BY SLONE FOX, EDITOR
While the association’s primary goal is to support women in the industry, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of its mission – AWMI recognizes the importance of involving men in its efforts as well. By encouraging men to join and participate, the organization promotes a more inclusive environment that benefits the entire industry. Male members play a crucial role in advocating for their female colleagues and fostering a culture of respect and equality.
As the industry continues to evolve, the role of organizations like AWMI is increasingly critical. With technological advancements, shifting market dynamics, and evolving consumer demands, the industry is facing new challenges and opportunities. AWMI plays a vital role in empowering women to not only navigate these changes but to lead and innovate as well.
I caught up with Anna Tompkins, vice president of AWMI, to discuss the organization’s mission and impact, her personal journey through the industry, and the evolving opportunities for women in the metal industries.
involved with AWMI several years after deciding that the scrap industry was somewhere I wanted to stay. While I worked for a fabulous company that supported me, there were no other women in my position or in leadership at that time and I knew that I was going to need some support to take my career to the next level. I literally did a Google search for “scrap metal association for women” and I found AWMI. Their annual conference happened to be in the DC area where I was located so I took a chance and registered. It was one of the best decisions of my life!
Slone Fox Anna Tompkins
What are the main goals of AWMI?
AWMI is an international, professional organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the advancement of women in the metal industries through our four cornerstones: growth, mentorship, education, and networking
Who can join AWMI, and what benefits do members receive?
Anyone related to the metal industries can join! Our membership comprises many industries from transportation companies and scrap metal recyclers to service centres and mills. Membership is open to both men and women, and it’s a great learning opportunity for people who are new to this industry.
SF AT How does AWMI support its members?
AWMI is a safe place to learn and grow professionally and personally. Volunteers are given the opportunity to serve on boards, potentially holding positions and therefore learning skills that they may not have the opportunity in their own companies to acquire. Our networking events are geared to connect members with others from whom to learn. We have an amazing mentoring program designed to provide one-on-one mentoring to members. Our annual conference brings all of those elements together, providing a unique opportunity to learn and connect.
How are men involved in AWMI, and what roles do they typically play?
Men comprise 25 percent of our membership! The only position that they cannot serve in is that of an officer. Again, our mission is to support the advancement of women in the metal industries. Board positions offer many women their only opportunity to acquire skills outside of their current jobs.
The 2024 Annual Conference takes place in Nashville from November 6 to 8.
AWMI offers networking events and educational resources that keep members informed about the latest innovations.
AWMI has grown to 19 chapters and five regions across the U.S. and Western Canada.
How can men act as allies to support women in the metal industries?
Spread the word! Attend events and encourage others to do so as well. Be the man in the room who does not speak over others or take credit for others’ ideas. And most importantly, encourage diversity of thought and experience in teams to yield the best results.
What types of networking events and opportunities does AWMI provide? Are there any upcoming events or initiatives you are particularly excited about?
I am really excited about our 2024 Annual Conference! This year it is in Nashville from November 6 to 8. We have an amazing lineup of speakers and educational panels. This is one you won’t want to miss!
What changes have you seen regarding women in metal over the last few years?
We are seeing more young women entering this industry. They are coming in with a tremendous amount of passion and education, which I truly believe is a sign of good things to come. They are being invited to conversations and teams that historically they have not been a part of before. Diversity of thought and experience is key to making our industry and companies competitive.
How do you see the role of women in the metal industries changing in the next decade?
I think you will see more women in high-level operations and commercial roles. This is the last big area of expansion for women in this workforce. RPN
Figure 1.
BEER BY-PRODUCT COULD BE USED TO RECYCLE ELECTRONIC WASTE
SCIENTISTS USE SPENT BREWER’S YEAST TO FILTER OUT METAL FROM WASTE STREAMS
When we recycle electronic devices we can no longer use, we expect the most to be made of the precious natural resources that went into building them. However, electronic waste is notoriously difficult to recycle since it’s challenging to separate the different metals. Scientists have now found a way to selectively capture metals from a waste stream using spent brewer’s yeast, the same beer by-product that goes into Marmite. Plus, the yeast can be reused, making the process even more eco-friendly.
“Electronic waste is difficult to recycle because it is very heterogeneous,” says Dr. Klemens Kremser of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences. “Getting the metals in solution is a first step, but the selective recovery of the metals remains a challenge. Compared to processes such as chemical precipitation, biosorption using spent brewer’s yeast presents a cheap and environmentally friendly approach.”
Several options already exist for separating the different component metals of electronic waste, including other biosorbents – biological materials that can be used to soak up pollution. However, they all have significant downsides. For instance, chemical precipitation produces contaminated slag, while biochar – a biosorbent that is similar to charcoal – is difficult to separate from wastewater.
Because leftover brewer’s yeast is a common byproduct of beer brewing, it’s cheap and widely available. The scientists acquired 20 litres of spent brewer’s yeast, separated the biomass from leftover brewing residues, and dried out the biomass. Electrostatic interactions on the surface of the yeast allow metal ions to stick to that surface – a process called adsorption. Changing the pH of this solution alters the interactions, which can allow the yeast to adsorb more or different metal ions, depending on the contents of the solution and the specific pH.
The scientists chose to test the yeast biomass against economically important metals like zinc, aluminum, copper, and nickel. The scientists tested each metal solution at a range of different pHs and temperatures to gauge whether it was possible to increase the strength of the interactions and recover more metal. The scientists also tested the yeast against a real polymetallic waste stream.
“Using waste biomass for metal recovery is not a completely new process, but the selectivity of biosorption processes is a key factor for efficient metal recovery from polymetallic waste streams,” says Anna Sieber, PhD fellow of K1-MET, an Austrian metallurgical research centre. “We demonstrated high metal recovery rates from a complex metal solution
percent of zinc from the test metal solutions. Over 50 percent of copper and over 90 percent of zinc were retrieved from the polymetallic waste stream they tested the yeast on.
Electronic waste is difficult to recycle because it is very heterogeneous. Getting the metals in solution is a first step, but the selective recovery of the metals remains a challenge.
Dr. Klemens Kremser Researcher, BOKU
using an environmentally friendly and cheap biomass. Yeast biomass is considered a safe organism, and the demonstrated reusability of the biomass makes it an economically feasible approach.”
The scientists were able to recover more than 50 percent of aluminum, more than 40 percent of copper, and more than 70
Changing the temperature had relatively little impact on efficiency, except for zinc, where it raised the recovery rate by 7.6 percent. Similarly, adjusting the pH had a limited effect on most of the metal solutions, except for aluminum, where it improved the efficiency of recovery by 16 percent.
“The metals can be removed from the yeast surface by acid treatment and thus could be recycled,” says Sieber. “It would be interesting to investigate potential applications for these reclaimed metals.”
The yeast itself could also be recycled without heavily impacting its ability to recover metal. Scientists were able to use it five times to recover different metals, but caution that the metal recovery process needs testing with larger studies in real-life conditions before it can be implemented on an industrial scale.
“The metal removal process in this study was optimized for the four metals in question,” says Kremser. “The concentration of potentially interfering metal ions was very low in our starting solutions, but this would be important to consider when applying this approach to different mixed metal solutions.”
Because leftover brewer’s yeast is a common byproduct of beer brewing, it’s cheap and widely available.
Electronic waste is notoriously difficult to recycle because it’s hard to separate the different metals.
PAPER REPRESENTS MAJORITY OF DIVERTED MATERIALS IN CANADA
STATISTICS
CANADA HAS RELEASED THE RESULTS OF ITS BIENNIAL REPORT CONTAINING WASTE DIVERSION
DATA FOR 2022
BY RACHEL KAGAN
Statistics Canada has released the results of its biennial Waste Management Survey containing waste diversion data for 2022. The Paper and Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council breaks down the stats and discusses the importance of recycling data.
The new data shows that Canadian households and businesses diverted 9,898,882 tonnes of waste in 2022, and of the total amount diverted, 3,571,384 tonnes were paper fibres, which include newsprint, cardboard, boxboard, and mixed paper. Paper fibres represent the majority of materials diverted, with 36 percent of total waste diverted from Canadian landfills in 2022.
The next largest category of diverted materials, at 31 percent, is organic materials, which includes food waste, yard waste, and other organics such as wood and agricultural
materials. The 2022 survey represents the first time Canada’s statistics agency has published a breakdown of composted organic material by category, with the majority of organic material – 52 percent or 1.6 million tonnes – being reported as food waste.
Digging deeper into the paper data, of the 3.57 million total tonnes of fibre diverted in Canada in 2022, 40 percent was diverted through residential sources (i.e. Blue Box–type residential packaging recycling programs), while the remaining 60 percent was diverted through non-residential sources (i.e. IC&I sector).
Figure 1 shows a full breakdown of paper fibre diversion by province and source, with the two most populous provinces –Ontario and Quebec which together represent over 60 percent of Canada’s total population – diverting the most paper fibre from both residential and IC&I sources at 70 percent of the total tonnes diverted (2,484,179 / 3,571,384).
The 2022 survey represents the first time Canada’s statistics agency has published a breakdown of composted organic material by category, with the majority of organic material – 52 percent or 1.6 million tonnes – being reported as food waste.
In the new 2022 data, Statistics Canada reported that “diverting plastic waste to avoid disposal has become a challenge because of the many different types of hard-to-recycle plastics being produced for consumption and entering the waste stream.”
Of the nearly 9.9 million total tonnes of materials diverted, 366,694 tonnes included plastic materials that were sent to material recycling facilities (where recyclables are brought to be sorted and prepared for sale), representing 3.7 percent of total diversion, with most of the plastic (72 percent) coming from residential sources.
The Government of Canada has been working to address plastic as part of its Zero Plastic Waste Agenda through various initiatives including its Single-use Plastics Prohibitions Regulations, and its most recent announcement concerning the new
New data shows that Canadian households and businesses diverted 9,898,882 tonnes of waste in 2022.
Federal Plastics Registry which will track plastic from production to end-of-life. The federal government is also considering other regulatory proposals for plastics such as minimum recycled content requirements and federal labelling rules for recyclability and compostability.
Canada was also at the table along with other governments, businesses, and stakeholders from around the world for the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-4) to work on developing an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. The fifth session (INC-5) is scheduled for November 25, 2024.
Reducing plastic waste and, in general, diverting as much waste as possible, is not only an environmental imperative, but it also makes business sense.
A circular economy approach to managing paper packaging is baked right into our industry’s business model. It makes sense to collect as much used paper fibres as possible to use as their feedstock, instead of using virgin materials.
Given the importance of recycling to PPEC and its members who rely on using recycled fibres in their operations, PPEC monitors available recycling data in the residential and IC&I waste streams. It’s important to have accurate data to be able to track and measure progress and to make evidence-based policy and regulatory decisions. And from the available data, including these latest stats, it’s clear that paper packaging is a highly diverted and recycled material in Canada.
Canada’s paper packaging industry continues to be a leader in embedding recycling in all aspects of its operations. PPEC
members are not just providers of recyclable paper packaging, they are also processors of collected paper materials through their own recycling divisions and end market customers buying back recycled paper fibres, with mills using recycled content as their primary feedstock. This keeps recycled materials flowing for longer, allowing paper fibres to be reused so they can be remade into new paper packaging products. That cycle repeats itself each time a resident or business recycles their clean paper-based packaging.
RACHEL KAGAN is the executive director of the Paper & Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council (PPEC).
Figure 1.
Nine small- and medium-sized companies will each receive up to $150,000 to develop environmentally friendly and cost-effective solutions to help better reuse plastics or improve the end-of-life management of plastic film.
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA INVESTS OVER $3.3 MILLION TO REDUCE PLASTIC POLLUTION
NINE COMPANIES WILL RECEIVE UP TO $150,000 TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS THAT IMPROVE THE END-OF-LIFE MANAGEMENT OF PLASTIC FILM
Everyone plays a role in reducing the plastic waste that litters the streets, shorelines, waterways, and even food supplies. Improving how plastics are made, used, and managed can help protect biodiversity, the environment, and our health as well as strengthen sustainable economies, create jobs, and fight climate change.
During the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-4), the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, committed over $3.3 million in funding to support Canadian organizations that are developing innovative solutions to address plastic pollution.
“Plastics will continue to be part of the global economy, but we must all find better ways to reuse, remanufacture, or recycle them because plastic pollution knows no borders. We are fully committed to ending plastic waste in Canada, but we cannot do this alone. By working together, we can create a cleaner, healthier future for everyone while keeping plastics in the economy and out of the environment,” says Guilbeault.
Nine small- and medium-sized companies will each receive up to $150,000 to develop environmentally friendly and cost-effective solutions to help better reuse plastics or improve the end-of-life management of plastic film that commonly wraps consumer items. The funding for these projects is being provided through the two latest Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenges. The Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenges has committed over $25 million to Canadian small- and medium-sized businesses to date. The Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenges seek solutions for sectors that generate some of the
greatest quantities of plastic waste and pollution and show the greatest opportunity for impact and innovation.
More than $2 million from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s funding for Advancing a Circular Economy for Plastics in Canada is going to 12 recipients for projects that will identify new opportunities, facilitate collaboration and information sharing, help reduce investment risk, and encourage the adoption of circular solutions. Circular solutions are ways that products and materials are kept in circulation (or in use) by either maintaining, reusing, refurbishing, remanufacturing, or recycling them.
This funding is part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to reducing plastic waste and pollution while supporting jobs in a sustainable and growing economy. It is also an important part of Canada’s evidence-based and comprehensive plan to move toward a circular economy through a range of complementary actions across the plastics’ life cycle.
“Our government is relentless when it comes to addressing one of the greatest challenges of our age by helping move Canada toward zero plastic waste and a sustainable economy,” says The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “New technologies can play a pivotal role in reducing plastic waste and pollution while helping grow the economy and create good jobs. That’s why we are committed to supporting new ideas that enhance our understanding of the threats posed by plastic pollution and the development of evidence-based solutions through initiatives such as the Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenges supported by the Innovative Solutions Canada program.”
A LONG WAY TOGETHER
WHEREVER YOU ARE, BKT IS WITH YOU
No matter how complex your tasks, BKT offers an extensive range of tires designed for every use in the industrial sector from warehouse and port to excavation operations. Strong, safe, reliable, and resistant to cuts, tears and punctures - these tires stand out for durability, superior performance, and comfort, even under extreme conditions. BKT: always by your side, in any operation.
COMPUCYCLE ADDRESSES
CRITICAL ISSUE OF E-PLASTIC DISPOSAL
SHREDDING, CLEANING, AND SORTING SYSTEM
MATERIALS TO BE RECYCLED DOMESTICALLY
Amidst dwindling legal export markets for plastics generated from mixed electronics waste in the U.S., CompuCycle has developed a shredding, cleaning, and sorting system to produce materials that can be recycled domestically.
president of CompuCycle.
With over 50 million tons of electronic waste generated annually worldwide, 20 percent of which contain plastic materials, the disposal and recycling of e-plastics has emerged as a critical issue. These complex materials
Electronics has evolved. Plastics have become a concern. . . plastics are becoming what some people may consider a focused material.
Clive Hess President, CompuCycle
“Electronics has evolved. Plastics have become a concern. . . plastics are becoming what some people may consider a focused material,” says Clive Hess, often contain hazardous substances such as brominated flame retardants and heavy metals. This not only makes them a challenge to recycle but also poses a significant
PRODUCES
risk to both the environment and health if not managed properly. Due to this, most e-waste and e-plastics end up in landfills around the world.
CompuCycle is an IT asset management company based out of Houston, Texas, which offers safe and secure e-scrap recycling. Their electronics recycling plant features two four-shaft shredders, a Quad Q100 and a Quad Q70 from SSI Shredding Systems. This processing line breaks down end-of-life IT electronics into its individual components.
Kelly Adels Hess, CEO of CompuCycle, refers to it as the “wow machine” and says it’s incredible to see materials move up a conveyor belt and then become raw components such as steel, plastic, aluminum, copper, and boards.
The success of that initial system created more opportunities to dive even further
into the art of recycling and to tackle the growing e-plastics problem.
“CompuCycle wanted a shredder versatile enough to handle bulk-fed loads of e-plastics originating from any processor out there. Our SR500 Uni-Shear is able to hold up to 4 cubic yards of volume and make a small, well-liberated output size so it’s perfectly suited for this task,” says Dave Fleming, vice president of sales and marketing at SSI Shredding Systems.
In November of 2023, CompuCycle went live with its e-plastics processing plant. This innovative system features a single-shaft Uni-Shear SR500 and sink-float tanks that can separate e-plastics down further into base components such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and ABS plastics.
CompuCycle’s processing line breaks down endof-life IT electronics into individual components.
The disposal and recycling of e-plastics has emerged as a critical issue.
The new model 4 E-Z log Baler is just what mid size scrap yards have been asking for! Priced right for any yard — small, mid size, or large!
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THE DRY VERSUS WET DEBATE FOR LITHIUM BATTERY RECYCLING
THE PROS, CONS, AND MISPERCEPTIONS OF BOTH METHODS AS THE INDUSTRY EVOLVES
For recyclers involved with the rapidly expanding lithium-ion (Li-ion) and lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery recycling market, there is an ongoing debate within the industry concerning the merits and pitfalls of dry versus wet processing.
Although dry battery recycling systems are prevalent, these typically require the disassembly of packs or modules and discharge of the individual battery cells before further processing and can be at risk of thermal events. Wet systems have distinct advantages in this regard and can be very efficient at recovering valuable materials; however, they are largely misunderstood by those who may not be aware of recent advancements.
While both methods can be used to recycle these types of batteries, industry professionals are still largely undecided as to which method can be utilized most efficiently and cost-effectively to meet their reclamation safety, quality, and production goals.
“In the industry, there is some confusion over the role of dry and wet battery recycling methods. For example, I’ve heard some say wet processing is not feasible for Li-ion and LiFePO4 recycling, which is simply untrue. In many ways, it is safer, faster, and more efficient for recycling battery packs than dry processing – not to mention it has already been successfully implemented for the last seven years in multiple plants around the world,” says John Neuens, industrial consultant for LithiBatt.
LithiBatt provides dry, wet, turnkey, and closed-loop recycling systems for Li-ion, LiFePO4, nickel metal hydride, zinc-bromine, and other types of batteries.
DRY RECYCLING SYSTEMS
Despite the prevalence of dry battery recycling systems, there are several disadvantages. To start, the variety of batteries that must be dismantled from packs and discharged
A closed wet battery recycling system can capture black mass more effectively and at far improved purity if designed and built by companies experienced with these techniques.
can make a dry system prohibitive from a cost and return on investment standpoint.
The reality is that there is variation in the sizes, chemistries, and construction of Li-ion and LiFePO4 batteries sourced across the globe, with essentially a thousand different arrangements and assemblies. The extent of the variety complicates creating battery recycling systems since there is no standardization in approach.
“Today, all the battery packs are built differently, so there is no single method for discharge,” says Neuens. “If we could go back 30 years and start lithium battery design over, we could perhaps build a system with standardized methods and circuitry to allow for quick and easy discharging, but we are well past that point.”
Since every battery cell must be discharged, there is often no easy, economical, and profitable way to do it, according to Neuens. In one method often used in the past, batteries are placed in a salt solution for several weeks to discharge, but this is messy, requires excessive space, and produces a chemical effluent that must be properly disposed of. This, too, often requires disassembly labour and its dangers.
With dry systems, there can also be safety issues related to battery discharge.
“Outside of a lab, there is no practical or certain way of knowing if all the cells are fully discharged. In a large battery pack with thousands of cells, it is quite likely that at least a couple of cells can still be partially charged and create an unwanted reaction,” says Neuens.
According to Neuens, when dry processing Li-ion and LiFePO4 batteries, it can also be very challenging to control dangerous conditions like thermal runaway and self-generating oxygen that can lead to hazardous battery fires. Although robots could theoretically dismantle, discharge, and process the batteries, programming them to accommodate a wide variety of battery sizes and types would be cost-prohibitive.
“Dry battery recycling systems tend to be smaller to limit the volume of combustible material and the danger of thermal runaway, so may not always meet throughput needs enough to be profitable,” says Neuens.
A further difficulty is that battery manufacturers are now increasingly filling their packs and modules with a glue-like gel as a safety precaution to keep the case together in case of damage from a collision or drop. However, this makes battery disassembly even more complex. Even the companies that manufacture them have no method of disassembly.
With a dry system, battery materials also get into the air system in large volumes during shredding and processing. Treating or separating these airborne materials is more difficult as well as more costly and dangerous.
“You face a tougher environmental challenge using a dry system because the battery electrolyte and VOCs that are more voluminous are now in the air system, along with your inert gas. So, you have to filter, scrub, and thermal oxidize them off,” says Neuens.
WET BATTERY RECYCLING SYSTEMS
Due to the rapid pace of change in battery recycling technology, there are several common misperceptions regarding wet battery recycling systems, even among industry professionals.
Among the most pervasive misunderstandings is that wet systems are not capable of removing black mass. In Li-ion battery recycling, black mass consists of electrode coatings like metal oxides and carbon, which contain valuable elements like graphite, manganese, cobalt, nickel, and lithium. Recovering
Today, all the battery packs are built differently, so there is no single method for discharge. If we could go back 30 years and start lithium battery design over, we could perhaps build a system with standardized methods and circuitry to allow for quick and easy discharging, but we are well past that point.
John Neuens Industrial Consultant, LithiBatt
the black mass generates the greatest value for reuse or sale since there are otherwise usually only trace amounts of metals like lithium, copper, and aluminum.
According to Neuens, a closed wet battery recycling system can capture black mass more effectively and at far improved purity if properly designed and built by companies experienced with these techniques.
“All the other particles besides the black mass are very large, so it is relatively easy to filter and press out, dewater, and dry. The result is very clean, usable black mass, with the water able to be reused, utilizing a continuous water treatment system,” says Neuens. “We essentially cut and agitate the materials through the whole process to liberate the black mass from the foils in an aqueous solution and capture them without all the remnant plastics and particulate.”
A turnkey wet Li-ion battery recycling system can recycle tons of Li-ion or LiFePO4 material per hour to whatever sellable state is required.
A turnkey wet Li-ion battery recycling system should combine several separate but complementary processes. The primary system shreds the batteries in an inert atmosphere and water, and secondary systems further reduce the material to smaller, more separable sizes.
Neuens notes that the key is specialized secondary shredding, a factor not well understood yet throughout the industry.
“When you try to recirculate the material through a standard shredder with a screen, the material blinds and clogs the screen,” says Neuens. “However, a specialized shredder can be used to further reduce the material to a uniform size without the need for a screen. If you can’t do that in one pass, it takes multiple shredders to get the same product at far greater expense.”
In the LithiBatt system, this secondary shredding step is accomplished using its patented Triplus knife technology that reduces the material size to three-eighths of an inch. The knife technology is uniquely suited to wet battery recycling because it reduces it to a predictable and regular size in one pass without screening. Additional processing using proprietary chemical injections and drying methods captures valuable battery cell black mass from the shredded material before it goes through the entire system.
“We are currently using a proprietary wet process to shred the biggest EV packs still charged for the world’s largest EV maker and successfully collecting black mass,” says Neuens.
The use of water in processing Li-ion and LiFePO4 batteries has other significant advantages, beginning with increasing safety by deterring thermal runaway.
“Since the recyclable Li-ion battery material does not readily absorb water, it can be used to cool the materials and quash incipient fires. Combined with nitrogen to eliminate combustible oxygen, we can control and eliminate thermal events with a wet
process. By preventing thermal events, processing is faster with higher battery weights and volumes possible,” says Neuens.
The glues or gels also tend to float, so they can be easily handled in a wet recycling system. In addition, a wet system can capture VOCs in the water, which can be filtered. Because of this, air filtration can be simple with just a scrubber and charcoal filtration.
A drawback of a wet battery recycling system is that it involves several separate stages that an experienced manufacturer must sufficiently integrate. Consequently, manufacturers and recycling professionals usually will want an industry expert involved from the start, so a system can be customized to their specific needs.
However, once installed, Li-ion and LiFePO4 batteries of all sizes and chemistries can be quickly and profitably reduced into valuable, reusable, or saleable materials without disassembly.
“This type of flexible wet system can recycle tons of Li-ion or LiFePO4 material per hour to whatever sellable state is required,” says Neuens. “If you need to produce tons per hour instead of a fraction of a ton per hour, hydro/nitrogen systems will get you there much faster than a dry system,” says Neuens.
For industry professionals still undecided about whether to consider a dry or wet battery recycling system, Neuens suggests that they should inquire about both, weigh the pros and cons for their goals, and then move forward with the system that best fits their needs.
“There are several different ways to design a Li-ion and LiFePO4 battery recycling system, but the decision should be based on the facts and a good understanding of dry versus wet, as well as the types of advanced systems that are already being operated by some of the largest battery manufacturers and recyclers in the world,” says Neuens.
There is an ongoing debate about the merits and pitfalls of dry versus wet processing.
EU TO INTRODUCE DIGITAL PRODUCT PASSPORT FOR BATTERIES
COMPANIES WILL NEED TO DOCUMENT EMISSIONS FROM THE MANUFACTURE, USE, AND DISPOSAL OF THEIR PRODUCTS
Starting in February 2027, all new traction batteries, two-wheeled vehicle batteries, and industrial batteries with a capacity of over 2 kWh that are marketed in the EU will require a digital battery passport. This will also affect light means-of-transport batteries built into electric bicycles and electric scooters. The purpose is to ensure transparency and sustainability in the battery value chain, reduce environmental impacts, and encourage the secondary use of batteries.
The Battery Pass Consortium, with the participation of the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK, is developing frameworks and recommendations in terms of content and technology for implementing the passport. Fraunhofer IPK researchers are responsible for designing the technical standards and presenting a draft technical reference standard designed to enable battery passports – and all types of digital product passports – to be implemented in a scalable and interoperable way.
Batteries are key to the transition to climate-friendly mobility and the widespread use of renewable energies. As crucial components of electric vehicles, they need to be produced and used sustainably and reincorporated into the material cycle easily. It is important to prolong the life cycle of the entire battery system as much as possible and to recycle the raw resources, materials, and components after they are first used. Transparent supply chains also need to be formed, as manufacturers will need to document all emissions resulting from their products’ manufacture, use, and disposal sometime in the future.
TRANSPARENCY AROUND EV BATTERIES
The purpose of the battery passport is to support seamless documentation of a battery’s life, from raw material extraction and production to use, reuse, and recycling. It holds a record
The battery passport provides a digital record of all of the socially, ecologically, and economically relevant information on a battery’s life cycle. By providing verified and verifiable information, it can create transparency, support second-life uses, or optimize processing by recycling providers.
Thomas Knothe Scientist, Fraunhofer IPK
of a battery’s origin and logs the relevant uses. To this end, it documents data that comprehensively describes the sustainability and responsibility of the supply chain, such as data on the carbon footprint; the working conditions for raw material extraction, battery materials, and components; hazardous substances contained; resource efficiency; performance and service life; battery status; and other data including information on recyclability and repair as well as how to implement these steps. Disassembly instructions contained in the battery passport help to facilitate the secondary use of as many of the battery’s components as possible.
“The battery passport provides a digital record of all of the socially, ecologically, and economically relevant information on a battery’s life cycle. By providing verified and verifiable information, it can create transparency, support second-life uses, or optimize processing by recycling providers. This supports the development of sustainable business models along the battery value chain while complying with relevant sustainability and ethical criteria. The aim is to reduce child labour and pollution in countries where the raw materials are produced and keep track of the export of old batteries, for example,” says Professor Thomas Knothe, a scientist at Fraunhofer IPK which draws up technical standards that are relevant to industry and transforms them into European standards.
To enable battery manufacturers and importers to present the battery passport in 2027, all of the necessary groundwork, technical specifications, and test systems must be completed by the end of 2025.
DECENTRALIZED DATA
The battery passport is a software system where all data is stored in distributed data spaces and responsibility for the data is decentralized. Certain functions, such as the central registration of passports and a data portal that will provide an aggregated view of a majority of battery passports, will be the responsibility of the European Commission. Some data elements will only be made available to national authorities’ data systems for market conformity checks. The manufacturer will be responsible for managing the rest of the data.
Starting in February 2027, select batteries in the EU will require a digital battery passport.
Any changes to the battery data will need to be updated in the passport, and each manufacturer must appoint a third-party provider to ensure that there is a backup of the data in the event of bankruptcy. The necessary interfaces, access rights, and functions will need to be implemented in the software system. To ensure that this happens, numerous questions are being addressed in the Battery Pass Consortium: What battery data will be required? Who should store them, how, when, and where? Who will be able to access the data and how? How will access to the data be kept secure? How can solutions incorporate existing systems but also new ones?
The Battery Pass Consortium is proposing existing technical standards and standards that are still to be developed and is illustrating the integrative application of those standards using a software demonstrator.
“One of the challenges of putting the specifications into practice is interoperability,” explains Knothe.
The software system needs to support as many different data carriers as possible, which supply information to the product in a way that is similar to a barcode or QR code. The same applies to unique identifiers, which are like ID numbers assigned uniquely to a product. As well, the system also needs to be able to represent the rules in different countries and be compatible with a range of data management technologies and platforms. The data requirements of different sectors also need to be considered as the battery passport will also be used as a basis for other passports.
The aim is to reduce child labour and pollution in countries where the raw materials are produced and keep track of the export of old batteries.
Thomas Knothe
“A system like this is too complex to be driven by a single company or even a consortium. That’s why we’ve included a large community of partners and supporters in the project activities from an early stage. That also gives the system the momentum it needs to gain wider acceptance in practice,” says Knothe.
The battery passport is the first digital product passport to be introduced at the European level. It will serve as a pilot – other passports for products such as textiles, electronics, and building materials are currently in the planning stage to ensure the exchange of data in supply and value chains and compliance with environmental and social standards.
ADVANCING EDUCATION IN WASTE MANAGEMENT
The show where sectors of the waste, recycling and public works industries come together for three days of education, networking, and business development. Explore the exciting schedule of events and show features.
What’s in store:
Expert Panels & Workshops
Innovative Technologies
Educational Sessions
Conference: November 5 – 6, 2024
Exhibition: November 6 – 7, 2024
Follow us online: cwre.ca
[Dewiring bales] is a complex task, which is usually done manually or with limited mechanical assistance. However, manual removal is time-consuming, labour intensive, and poses safety risks for workers. In our sorting plant projects and speaking with our customers, we saw that this was a significant pain point in the existing process and decided to develop a solution to address the issue efficiently.
Rok Mežič Head of Development, STADLER
STADLER’s WireX automated bale wire remover fully automates the wire removal process and dewires cross-wired bales in one pass, ensuring a highly efficient and safe process.
Baling wire is essential in the recycling industry: without it, it would be far more difficult to collect, transport, and handle the large amounts of waste materials that enter recycling streams. However, the extensive use of wire means that recycling facilities face the challenge of dewiring bales efficiently and safely.
“It is a complex task, which is usually done manually or with limited mechanical assistance,” explains Rok Mežič, head of development at STADLER. “However, manual removal is time-consuming, labour intensive, and poses safety risks for workers. In our sorting plant projects and speaking with our customers, we saw that this was a significant pain point in the existing process and decided to develop a solution to address the issue efficiently. The result is our new WireX, which fully automates the process, dewiring bales in a single pass.”
DEWIRING CROSS-WIRED BALES IN ONE PASS
Using sensor detection and measurement systems, the WireX measures the bales and removes the wires from single- and cross-wired bales in one pass without double feeding. The steel dewiring unit is integrated into a frame resistant to vibration and accommodates standard bale dimensions to ensure smooth operation.
The bales are fed onto the machine by an independent conveyor, guided by a moving push plate which keeps the bale in position. Sensors located above the input conveyor, inside the chamber, and on the flap ensure the bale is positioned correctly with high precision. Once the bale is in position, combs are pushed into the bale to fix the wire for cutting. The bale measurement system ensures the cutters move in the bale correctly. When the cutting is done, the combs pull out and the wires are coiled up and discharged by a small integrated conveyor into a separate bin, ready for recycling. The floor plate opens and the bale falls onto a conveyor placed below the machine, which will feed the material into the sorting system.
The WireX has been extensively tested at STADLER’s test centre in Slovenia. It is also in the final stages of further testing in real conditions at a customer’s recycling facility.
The extensive use of wire means that recycling facilities face the challenge of dewiring bales efficiently and safely.
The WireX measures the bales and removes the wires from singleand cross-wired bales in one pass without double feeding.
1VAN DYK Recycling Solutions is the exclusive distributor of the Bollegraaf HBC Series of balers in the Latin and North American markets. Designed to efficiently compress materials such as cardboard, plastics, and paper into dense, export-quality bales, the HBC Series can be customized to meet specific requirements, including Adaptive Proportional Channel Pressure, a self-learning system for optimal pressure control. The cross-tying system allows for additional horizontal wire tying, while the needle-lifting device facilitates easy maintenance of needle heads, rollers, and cutting knives. An optional bottle perforator increases efficiency when baling plastic bottles, and an extra-wide feed hopper accommodates larger materials.
2
American Baler’s PAC Series of horizontal balers produce mill- or export-sized bales made from trim, shredded, or die-cut materials and are ideal for box plants, document destruction, and textile applications. These single-ram balers have a production volume of up to 20,000 cubic feet per hour, with feed openings ranging from 30 by 27.5 inches to 50 by 27.5 inches and cycle times between 7 to 28 seconds. The baler applies up to 150,795 pounds of force, producing bales that load well into shipping containers, generally resulting in a lower cost per ton to transport. The PAC Series offers three hopper sizes and four power units to meet various production needs. 3
3
Machinex’s MLP Series single-ram balers handle diverse materials such as cardboard, plastics, and more while ensuring high throughput. The MLP Series features advanced hydraulic systems for precise control over bale density, reducing transportation and storage costs while enhancing operational efficiency. The single-ram balers are available in a range of sizes and capacities and provide processing capabilities of up to approximately 85 tons of material per hour. Other options include an exclusive pre-fill valve, as well as patented pre-press and shear technology. The pre-fill valve provides a faster dry-cycle time that results in a significant reduction in energy consumption.
HOW VIDEO MONITORING SOLUTIONS CAN IMPROVE RECYCLING FACILITY OPERATIONS
CAMERA SYSTEMS HELP FACILITIES RUN SMOOTHLY, PREVENT INCIDENTS, AND KEEP UP WITH DEMAND
BY HEIDI SCHMIDT
There are roughly 18,000 recycling plants across the U.S. and their distribution mirrors population density: There are more facilities in areas with more population, as expected.
The average American produces 4.9 pounds of waste every day, which leads to a whopping 292 million tons of waste per year across the country. Consequently, recycling facilities are critical to the health and well-being of the population, and their importance will only grow in the future.
Recycling facilities’ operations have to run smoothly to prevent incidents and to keep up with the ever-growing demand. This is where video monitoring comes in.
VIDEO MONITORING TO STREAMLINE OPERATIONS
The first thing that comes to mind when you say “video monitoring” is security. Any camera system can provide you with security, but in recycling plants, video monitoring can do so much more than that.
There are more than 16 types of recyclable materials that waste management plants have to deal with. Different equipment, different training procedures, and different processes are required for each of these materials.
It’s very easy for things to fall through the cracks when you have to manage so many different systems and procedures. Moreover, recycling plants are typically huge facilities with thousands of square feet that need to be monitored. This makes it almost impossible to use human monitoring.
With video monitoring, all you need is a remote or on-site operator, who can:
• Monitor the live feed.
• Keep an eye on every piece of machinery to spot, for instance, when a conveyor belt is worn down. This can help avoid both incidents and costly downtime.
• Spot inefficiencies in your processes, such as noticing that the route between the waste storage area and the waste processing area is too long and can be shortened, thus improving your overall productivity.
• Spot when a piece of equipment works less effectively than normal. It may be time to schedule preemptive maintenance to improve productivity.
• Spot fires (one of the biggest risks in recycling facilities) with the use of thermal cameras before they turn into disasters.
VIDEO MONITORING TO ENHANCE COMPLIANCE
Recycling facilities have to adhere to countless rules and laws, both at local and federal levels. As environmental laws become stricter all over the world, so will the rules that waste management plants have to abide by.
Breaking environmental laws comes with hefty fines and even facility closure. Video monitoring can help you prove that your recycling facility is compliant. You can simply show the video records to the inspector and make your case.
Through video monitoring, you can examine and review the processes and the way your workers interact with the equipment and the waste.
It’s very easy for things to fall through the cracks when you have to manage so many different systems and procedures. Moreover, recycling plants are typically huge facilities with thousands of square feet that need to be monitored. This makes it almost impossible to use human monitoring.
ENHANCE SAFETY IN RECYCLING PLANTS
Recycling facilities are harsh working environments. Heavy machinery can cause accidents, while some of the recyclable materials can be toxic to the workers if they are not handled properly. Through video monitoring, you can examine and review the processes and the way your workers interact with the equipment and the waste. Small glitches and human errors are hard to spot by a human supervisor who’s smack in the middle of the action.
The bird’s-eye-view of a remote operator, on the other hand, is entirely different because it comes with the much-needed holistic perspective.
You can use the video feed in your training sessions or as a starting point to improve your operations and your processes to enhance the safety of your staff.
Moreover, the right video monitoring solution will help you tackle both security and safety at the same time. A security breach can quickly turn into a safety issue if the intruder mishandles the equipment or the toxic waste.
Once again, a remote operator can easily notice an intruder and alert the police and the on-site personnel, thus preventing both theft and, perhaps, a dangerous accident.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST CAMERAS FOR YOUR FACILITY
The camera system you need depends a lot on the specifics of your recycling facility.
• Is it a high-humidity environment?
• Is it a high-vibration environment?
• Are there significant temperature variations?
• Do you work with flammable materials?
The answers to these questions will dictate whether you need explosion-rated cameras, if you need vibration mounts, and many other details.
HEIDI SCHMIDT has worked in the video technology space for almost 20 years, building expertise in CCTV, industrial video applications, new product development, video network solutions, and more. As a global sales manager at Opticom Technologies, she helps customers implement robust video monitoring solutions for unique and harsh industrial environments.
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