WHAT ARE THE WAYS TO SEPARATE THE WASTE? - ENVIRONMENT - 2025

Separating waste is one of the most important tasks to generate an efficient recycling process. Almost all human activities generate waste. The correct separation and classification of these wastes will translate into a cleaner space and a healthier relationship between the environment and human beings.

Countries like Germany, the United States, Finland and the United Kingdom have recycling programs in which communities participate actively; This has led them to be nations whose inhabitants have very good recycling habits.

But, in addition to this, they have advanced technology that allows industrial waste to be separated in an optimal way.

The methods are variable: some use magnetic principles, others work through large strainers, and still others prioritize labor. In any case, the ultimate goal is to promote the reuse of waste and promote better use of resources.

Main ways / ways to separate waste

From the oldest to the newest, the waste separation industry offers different options for classifying materials and promoting better use of resources.

Current times have made separating waste increasingly sophisticated and requires less human effort, also increasing the quality of the result.

The following are some of the ways to separate waste that are currently used in the industry:

Handbook

Manual waste separation is the most labor-intensive method. The structure that is used is usually a slippery belt through which the waste circulates, and there are workers located on each side of the belt who manually separate the desired elements from the unwanted ones.

The speed of movement of the belt should allow workers to sort the waste smoothly.

Although this is a method that has worked for a long time, new technologies have given way to more modern systems in which machines have a greater role in the waste separation process.

By screening or sieving

This way of separating waste is based on the idea of ​​a sieve or strainer. It basically consists of using tools that allow the separation of large waste from small ones.

Different types of machinery have been built that allow this process: they are cylindrical, table-shaped or with rotating rows; In all cases, the machines have small openings or holes through which the smallest residues exit.

This method of waste separation is used when the materials to be classified are obviously of different sizes.

Magnetic

When metal objects are present, the waste is usually separated magnetically. Machines have magnetized surfaces, fixed or mobile, that attract ferrous materials and separate them from the rest of the waste.

There are several methods of magnetic separation of waste: for example, there are magnetic bands that are placed on the belts that transport the waste; metal objects stick there and separate from the rest of the material.

There are also drums that have a magnetized section and a non-magnetized section, which allows metal objects to adhere to the magnetic area of ​​the drum and, when they reach the non-magnetic area, they are released and fall into deposits.

By eddy currents

The eddy current method of separation of waste, or "eddy current", is used to separate non-ferrous metals (metals that do not have iron, such as aluminum, magnesium, copper, silver, tin or lead) from other materials that do not they conduct electricity.

The process consists of the following: the speed of the rotor of the machine generates a current that charges the non-ferrous metals; This current generates a magnetic field that repels the metals from the band through which they circulate and throws them into a predetermined deposit.

Non-metallic materials just keep sliding down the belt and fall into another container.

By sensors

Another way to separate waste is through sensors. This method allows a more specific classification because it allows to identify colors, textures, shapes and composition material of the elements.

The waste is analyzed by a scanner, which identifies the desired parts and separates them from the rest.

Waste separation technology through sensors can be very specific, it has even been considered a valid option to separate recyclable waste from organic waste.

Robotics

New technologies have favored the development of prototypes that allow an intelligent separation of waste through the use of robots. These machines have such a level of specificity and efficiency, that they facilitate the classification of waste and generate very good results.

The Finnish company ZenRobotics is one of the pioneers in robotic waste sorting. Her system works like this: the machinery has sensors through which it promotes the flow of waste continuously and, thanks to its software, it can analyze the information released from these sensors.

Once the desired elements have been identified, the robot takes them and places them in separate deposits from the rest.

According to the company, these robots are different from those used in the automotive industry, which are programmed to perform the same tasks and movements continuously.

In the case of the robots used in the separation of waste, they have the ability to learn and, in addition, are equipped with sensors associated with pain, which allow them to have reflections that make them move away from objects that could harm them.

Separate waste from home

Despite the fact that new technologies allow an increasingly optimal industrial waste separation, it is still a necessary starting point to sort waste from home, work sites or school.

The recommendation is that each person, from their daily tasks, separate the waste correctly and place it in the places destined for its storage and subsequent recycling process.

It is advisable to separate the waste into four groups: paper and cardboard, plastic, glass and metal; clean and dry them very well, and compress them as much as possible. This action will greatly facilitate the industrial waste separation process.

References

1. Capel, C. “Waste sorting - A look at the separation and sorting techniques in today's European market”. (July 1, 2008) in Waste Management World. Retrieved on July 13, 2017 from Waste Management World: waste-management-world.com
2. Freyberg, T. "Rise of the Machines: Robot Recycling." (October 11, 2011) in Waste Management World. Retrieved on July 13, 2017 from Waste Management World: waste-management-world.com
3. "Robotic sorting of waste" in ZenRobotics Retrieved on July 13, 2017 from: zenrobotics.com
4. "Eddy current" in Princeton Retrieved on July 13, 2017 from: princeton.edu
5. "How is the waste separated?" in Buenos Aires City Retrieved on July 12, 2017 from: buenosaires.gob.ar
6. Clarke, J. "Black bags in, commercial grade recyclate out." (September 1, 2010) in Waste Management World. Retrieved on July 13, 2017 from Waste Management World: waste-management-world.com.