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Recycling

Recycling is part of our everyday lives even if we are perhaps not so aware of it anymore. Here we focus on recycling of construction and demolition materials and other recycling processes where hydraulic attachment tools are common.

Recycling applications

On a jobsite

On a construction jobsite the recycling process is simple. Packing material and waste fractions of construction materials are separated immediately and transported to a recycling terminal where they are processed for reuse, burned to produce energy, or discarded.
On a demolition jobsite the process is more complicated. Depending on the demolition method, some of the materials can be separated out and collected in their own containers during the actual deconstruction process. For example, steel plates from the roof, steel fences, and wooden structures. This keeps the materials clean and makes the next steps of the work easier.
Different construction materials can be separated immediately as they are removed from the building: masonry and brick material for crushing separately and reinforced concrete to be pulverized. Steel frames can be cut and loaded into their own container etc. With good planning and careful, selective deconstruction it is possible to save time and money in the next stages.
The Epiroc bucket crusher BC 3700
Reinforced concrete will be pulverized carefully to extract the steel as cleanly as possible. The steel will be sold to a steel factory to be reused and the concrete will be crushed with a mobile crusher or a bucket crusher. Crushed concrete can be used on a jobsite as backfill for a new building or it can be transported away for use elsewhere.
Epiroc hydro magnet HM 1500 F application picture
If the demolition is performed without separating the various materials this can be done afterwards on a jobsite with a multi grapple. The grapple is normally mounted on a crawler excavator and the operator separates the different materials into their own containers. A hydraulic magnet can be used to separate the metal from the rubble and for loading.

At a terminal

At a recycling terminal it is possible to use more sophisticated methods and machines for separation and naturally this is much easier if rough separation has already been completed on the jobsite. Typically, the recycling process at a terminal starts with rough separation with a grapple, when most of the wood and steel is removed from the pile. Then the material will be pre-crushed and moved forward with a conveyor. The next separation step is on a conveyor belt when some items can be removed manually before the next crusher.
Epiroc bucket screener BS 1600 to sort and seperate rocks
After the crusher the material goes through the trammel that separates small and heavy parts from the rubble, and light particles can later be blown away by air. Light material continues to crush and burning and heavier material, sand and concrete, continue to pre-screen and crushing once more. During the process there are several magnets to collect all the metal remaining in the material.
The Epiroc SC 6200 steel cutter
Steel material goes to the scrapyard where it is cut into smaller pieces or pressed to form bales that fit the crusher. Steel shears, magnets and grapples are typical attachments for these applications.

Cars, ships, trains and planes

Hydraulic attachment tools can be utilized for other recycling applications and some of them offer a very big market for attachments. One of the biggest business areas is recycling of cars, trucks and other vehicles. Before crushing and melting to produce new steel bars and other raw materials they need several pre-processing steps and hydraulic attachment tools are perfect tools for these. During loading and transportation to the scrapyard, grapples and magnets are used. At the terminal the size of the scrap is reduced by steel shears and finally it is fed to the crusher with a grapple or magnet.
The Epiroc SC 6200 steel cutter
Another big target group for steel recycling is trains, ships and planes. There are a lot of regulations and restrictions for recycling these due to the large amounts of hazardous materials and the high value of the raw materials they contain. These giants consist of various different materials and that makes the demolition and recycling process difficult. Hydraulic shears are perfect tools for this job as they can cut most of the steel structures and they reduce the risk of fire when there are flammable materials and liquids in a vessel.


Techniques and methods

1. Sorting and separation:

The initial step in recycling is the sorting and separation of different materials. This can be done manually or using automated systems. Materials are separated based on their composition, such as paper, plastic, glass, metal, or organic waste.

 

2. Mechanical recycling:

Mechanical recycling is a widely used technique that involves processing recyclable materials through mechanical means. This typically includes shredding, grinding, or melting the materials to create raw materials or products.

 

3. Upcycling:

Upcycling is a method of recycling that involves transforming waste materials into products of higher value or quality. Instead of breaking down materials, upcycling repurposes them creatively to give them a new life and functionality.

 

It's important to note that the specific techniques and methods used in recycling depend on the type of materials being recycled and the available infrastructure and technology. The goal is to recover valuable resources, reduce waste, conserve energy, and minimize the environmental impact of waste disposal.

 


Safety first

When it comes to recycling, it's essential to prioritize safety to protect workers, the environment, and the community.

 

We provide our safety and operations information as .PDF from DocMine!


Environmental stewardship

Environmental stewardship is crucial in the field of recycling to minimize the impact of waste management on the environment and promote sustainability.

Excavator attachments in action
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