200 Ecology and Applied Environmental Science
materials on a conveyor belt. After that, the materials are picked up by the
corresponding industries for recycling. This method cannot succeed without an initial partial sorting at source. Manual sorting cannot be applied
to mixed wastes, that is, when they include a mixture of fermentable,
recyclable and other materials; it is also impossible to be applied to waste
that has been compressed in transfer stations.
10.3.9 residuals landfill
A complement of recycling is residuals landfill where what remains of
USW is carried for burial after the recyclable and organic fermentable substances have been removed. If this residual (5–20%) is biochemically inert,
its burial does not entail generation of significant quantities of liquid or
gaseous pollutants. Therefore residuals landfill has a small environmental
impact and can be socially accepted.
10.3.10 Special Solid waste Management
Recycling activities, in a wider sense, include management with material
recovery from special solid waste, such as batteries, electric appliances, old
cars, mineral oils, rubbers, catalytic converters etc. Their management is
mandatory according to recent European legislation. Special management
is also required for hospital solid waste as well as the sludge from biological
treatment of wastewater.
10.3.11 combination Possibilities
The various USW management methods can be combined only in certain
ways, while some combinations are not possible.
• Paper and plastics sorting at source and recycling diminish to a great
extent the burning possibilities of the remaining rubbish.
• USW grinding and compression in transfer stations exclude the possibility for subsequent manual sorting and recycling.
• Sorting at source followed by recycling with maximum materials
recovery, in combination with composting of the fermentable USW,
entails the burial or the incineration of only a small quantity of residuals (first priority scheme of European environmental policy).
• Sorting at source and recycling of certain materials (e.g. metals and
glass) facilitate the incineration of the remaining rubbish (second
priority scheme of European environmental policy).
• Application of fermentable USW domestic composting has a positive
result both for the option of maximum materials recovery and for the
option of incineration.
materials on a conveyor belt. After that, the materials are picked up by the
corresponding industries for recycling. This method cannot succeed without an initial partial sorting at source. Manual sorting cannot be applied
to mixed wastes, that is, when they include a mixture of fermentable,
recyclable and other materials; it is also impossible to be applied to waste
that has been compressed in transfer stations.
10.3.9 residuals landfill
A complement of recycling is residuals landfill where what remains of
USW is carried for burial after the recyclable and organic fermentable substances have been removed. If this residual (5–20%) is biochemically inert,
its burial does not entail generation of significant quantities of liquid or
gaseous pollutants. Therefore residuals landfill has a small environmental
impact and can be socially accepted.
10.3.10 Special Solid waste Management
Recycling activities, in a wider sense, include management with material
recovery from special solid waste, such as batteries, electric appliances, old
cars, mineral oils, rubbers, catalytic converters etc. Their management is
mandatory according to recent European legislation. Special management
is also required for hospital solid waste as well as the sludge from biological
treatment of wastewater.
10.3.11 combination Possibilities
The various USW management methods can be combined only in certain
ways, while some combinations are not possible.
• Paper and plastics sorting at source and recycling diminish to a great
extent the burning possibilities of the remaining rubbish.
• USW grinding and compression in transfer stations exclude the possibility for subsequent manual sorting and recycling.
• Sorting at source followed by recycling with maximum materials
recovery, in combination with composting of the fermentable USW,
entails the burial or the incineration of only a small quantity of residuals (first priority scheme of European environmental policy).
• Sorting at source and recycling of certain materials (e.g. metals and
glass) facilitate the incineration of the remaining rubbish (second
priority scheme of European environmental policy).
• Application of fermentable USW domestic composting has a positive
result both for the option of maximum materials recovery and for the
option of incineration.