Material processing plays a crucial role in municipal solid waste management. Effective energy recovery, treatment, and recycling of solid waste requires consistent processes backed by efficient and economic sorting and screening solutions.
While great strides have been made in waste processing and recycling over the decades, there are still many challenges. One of the most clearly defined challenges in waste processing is cost.
High Costs of Waste Processing
According to the World Bank, financing for waste management is a hurdle for many municipalities, with waste management costs accounting for 4% to 10% of many budgets. This is an even bigger problem for developing countries.
On average, waste management accounts for 20% of the municipal budget for low-income countries. This cost can climb even higher when implementing full-scale recovery and recycling measures. But cost alone isn’t the only challenge waste processing faces. The growing volume of waste is yet another hurdle.
Increased Solid Waste Volume
Worldwide, over 2 billion tonnes of waste are generated annually. With rapid urbanization, population increases, and economic growth, this amount is predicted to expand by 70% over the next three decades. This spike in waste generation will be felt across both developing and developed countries. Increases in waste are leading to a need for more efficient processing strategies and technologies. Part of this challenge is developing equipment with improved capabilities, particularly in ways that are economically sound.
Outdated Waste Processing Technologies and Solutions
Many waste recovery facilities continue relying on dated and inefficient solutions. One of the main reasons behind this, of course, is the available budget. However, ineffective recycling and waste reduction processes can lead to larger, more costly issues down the road. This is especially true when continued reliance on the use of outdated technologies leads to larger ecological problems.
The Benefits of Better Waste Management
Well-defined, effective waste processing and management has many benefits. Better processing can have hugely beneficial impacts on the environment through methane reductions, smaller landfill footprints, and cleaner energy production from recovery to name only a few.
Additionally, better processing can have financial benefits. Higher recovery yields and lower long-term operating costs are possible through the deployment of better processes and technology. Together, these are only a few of the ways municipalities and facilities can see a larger return on their investment.
AEI’s Waste Processing Solution
The benefits of effective waste processing are clear – as are the challenges faced within the waste management industry. Increasing waste stream volumes lead to heavier demands and result in a need for efficient, cost-effective solutions. To meet these demands, AEI has developed The Freedom Disc Screen.
The Freedom Disc Screen features an anti-clogging and anti-wrapping HARDOX disc screening system that replaces inefficient trommels. It can handle demanding screening applications, including high-capacity processing of difficult materials such as municipal waste, plastics, metals, and compost. Additionally, the Freedom Disc Screens’ robust construction and HARDOX discs provide superior wear in a small footprint.
Contact us online or call to speak to a sales rep by phone at 717-656-2131. Request a quote today to learn more about the Freedom Disc Screen’s capabilities for your operation.
