Shanks Waste Management Ltd. has chosen Machinex Industries Inc. to provide the sorting equipment for residual waste and recyclables at its new residual waste treatment facility in South Kirkby, U.K. The Machinex custom made sorting systems are due to be completed in 2015.

When completed, the Shanks facility will process up to 230,000 metric tons per year of residual waste from homes in the Wakefield District. In this project, Machinex will design, manufacture and install two state-of-the-art sorting systems.

The first system is a mixed dry recyclables (MDR) sorting plant that will segregate and process around 36,000 metric tons of plastic, glass, metal containers, paper and old corrugated containers (19 metric tons per hour) per year. Machinex notes that the system will allow for a purity rate of 95 percent. The equipment to be installed will include Machinex screens, optical sorting and a glass clean up system, an air capture system for plastic film, ferrous magnets and non ferrous eddy-current.

Machinex’s second system from Machinex will segregate a variety of materials from residual waste at 30 metric tons per hour. The main goal of this system is to obtain a final fraction that meets the standards to produce refuse derived fuel (RDF). The priority is to remove RDF contaminants by maximizing organics recovery and ferrous and non-ferrous metals recovery. The organic fraction will be segregated from other waste by a trommel and then be treated using an autoclave before it is sent to an anaerobic digestion plant.

Ferrous, nonferrous metals, plastic film, paper and plastics will be sorted by a combination of air treatment systems, ballistic separators, optical units, magnets, eddy currents and other sorting equipment. The proposed solution allows flexibility, Machinex says; the plant operator can select the most appropriate recyclables to be recovered according to market values and the desired calorific value of the RDF generated.

Pierre Paré, CEO of Machinex Group, says: “It is an honor to have been selected and we are more than happy to work with Shanks Waste Management on this innovative waste treatment facility. This is a great opportunity for Machinex, in the UK market, to showcase our custom design capability.”

Commenting on the development Shanks’ U.K. Managing Director Ian Goodfellow, says, “We selected Machinex as we knew they could meet our expectations since having demonstrated their expertise and professionalism in other projects.”

Bulk Handling Systems (BHS), Eugene, Ore., has hired Eric Olson (right) as its new parts and service manager. In his position, Olson will manage the company’s priority support team and coordinate with all departments to ensure the company’s customers have everything needed to keep their systems running at consistently high levels.

The priority support team handles parts, service, preventative maintenance, performance metrics, equipment audits and training.

Over the past decade, Olson has worked for Kärcher North America in a number of management roles, most recently as product manager. He has extensive experience with international sales and customer support teams, overseeing technical and process-related problem solving, as well as overseeing product development, launch and lifecycle planning.

“BHS is fortunate to have acquired someone with Eric’s qualifications and track record. He has a broad range of knowledge and expertise that will help him quickly take BHS’ already excellent service department to another level,” says Chris McGinnis, BHS’ COO. “We’re very excited to welcome him to our team.”

“I am very pleased to join BHS and welcome the opportunity to further enhance the Priority Support department,” Olson said. “BHS not only leads the industry because of technological foresight and systems expertise but also because we provide best-in-industry customer support.”

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has reported that residents of the state turned in more than 43 million pounds (21,500 tons) of electronics to computer manufacturers for recycling in 2012. The TCEQ says that in addition to recycling covered computer equipment, many computer manufacturers also voluntarily collect televisions and other electronics for recycling.

The TCEQ allows computer manufacturers to report as collected electronics other than computer equipment covered under the program.

Currently, 90 manufacturers representing 133 brands are participating in the TCEQ computer recycling program. As part of the program, computer manufacturers collected more than 24 million pounds (12,000 tons) of covered computer equipment in 2012. Of that collected weight, more than 20 million pounds (10,000 tons) were recycled and 3.7 million pounds (1,850 tons) were reused. The 2012 number is higher than the amount reported for any other reporting year. The second highest year was 2010, when computer manufacturers collected for reuse or recycling a total of 19.5 million pounds (9,750 tons) of computer equipment.

In a news release, the TCEQ says it is currently working to implement a new program for the recycling of televisions, which will require television manufacturers that sell in Texas to collect and recycle such products.

More information about recycling computers in the state can be found at www.TexasRecyclesComputers.org and information on recycling television equipment is at www.TexasRecyclesTVs.org.

Recycled paperboard company Newark Group, Cranford, N.J., has appointed Paul Spitale vice president of sales for converted products. In the position Spitale will head up the sales activities of both Newark Paperboard Products and Newark Custom Paperboard.

Spitale previously was a senior vice president of sales with Sony Corp.

“We are very pleased to have Paul join The Newark Group,” says Jim Carbine, senior vice president of Newark Custom Paperboard. “His ability to build new territories and expand opportunities is vital to the growth of the company.”

“His previous experience will be extremely valuable to The Newark Group” says Mark Klein, senior vice president of Newark Paperboard Products. “Adding great talent like Paul will not only increase our pipeline, but will motivate and educate our sales staff.”