CRT Recycling Receives Project Approval

Company plans to convert nonleaded cathode ray tube panel glass to construction material.

January 22, 2013
Recycling Today Staff

CRT Recycling Inc., located in Brockton, Mass., has received approval from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for “Beneficial Use Determination Activity,” which the company says is tantamount to approval of a project that will recycle non-leaded TV cathode ray tube (CRT) panels to a new product.

According to a release, the non-leaded CRT panels will be screened multiple times to assure the absence of lead, sorted, crushed, separated by particle size and ultimately used as a secondary material substitute for sand or stone aggregate. The material will then be used as a material to make cement.

CRT Recycling says that having received approval from the DEP, plans are now underway to begin the project. “We’ve been working on this project for more than two years, and are pleased that it has been thoroughly vetted and approved, says Peter Kopcych, president and CEO of CRT Recycling. “With this phase completed, we’re already preparing for the manufacturing process to begin.”

The company notes that replacing sand or stone aggregate with the recycled CRT panels reduces the need for using stabilizing additives to limit the expansion of concrete. Consequently, the amount of cement needed for a project can also be reduced by including as much as 20 percent of the crushed secondary material into the mixture.

Kopcych adds that in the DEP’s approval document, “The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection believes that improved waste management procedures and market development may facilitate higher uses for materials, and encourages CRTR to continuously evaluate its process to identify alternatives.”

UK Firm Receives Funding from VC Firm

Ultromex recovers metals from electronic and industrial waste products.

January 22, 2013
Recycling Today Staff

Electronics Legislation & Regulations

The U.K. firm Ultromex Lt d. has secured £550,000 (US$888,000) in funding from The North West Fund for Energy & Environmental, which is managed by CT Investment Partners, to help the company grow its business to extract metals from electronic scrap. To accomplish this, the company is building an 8,000 metric tons per year plant in Ellesmere Port, U.K.

Ultromex has developed a process to recover high-value metals from electronic and industrial waste products. The company, founded by Jonathan Quinn and Harry Middleton in 2011, aims to increase turnover to £10 million (US$15.9 million) by 2016.

The business works in partnership with global metal recycling and industrial businesses, helping them to recover metals more efficiently, while lowering energy use and emissions. To accomplish this, the company is currently commercializing processes to recover metals from printed circuit boards and lead from leaded glass.

The North West Fund for Energy & Environmental is part of The North West Fund, which is financed jointly by the European Regional Development Fund and the European Investment Bank.

Ultromex, based in Birkenhead, will use the funding to develop a process for recycling catalysts, industrial sludges and dross and residual mine tailings.

In a release, Quinn says, "Working with The North West Fund for Energy and Environmental will enable us to develop our technologies even further. Our products are focused on the specialized processes and refining segments of the market. They allow businesses to recover more metals at lower operating costs, while simultaneously increasing their energy efficiency and lowering their carbon emissions."

Adam Workman, a partner at CT Investment Partners and manager of The North West Fund for Energy & Environmental, notes, "Metal recycling is a worldwide industry with more than 400 million metric tons of metals worth £200 billion every year.

"Ultromex is a fantastic investment opportunity. The market for recycled metals has shown steady growth over the past 15 years and we expect this trend to continue further in the coming years."

SMM Reports Possible Inventory Fraud at UK Sites

Company says inventory figures may be off by around $60 million.

January 22, 2013
Recycling Today Staff

Legislation & Regulations

Sims Metal Management Ltd. has advised the market that it has identified that the carrying value of inventory at its U.K. business has been overstated. According to a Sims statement, the inventory in question is predominately associated with Sims Recycling Solutions locations in Long Marston and Newport.

The statement notes that the company believes the inventory adjustment to be around $60 million and relates to both changes in the assessment of the net realizable value of certain stock and to book-to-physical adjustments. The company’s preliminary findings indicate the situation has arisen in the context of control failures and potential fraudulent conduct by local and regional plant management responsible for technology and downstream processing systems in the U.K.

A special committee of Sims’ board has been formed to take responsibility for the investigation. The committee is headed by chairman Geoff Brunsdon. The committee also includes Gerald Morris, Jim Thompson, Heather Ridout and John DiLacqua.

The committee will also be responsible for understanding where the breakdowns in the company's control environment occurred, what initiatives will need to be taken to improve those controls, as well as overseeing the implementation of the recommendations it makes. The committee will also determine what action will be taken in relation to any employees or third parties determined to be responsible. The committee will have access to whatever external support it requires.

The Shredder Company Sells System in Australia

Texas equipment company says it is the tenth such system that it has sold.

January 22, 2013
Recycling Today Staff

Auto Shredding Equipment & Products Legislation & Regulations

The Shredder Company (TSC), based in Texas, has announced the sale of a 124 SXS Shredder System to privately owned Norstar Steel, headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. This shredder system will use an 8,000-horsepower motor system and a split ferrous separation system. It is scheduled to be delivered during the third quarter of 2013 and is expected to be operational by the fourth quarter of 2013.

A TSC 124 SXS shredder system installation in China

In a release, TSC says that the shredder is the tenth 124 SXS shredder system that it has sold. The company notes that the system follows the company’s standards for efficient casting consumption and ease of maintenance for the rotor and double-feed roll (DFR) systems.

The release notes that the Sailah family, which owns Norstar Steel, is a dynamic group which runs an extremely efficient scrap business. TSC says, “We believe (they) are some of the best in the business regarding total personnel in comparison to total tonnage collected, processed and shipped on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis."

The TSC shredder will replace an existing 3,000-horsepower shredder the company presently operates. In addition to the site where the shredder will be installed, Norstar Steel operates a number of feeder yards that will supply the shredder with the raw material.

According to TSC, the new shredder system is the next step in the growth of the Norstar group and it fits the model of processing and shipping all incoming scrap daily to maximize return on investment and daily cash flow at a lower total cost per ton and with fewer man hours.

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