Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp. Upgrades MRF

Van Dyk Baler will design and install new system.


The Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp. (RIRRC), Johnston, R.I., has awarded a contract to upgrade its existing dual stream recycling material recovery facility (MRF) to a Bollegraaf 50 tons-per-hour single stream system. Van Dyk Baler, Stamford, Conn., is responsible for the design, project management, installation and start-up of RIRRC’s new system. Van Dyk says the new system will be one of the largest municipal-owned MRFs in North America and is being designed to process all of the recyclables collected in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island’s decision to switch to single stream collection goes along with the RIRRC expecting to realize a 20-40 percent increase in its recycling program participation.

The new system incorporates TITECH optical sorting which, Van Dyk says, nearly automates the entire sorting of all containers in the stream. With the ability to take 160,000 measurements per second, 4 TITECH’s will be sorting out small mixed paper, PET, aseptic, PE natural, PE colored and 3-7’s automatically from the recyclables being processed.

Rhode Island’s MRF also features a vacuum-operated system designed to collect film and plastic bags with minimal handling by personnel. A Bollegraaf Drumfeeder also is included to improve material feeding and place a uniform amount of incoming material on the feed conveyors. The system will have the ability to recycle aseptic packaging.

All materials will be baled by the existing Bollegraaf 140 Baler and a new Bollegraaf 120 Baler will be installed for baling of all the plastic grades, ferrous and aluminum.