WM Recycle America, LLC, Houston, has announced it is investing in equipment to allow the company to operate a single-stream collection program in Houston. The company began installation in June, and expects the system to be operational by the end of this year.
According to Waste Management, the system includes several screens to separate the mixed recyclables into ONP (old newspapers), mixed paper, plastic containers and glass. The system also includes several optical near infrared sorters to automatically do final clean up and sorting of mixed paper, containers, PET, aseptic containers and mixed plastics.
The company’s Houston system also will include a "paper magnet" for removing small fiber and recyclable residue from the container stream and a "paper spike" that mechanically removes boxboard/chipboard from ONP. It will also include magnets and eddy currents and two large balers.
"Our commercial customers have already seen the benefits of our integrated recycling, and we believe our residential customers will, too," says Alan Stein, director of Recycling, WM South Texas. "The less work the customer has to do to get these materials to the curb really helps increase participation. Everyone is busy but wants to do their part in making our planet green. We are excited to help make this a reality by investing in this type of technology."
WM Recycle America Starts Work on Single-Stream Recycling Facility in Houston
Company expects the technology installed at the MRF will allow it to increase the amount of recyclables collected.