New Baler to Boost Recycling Efficiency in Jersey

Capacity at St Helier Municipal Services’ recycling facility in Jersey is being expanded with an upgrade to its baling operation to include a new horizontal baler and feed conveyor from Glastonbury, UK based recycling equipment manufacturer, Middleton Engineering. The facility currently handles both commercial and residential waste, but according to Middleton, the new equipment will increase its flexibility to handle a wider range of waste streams while producing compact mill size bales to drive transportation efficiencies. St Helier Municipal Services is said to be responsible for the collection and processing of card and packaging waste from 70% of the parish of St Helier’s commercial properties. Together with residential recycling this accounts for one third of the population. Jersey has a zero landfill policy so any waste that is not recycled is incinerated at the Island’s waste to energy plant. However, the island has goal of removing as much recyclable material as possible prior to energy recovery, and these commodities are then baled and shipped off island for processing in France. However, while France is the island’s closest neighbour, transportation is the biggest expense. In addition to improved throughput, a key requirement of the facility is to produce high quality compact bales to ensure each container carries a maximum load, and at the same time to satisfy St Helier’s French recycling partner and the reprocessing mills. According to Middleton, its ME80 closed-end, semi-automatic, horizontal baler with a bespoke feed conveyor has provided the solution. Where previously the facility was only able to produce one bale per hour using a manually operated vertical baler, it is now said to be achieving three in the same time and clearing the commodity as it comes in. “Now that we are able to increase our processing ability and have confidence in the solution, we can focus on the business of promoting additional kerbside recycling and further support the Island’s recycling ambition,” commented Piers Tharme, facilities & resources manager for St Helier Municipal Services. Read More EA Minded to Permit 220,000 TPA SITA Solid Recovered Fuel Plant in Rugby, UK The UK’s Environment Agency has published its draft decision which said that it is minded to grant a permit for SITA's 220,000 tonne per year Solid Recovered Fuel facility in Rugby. Report: Global Municipal Solid Waste Market Revenues to Hit Nearly $300bn by 2020 The global MSW market will generate nearly $300 billion in revenue by 2020, while legislation is making integrated solutions increasingly attractive, according to a new report from market analysts, Frost & Sullivan. VIDEO: Research Progresses on Bioplastics from Pulp Waste in UK A research project led by Biome Bioplastics has demonstrated the feasibility of extracting organic chemicals from lignin found in pulp waste for the manufacture of bioplastics.