Over the past 30 years everyone in the waste and recycling sector worldwide at some point discusses the ‘problem of trommel fines’. In every different country worldwide that MacMachinery has installed recycling equipment, one can list this topic as one of the first to be discussed. In truth Trommel fines are not a problem. You may say why, that cannot be you are talking out the other side of your body for sure. There are so many variables and factors that can lead to trommel fines not being accepted at your local landfill or inert depot.
What are the variable factors?
- What type of waste is it, density, moisture and characterization….
- How was it delivered to the treatment facility
- Did we shred it, grab it or use a bag opener to size the material?
- What diameter of trommel and type of trommel did we use in the pre-screening or did we use a vibrating screen or flip flow screen?
- What aperture or hole size did we use first, that is did we go small holes and the large holes next. This believe it or not, makes a big difference to recovery and how contaminated your trommel fines are and the other materials.
- Did the designer of the waste system use different screens correctly in sizing the material for presenting it to the air separation unit, Near infra-red machine, optical sorter or wind sifter?
There are indeed many other factors in particular was the line correctly designed in terms of mass balance and line balancing that there are no parts of the waste system that can cause materials to go the wrong line direction. Is the equipment overloaded and did the engineer simulate the recycling plant to ensure there will be no bottlenecks in the recycling system.
In any case there is a waste system solution available to ensure all of your trommel fines can be recovered, diverted from landfill and reduce the business disposal costs.