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CENTRALIZED MATERIALS RECOVERY <br />Alternatives <br />The technology of recovering materials at centralized processing facilites is <br />well established. Shredding, magnetic separation of metals, air classification <br />(using a blast of air to separate materials according to their weight) and <br />similar techniques have been successfully used for a number of years. This <br />technology can extract recyclable materials, process recyclables previously <br />separated at the source and reduce the total volume of waste. It can also be <br />adapted to produce refuse -derived fuel (RDF) for combustion or supplemental <br />material for co -composting. <br />Materials recovery has generally been considered only a process to be carried <br />out before waste combustion. Using it only to extract recyclables and/or <br />reduce the volume of waste has never received much attention, largely because <br />the savings were never comparable to its costs. Presently, very little is <br />being done to reduce waste volumes some waste compaction takes place at a few <br />of the region's transfer stations. <br />Priorities <br />Materials recovery at centralized facilities has good possibilities in the <br />Metropolitan Area, particularly if the technology is used with other processing <br />methods. As previously mentioned, similar equipment can be used to accomplish <br />a number of purposes. Centralized materials recovery can also serve as a <br />backup if source -separation approaches do not meet anticipated objectives. <br />The regional strategy must be able to respond to varying market needs for <br />recovered materials, while providing continuous processing services and trans- <br />porting waste efficiently throughout the region. The materials recovery <br />approach can be a final step in the recovery process, or serve as an important <br />intermediate step between source separation activities and final processing <br />destinations. Centrally located, intermediate facilities can improve overall <br />waste service flexibility and efficiency. Source -separated materials can be <br />processed at such facilities or waste can be simply transferred and/or pro- <br />cessed and sent to other locations. <br />WASTE COMBUSTION <br />Alternatives <br />Energy can be recovered from municipal solid waste. Waste can be either burned <br />in a furnace with heat recovery facilities or processed to make it a useful <br />fuel. Proven energy recovery technologies inclL a waterwall incineration and <br />RDr. Pyrolysis systems, alcohol production systems and anaerobic digestion <br />systems are in the research and development stages. <br />The main energy products that can be recovered from municipal solid waste are <br />solid fuel, steam and electricity. Revenues from disposal fees and the sale of <br />fuel and energy can defray the costs of energy recovery facilities. Generally, <br />the price for solid waste energy products competes with the price of energy <br />products derived from fossil fuels. Whether the revenue and fees received have <br />to compete with alternative methods of waste disposal is a question that must <br />be decided in each instance. <br />