Jackie Thompson
Metal waste processing appears on the face of it to be a straightforward process, but recent stories have shown that not to be the case, with the EPA issuing enforcement alerts concerning metal processors and VOCs. With CNBC now finding that metals form a large part of the dry waste problem, which stands at 38% of all waste in the USA, there has never been a more pressing time to find new solutions to the waste processing question. What’s more, the roles metal has to play in the sustainable future are varied and of considerable weight. Saving metals today will prevent exploitation tomorrow.
Sorting it Out
One of the main problems facing metal reprocessing is sorting. As The Balance SMB outlines, metals are not always easily sorted – while many of the larger materials, such as iron, steel and aluminium, are easily separated – many others aren’t. Most usually, heavy chemical processes are required to strip away rare elements like gold and silver. There are options in the mechanical world that could be used; in manufacturing, machines are adept at detecting metal thickness and density before conducting fine tool tasks such as embossing. Moving forwards and looking at the technological potential in long-term metal recovery will be essential in building process sustainability and making the entire processing chain truly green-friendly and sustainable.
Technological Change
One way of tackling that is by looking at metal recovery at the source. The process of extraction of metals is incredibly polluting, yet necessary in creating the tools of the future – the rare earth metals and other older elements, such as Lithium, are key tools in electric vehicles and smart energy generation. One startup featured by TechCrunch has found a way to scale up smart filtering to an industrial level. The idea here is that all of the ore and waste will be passed through filters that use electrolysis to remove every last particle containing a metal. This could ostensibly be scaled up further, to refining plants and urban waste collection, to ensure every last bit of metal is collected and put back to work.
Today’s Options
There may be a sustainable future for metals recycling even without smart tools to ensure that they are being split with maximum efficiency. Recycling Today reports that recycling demand from mid-developed countries, such as India, has stayed extremely high over the past year. This indicates a demand for metal, in any condition, for processing and collection and, ultimately, use. While the bulk exportation of these metals comes with some issues – the U-turn by China on their recycling initiatives springs to mind – there remains a good chance that the countries importing metal waste en masse will put it to good use and ensure that the metal is deployed in a sustainable fashion.
Look abroad, then, for the best chance of metals being properly used today. In the future, technology really does promise an end-to-end way to ensure that every last bit of metal is collected and put to good use.