Quantification of the resource recovery potential of municipal solid waste incineration bottom ashes

Journal Article · Mon Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 2014 · Waste Management

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.WASMAN.2014.05.003· OSTI ID:22443591

Allegrini, Elisa ^[1]; Maresca, Alberto; Olsson, Mikael Emil ^[1]; Holtze, Maria Sommer ^[2]; Boldrin, Alessio; Astrup, Thomas Fruergaard ^[1]

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1. Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Building 115, 2800 Lyngby (Denmark)
2. Afatek Ltd., Selinevej 18, 2300 Copenhagen S (Denmark)

Highlights: • Ferrous and non-ferrous metals were quantified in MSWI bottom ashes. • Metal recovery system efficiencies for bottom ashes were estimated. • Total content of critical elements was determined in bottom ash samples. • Post-incineration recovery is not viable for most critical elements. - Abstract: Municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) plays an important role in many European waste management systems. However, increasing focus on resource criticality has raised concern regarding the possible loss of critical resources through MSWI. The primary form of solid output from waste incinerators is bottom ashes (BAs), which also have important resource potential. Based on a full-scale Danish recovery facility, detailed material and substance flow analyses (MFA and SFA) were carried out, in order to characterise the resource recovery potential of Danish BA: (i) based on historical and experimental data, all individual flows (representing different grain size fractions) within the recovery facility were quantified, (ii) the resource potential of ferrous (Fe) and non-ferrous (NFe) metals as well as rare earth elements (REE) was determined, (iii) recovery efficiencies were quantified for scrap metal and (iv) resource potential variability and recovery efficiencies were quantified based on a range of ashes from different incinerators. Recovery efficiencies for Fe and NFe reached 85% and 61%, respectively, with the resource potential of metals in BA before recovery being 7.2%ww for Fe and 2.2%ww for NFe. Considerable non-recovered resource potential was found in fine fraction (below 2 mm), where approximately 12% of the total NFe potential in the BA were left. REEs were detected in the ashes, but the levels were two or three orders of magnitude lower than typical ore concentrations. The lack of REE enrichment in BAs indicated that the post-incineration recovery of these resources may not be a likely option with current technology. Based on these results, it is recommended to focus on limiting REE-containing products in waste for incineration and improving pre-incineration sorting initiatives for these elements.

• OSTI ID: 22443591
• Journal Information: Waste Management, Journal Name: Waste Management Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 34; ISSN WAMAE2; ISSN 0956-053X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ASHES
COMBUSTION
EFFICIENCY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
IRON ALLOYS
MATERIALS RECOVERY
MUNICIPAL WASTES
RARE EARTHS
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
SCRAP METALS
SORTING
WASTE INCINERATORS