[GreenYes] RE: Know Recycling Technologies for special and hazardous materials in MSW?

["Reindl, John" <Reindl@co.dane.wi.us>]

Hi Gary and Neil ~

I am not sure what level of detail you are looking for on these questions.
Here in Wisconsin, we have an active set of recovery markets for lubricating
oils, automotive batteries, tires and fluorescent lamps. 

In general, the oil gets recycled into a fuel source, although some is
recycled back into lubricating oil, the auto battery industry has a
well-established national system for recovering the lead and, in some cases
the casings, the tires are either retreaded or shredded and the metal belts
and beads are removed prior to the tires being burned for energy recovery,
while the fluorescent lamp recycling industry recovers the mercury, the
glass and the aluminum end pieces of the lamps.

One thing to be aware of for fluorescent lamp recycling. During the use of
the lamps, some of the mercury is absorbed into the glass. If the glass is
then recycled in a process that involves melting (such as making fiberglass
insulation), the mercury can be released into the atmosphere, so mercury
control equipment might be called for at the melting facility. There is both
an industry association report and a report by the University of
Wisconsin-Madison detailing the adsorption of mercury by the lamp glass, if
people would like more information.

John Reindl, Recycling Manager
Dane County, WI 

> Apologies for Cross-Postings
> 
> At 05:14 PM 06/19/02 -0400, Neil Tangri <ntangri@essential.org> wrote:
> >Do you know...effective re-use or recycling methods for the [following]
> >waste streams:
> >
> >1. lubricating oils
> >2. automotive batteries
> >3. other electric batteries
> >4. persistent organic and bioaccumulative compounds
> >5. solvents
> >6. rubber
> >7. fluorescent and mercury vapor lamps
> >8. tires
> >9. chlorinated paper
> >10. chlorinated plastics
> >11. pesticides, herbicides & fungicides
> >12. wastes containing heavy metals
> >13. brominated materials.
> >
> >[Please]...suggest non-destruction alternatives for any of these.
> 
> 
> Mariana Boy  Toxics Campaigner
>  >Greenpeace Mexico Andalucía 218, col. Álamos, CP 03400 Tels: (52)
>  >8590-5644, 8590-5645, 5590-6868, 5590-8350, 5590-9474 Email:
>  >mariana.boy.tamborrell@mx.greenpeace.org Visit our website
>  >www.greenpeace.org.mx
> 
> 
> Gary Liss
> 916-652-7850
> Fax: 916-652-0485
> 
******************************************
To post to the greenyes list,
email to: greenyes@grrn.org

subscription, faq and netiquette info for
this list are available here:
http://greenyes.grrn.org/
Please be sure to read the faq and netiquette
pages before posting.
******************************************