Sorting and classifying plant

Once the organic material (approx. 44 %), paper, cardboard and glass have been separated, the rest is mainly made up of packaging. The rapid development of the consumer society, the growing demands of consumers in food quality and goods and the development of sales strategies, in which presentation has become more important than the product itself have created the problem of a grownig amount of packaging waste.

Packaging has its own legislation, which includes the following recovery aims:
In 2001, value at least 50 % in weight and recycle at least 25 % of total packaging weight (Packaging Law 1997).

By 2006, recycle at least 20 % of each packaging material (National Waste Plan).

The Nostián Waste Treatment Plant has a packaging recovery section designed to meet legal requirements and capable of being adapted to any new objectives set by future chnages in the legislation.

Packaging undergoes the following process.
Reception and unloading.
Packaging and other waste arrive at the plant from containers and are placed on a concrete platform. Plant staff remove large items to sto pthem going onto the selection line.

Conveyor belt.
Material is placed on a conveyor belt and a first selection process removes metallic objects and large size packaging.

At the end of this selection collection bags are opened. Waste is spread out on the belt surface while bag remains are eliminated by a suction system and stored for compression.

Selection booth or triage.
Waste is then taken to the main selection booth, where recoverable waste is separated. The first step is manual -
Paper and cardboard is the first material separated.

Plastic is selected according to quality and colour (PVC, PET, PS, PEHD, PELD).

Glass the last to be taken out, bottles that have been mixed with other kinds of waste.

The next step is mechanical -
Tin is separated outside by magnets.

Aluminium and mixed is then separated by induction currents, and a manual process separates aluminium on mixed packaging.

Presses and warehouses
Different types of material are then taken to storage and from there to be compressed. There are three presses,
for paper, plastic and mixed waste

for aluminium packaging

for metallic packaging

The high density blocks obtained are stored until they are sent to professional recycling centres.