Providing recycling solutions for the midlands - MATER IALS R ECOVERY FAC I LITY www.veolia.co.uk/birmingham

MATE R I A LS R E COV E RY FAC I L I T Y

providing recycling solutions
for the midlands
www.veolia.co.uk/birmingham

four ashes MRF
                          Our skills, resources and market knowledge are the driving
                          force behind the construction of our new Materials Recovery
                          Facility at Four Ashes in the West Midlands. One of the most
                          technologically-advanced facilities in the area, the Four Ashes
                          MRF occupies an ideal location just one mile from junction 12
                          of the M6, within easy reach of the national road network.

                          The MRF has been designed to handle up to 40,000 tonnes of
                          co-mingled steel and aluminium cans, plastic bottles and glass
                          bottles and jars every year. Co-mingled collections simplify
                          recycling for residents and improve participation rates.
                          The ability to accept glass, which represents around 9% of the
                          municipal waste stream, can also significantly increase local
                          authorities’ recycling performance.

                          In addition, Four Ashes MRF can accept up to 9,000 tonnes of
                          paper and cardboard for baling and onward transport, making
                          it the logical destination for materials from local authority
                          kerbside collections in the surrounding area, or from
                          commercial premises.

                          For more information on our services, please contact:

                          +44(0)121 680 2000
                          sales.birmingham@veolia.co.uk

R E C O V E R Y   R E C Y C L I N G                         R E S U L T S

meeting the
      recycling
    challenge

Recycling is on the increase across the UK thanks to stringent legislation, public
support, the growing costs of waste disposal and the resulting expansion of
recycling collection systems. As the leading provider of waste management
solutions, it is Veolia Environmental Services’ business to anticipate rising
demand for sustainable, integrated recycling services and to provide the
infrastructure required to meet the evolving needs of millions of residents.

With the backing and resources of an international environmental services
company, we are ideally positioned to handle the complexities of the recycling
and reprocessing market. We have an unrivalled track record of developing and
operating advanced recycling and recovery facilities, designed to meet demand
now and in the future. Every new facility is constructed to suit local
requirements, using the latest technology to provide solutions capable of
recovering an increasing variety of high quality recyclable materials.

C O M M U N I T Y              R E C Y C L I N G             E X P E R T I S E

cutting edge
                                                  materials recovery
The recovery process at the Four Ashes Materials Recovery Facility is automated wherever possible employing the latest technology to
efficiently recover materials of the highest quality, ready to be passed on to reprocessors.

Reception                                                              Glass

Mixed recyclables are delivered into the MRF reception area            Bottles and jars are broken and screened out from the plastic
and then transferred into a loading hopper, which delivers a           bottles and cans at an early stage, to produce a glass cullet.
steady stream of materials to a trommel screen. Any unsuitable         A glass crusher is employed to ensure that even necks and
material or large items are removed from the material stream           bases of glass bottles are recovered.
immediately. The trommel - 10m long and 2.5m wide - rotates
                                                                       Cans
at 12 revs per minute, sequentially separating out glass,
containers and oversize materials.                                     Ferrous metals are extracted by an overband magnet and
                                                                       deposited in a bunker ready for baling. Aluminium is removed
Plastic bottles
                                                                       by an eddy current separator.
Plastics are initially separated from co-mingled materials by an
                                                                       Paper and card
autosort, which shines an infrared light onto the conveyor belt.
The computer senses the near-infrared wavelengths in the               Veolia Environmental Services can accept paper and card
reflected light and is able to differentiate between the plastics      for baling and onward transport at the same location.
and other materials. To maximise recovery, a manual sort               Transport costs are reduced by collecting the materials on
subsequently further separates the plastic streams.                    split-bodied vehicles, providing economies of scale for
                                                                       separately collected paper and card.

                                                                       Baler feed

                                                                       Material is transferred to the baler feed conveyor, which
                                                                       runs through the centre of the plant, connecting the storage
                                                                       bunkers and feeding the balers in an even flow.
                                                                       Separated material is compacted into bales, which are then
                                                                       wire-wrapped and stored in a loading area ready for
                                                                       transportation to reprocessors.

T E C H N O L O G Y                         S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y                            C O L L E C T I O N S

recovering
     value from
                                                                 waste
Veolia Environmental Services constantly supplies a network of local,
national and international reprocessors through its recycling and recovery activities.
Regular and stringent assessment of the integrity and quality of the product helps to maximise
the efficiency of our operation and ensures our customers’ recyclates find a safe, reputable end market.

Health and Safety                                                    Local solutions, international expertise
Automated operations at the Four Ashes MRF are managed               Veolia Environmental Services combines local knowledge with
from a control cabin, where an advanced software package             innovative research from our global contacts to develop
regulates speed and monitors performance.                            pioneering facilities, appropriate to the needs of the
This system improves health and safety performance by                communities in which we operate. We are an established
limiting the need for manual intervention. In addition,              employer in the West Midlands, where we are well known for
the facility’s specifications include stringent measures to          our industry know-how and efficient, cost effective services.
create a safe and hygienic work environment, including noise         The Four Ashes MRF fulfils a vital role for the area, using state
attenuation, air conditioning and dust extraction.                   of the art technology to provide a high quality, convenient and
                                                                     cost effective solution for local authorities and commercial
                                                                     operations alike.
Working with the community
Our excellent location, close to the motorway network but
away from major residential areas, inherently minimises any
impact on our immediate neighbours.
However, Veolia Environmental Services works hard to
maintain links within the community and the facility’s
educational value remains of prime importance to all involved
in its construction. The MRF was designed and constructed
to be accessible to all sectors of the community, facilitating          For more information on our services, please contact:
educational tours and visits for environmental groups,
the media and our customers and encouraging interest                    +44(0)121 680 2000
in the latest recycling technologies.                                   sales.birmingham@veolia.co.uk

 E N V I R O N M E N T A L                                    S O L U T I O N S                      R E C O V E R Y

Veolia ES Birmingham Limited
James Road
Tyseley
Birmingham
B11 2BA
Tel: +44(0)121 680 2000
Fax: +44(0)121 680 2051
sales.birmingham@veolia.co.uk

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