Patent ID: 8322639
Filing Date: 2012-12-04
Classification: B02C,B03B,B03C,B07B,Y02E,Y02W

Abstract:
1. A method for recovering recyclable materials from mixed solid waste stream, comprising: providing a mixed waste stream comprising at least one high value recyclable material selected from the group consisting of paper, plastic, and metal, wherein the mixed waste stream includes at least 20% by weight of low value material selected from the group consisting of wet organics, green waste, food waste, grit, fines less than 1 inch, asphalt, concrete, textiles, wood, rubber, film plastic, PVC, foil, rock, used consumer products, low value glass, composite materials, and combinations of these; fractionating the mixed waste stream by size using a size separator to produce an over sized stream and an under sized stream and introducing the over sized stream into the density separator to produce a plurality of intermediate waste streams, wherein a first intermediate waste stream is enriched in a 3-dimensional plastic and a 2-dimensional plastic and/or paper; conveying at least the first intermediate waste stream to a 2D/3D sorting apparatus and separating the 3-dimensional plastic from the 2-dimensional plastic and/or paper; recovering a recyclable 3-dimensional plastic product and a 2-dimensional plastic and/or paper product; and sensing an amount of the intermediate waste stream conveyed to the 2D/3D sorting apparatus and metering conveyance in response thereto.