Patent ID: 8459581

Claim:
A system for processing and sorting a municipal solid waste stream, the system comprising: a processing sub-system configured to receive a municipal solid waste stream and to remove the non-processable waste; a processing apparatus configured and disposed to receive constituents of the municipal solid waste stream from the processing sub-system and reduce the size of the constituents of the waste stream to an average particle size of less than about ¾ inch; a first separator configured and disposed to receive the constituents of the waste stream from the processing apparatus and to separate and remove waste constituents of a first type having a bulk density greater than about 15 lb/ft 3 ; a second separator configured and disposed to receive the constituents of the waste stream having a bulk density less than about 15 lb/ft 3 from the first separator and to separate and remove waste constituents of a second type having a bulk density greater than about 4 lb/ft 3 from waste constituents of a third type having a bulk density less than about 4 lb/ft 3 ; and a mixer configured and disposed to combine the waste constituents of the first type, the waste constituents of the third type, and an additive in a predetermined ratio to form an intermediate material.