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  Target: to recycle 40% of household waste by 2005  |
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Target: to recycle 40% of household waste by 2005 |
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| Source : An Introduction to Household Waste Management -
ETSU for the DTI. March 1998. A Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) is a specialised plant which separates, processes and stores recyclables which have been collected either separately from waste (a 'clean' MRF) or co-mingled with it (a 'dirty' MRF). Recycled materials are then sent to the materials processor and any residual material not suitable for processing goes on for disposal. In future limits on the amount of raw organic matter going to landfill may require the residual to be incinerated with energy recovery or composted before disposal. MRFs are important to achieving higher levels of recycling as this is dependent on sorting material to make sure it is of a high enough quality such that it will have a ready market and a net environmental gain. The sorting of materials is done by a combination of hand picking and automatic sieving, screening the use of magnets and electric fields to remove the metals. MRFs are usually housed in large warehouse-type buildings and need to be located so as to optimise collection and minimise transport. Like other waste facilities, MRFs are not always easy to site as they do require good road access and do lead to an increase in local traffic. Arrangements for providing MRFs are important, as too is setting defined input and output quality standards. Often economies of scale can be achieved by waste collection and waste disposal authorities working together on a regional initiative. |
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