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COST EVALUATION OF AUTOMATED AND MANUAL POST- CONSUMER PLASTIC BOTTLE SORTING SYSTEMS
Citation:
Burgiel, J., W. Butcher, R. Halpern, D. Oliver, P. Tangora, AND R. W. Beck. COST EVALUATION OF AUTOMATED AND MANUAL POST- CONSUMER PLASTIC BOTTLE SORTING SYSTEMS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/R-94/165 (NTIS 95-178364), 1994.
Impact/Purpose:
publish information
Description:
This project evaluates, on the basis of performance and cost, two Automated BottleSort® sorting systems for post-consumer commingled plastic containers developed by Magnetic Separation Systems. This study compares the costs to sort mixed bales of post-consumer plastic at these two facilities with similar costs developed from a study at a manual sorting facility. Three months of historical operating data was provided by each facility. This data, along with data obtained from three-day site visits to each facility, provided the basis for the economic analysis and comparison among the three facilities. Analysis of product output quality, also obtained at each facility during the site visits, was the basis for the system performance analyses. The quality of the materials produced at each facility was similar. The market into which the plastic is being sold determines the specifications for purchase; each facility provided sufficient sorting to meet such requirements. Both facilities utilizing the automated sorting systems produced material at lower costs than the manual sorting facility, based on overall sorting costs per pound of material generated for sale.