High Value Fractions for Maximum Returns
Typically from LED’s there are the aluminium, ferrous, non ferrous & plastic outputs and as these types of lights develop the use of glass is increasing. However due to the design of the LED1000 the quality of these output fractions can be tailored to produce higher value fractions.
Additionally, the Balcan LED1000 lamp recycling can post process end caps and e-bases from the Balcan MP range of lamp recyclers. Post processing it is not limited to Balcan recyclers as it will post process outputs from any other recycling system, all of which help return on investment.
The Outputs
Nonferrous high content aluminium
This stream is most valuable of it is free from contamination and can be easily re-used by smelting. Also with the aluminium already being first stage processed it further requires less energy for recycling.
Plastic
Plastics are mixed with various grades so are difficult to recycle. Also there is very poor information to see if any of these plastics contain POPs. Therefore Balcan has decided that it will route this out turn to energy to ensure that any undeclared POPs are removed from the recycled waste stream.
Ferrous
This stream not only contains metals such as steel, brass but also high-quality copper, transformers and circuit boards that again have been pre-treated so the next stage requires less energy. Copper will be separated out and circuit boards will go onto a smelter. Though due to the nature these products are small they are still recyclable is sent to an appropriate facility. There is a small proportion of non- ferrous material which again will be separated out and sent for further processing.
Non Ferrous/Ferrous Mix
Due to the nature of some of the out turn then there is a mix of ferrous and nonferrous, this is caused by the separation selecting the dominating source and pulling out the sub one with it. However this stream is collected separately and sent to the relevant market where it can have more treatment to split the product.
Screened Fines
This is the small and tricky bits from the process. This is all still high valued out turn and will be moved onto a specialist recycler who has the bespoke equipment to deal with this. In this out turn there is small wire, aluminium shards, cooper fines etc. These are still required to be recycled.
With Balcan being one of the UK’s largest lamp recyclers, we have found outlets for all our outputs producing a recycling rate for LED >90% .