Mechanical treatment to tear waste apart goes by words: granulate, pulverize, shred, grind, agitate, and crush. These processes can reduce the bulk volume of the waste by 60 percent or more. Waste can be moved through the processing facility with augers, conveyor belts, and other material handling systems.
Mechanical treatment does not kill pathogens or disinfect material, but waste treatment engineers employ it because it can reduce waste volume and increase the surface area in preparation of further treatment or disposal. Mechanical shattering or splintering of waste can also alter its appearance, which can be useful in lessening the psychological impact of the waste on human observers.
Industrial equipment used to break down solid pieces of waste can go by the names shredders, crushers, and milling machines. Mechanical systems can be an operational headache - moving things can go awry and frequent maintenance may be needed. Further, mashing or shredding of solid waste can generate dust. If this dust becomes airborne, it can be a workplace hazard and a threat to the environment. That’s why mechanical equipment is often kept in a closed room or under a hood, at slightly lower than ambient air pressure.
Many manufacturers make shredders of some type. Thompsons Register shows over 500 results for a search on "shredder". Some are intended for paper and cardboard, some for plastic, some for fabric. . including over 80 for "industrial shredders" purport to treat many You should look at the nature of your waste, and work with the manufacturer’s sales engineers to choose what is best for you. Plan for at least 50 percent downtime. In other words, if you have, say 2000 lb/day to treat, choose a shredder that can process 4000 lb/day. Inquire to the manufacturer about warranties and required maintenance. The cost for shredders varies widely from $3000 to $100,000 and more. For a typical processing facility, the cost is under $10K per shredder. Some facilities have a back-up shredder.
Mechanical crushing and deformation is a prime treatment of sharps waste. It also is used in treatment of fabrics.
| Advantages of shredding | Downsides of shredding |
|
Prevents the re-use of needles and
syringes Reduces bulk volume May make plastice more amenable to recycling Increased effectiveness of downstream chemical or thermal treatment |
Shredder can be damaged by large pieces of metal Waste is not disinfected Employees may be exposed to airborne pathogens from waste particulates Employees must be trained to operate shredder Equipment can be expensive |
After shredding it is common for the waste to be mixed with other material (cement or polymers) but doing so can increase the waste mass, so the engineer in charge should take a hard look at whether mixing waste with an outside agent is worth it.
