In what has been called a seamless transition, the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp. (RIRRC) recently started up operations on its new single stream material recovery facility (MRF) in Johnston, R.I.
“We never stopped processing material from the day we started construction to the day we flipped the switch on our new single stream MRF,” stated Brian Dubis, MRF Operations Manager.
Dubis credits the cooperation of the RIRRC staff and the contractor for the new single stream MRF, VAN DYK Recycling Solutions, based in Stamford, Conn., with being able to process materials continuously throughout the construction process. VAN DYK dismantled 50 percent of the existing dual stream MRF and built a temporary container sorting line in a building adjacent to the current MRF. “We utilized the temporary system to sort and bale containers during the construction,” Dubis says. “Working as a team with VAN DYK, we were able to reroute the flow of fiber through the old plant and utilize our existing baler.” When the temporary container sorting system was up and running, VAN DYK dismantled the outdated mixed recyclables lines, gutted the area and tore up the old tipping floor. They built new pits, new push walls, and a new 14,000-square-foot tipping floor.
The new single stream MRF has a capacity of 50 tons per hour, necessitating the addition of a second Bollegraaf HBC 120 baler to bale the recovered containers and plastics. The old dual stream MRF processed 30 tons per hour of fiber and 20 tons per hour of mixed containers.
Rhode Island’s new MRF includes four TOMRA optical sorters, a Lubo ballistic separator, and an LDPE (low-density polyethylene) film vacuum system. The optical sorters allow the human sorters to function as quality control personnel rather than as primary sorters.
“The new MRF will have better recovery and better quality end products, thus assuring Rhode Island top dollar for their recycled products,” says Pieter Eenkema van Dijk, President of VAN DYK Recycling Solutions. In June 2012, the entire state of Rhode Island began implementing single stream recycling. RIRRC’s MRF processes all of the recyclables collected in the state’s residential recycling program, which serves more than 1 million people. “When RIRRC decided to implement single stream recycling, proposals were solicited through an RFQ/RFP competitive bidding process,” Dubis says. “VAN DYK Recycling Solutions was chosen based on their organization’s submission of a proposal that met or exceeded all of our requirements. VAN DYK’s proposal provided for a flexible system design that incorporated the proven reliability of Bollegraaf recycling equipment and the superior technology of the TOMRA optical sorters. Coupled with the support of VAN DYK’s top-notch service team, we knew we would have a world-class processing system,” Dubis adds.
VAN DYK Recycling Solutions exclusively represents Bollegraaf, TOMRA and Lubo In North America. The company is starting up a large 1000-ton-per-day container MRF serving all of New York City’s five boroughs as well as a new single stream MRF to process all of Toronto’s recyclables.
Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp. is the quasi-state environmental agency dedicated to providing the public with programs and facilities to manage waste. The agency helps fund and promote the state’s recycling program and owns and operates the MRF and central landfill in Johnston.