Ferrous Processing Facility

The Ferrous Processing Facility processes ferrous metals (such as "tin" cans) recovered at the Renewable Energy Facility and the landfill.

CFC (freon) containing white goods recovered from the Class 3 landfill are inspected prior to processing and any CFC's are removed.  The white goods are then crushed by hydraulic grapples, loaded into trucks, and hauled off-site for further processing.

The mixed ferrous material from the Renewable Energy Facility is size-reduced by a vertical shredder, and passed through an air classification system, which is coupled with magnets to separate the ferrous material from the non-ferrous tramp material.  The tramp material is returned to the Renewable Energy Facility to be processed into refuse derived fuel and burned to produce electricity. The compacted white goods and clean ferrous material are then taken by truck to a railroad spur at the north end of the SWA property.

The ferrous material is transported by railcar to manufacturers who melt it down to make new steel products.  The SWA recovers and sells more than 30,000 tons of ferrous metals per year.  The revenues, $1.2 million in 2004, are used to offset system costs.