MATERIAL RECOVERY FACILITY (MRF)

We operate a so-called Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Sherishtë to prepare the recyclable materials for recycling. At this facility, two streams of waste are treated:

• • • Mixed waste from all other areas in Vlorё and Selenicё Municipalities
    • Source segregated and separately collected waste from the pilot area in Vlorё City
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The treatment of mixed waste is an interim solution until the separate collection of recyclables will be implemented in the entire Waste Zone. The quality and quantity of recyclables sorted out from the mixed waste streams is low due to contamination of recyclables with other waste fractions.

If collected separately, the recyclable materials have a higher value and can be transformed into qualitative secondary raw materials. By using these secondary raw materials, more goods similar to those recycled can be produced and natural resources can be protected. Therefore, the Albanian and EU regulations require the separate collection of recyclable materials.

At the MRF, various technologies will be used to sort out recyclable materials into various fractions.

• • • after receiving the waste, the bulky materials and impurities that may hinder the further process are sorted out.
    • a bag opener opens the bags and loosen the waste for the next step
    • a trommel screen separates the waste into two fractions
    • from the undersize and oversize fractions, metals are sorted out by a magnet separator
    • from the oversize fraction, the valuable materials sorted out manually on a sorting band
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Following this sorting process, the recyclable materials are prepared for further transport to recycling industry, while the residuals are delivered to the nearby landfill.