Recycling of construction and demolition waste via a mechanical sorting process

This paper assesses a construction and demonstration (C&D) waste recycling program in relation to technical, institutional, and economic considerations. The focus is primarily placed on a feasibility study for a new mechanical sorting process that was installed with several unit operations, including bar screening, trommel screening, air classifier, disk screening, and final manual sorting. Lab analyses, consisting of sieve analysis, LA abrasion test, friability test, organic content test, and fineness test, with respect to three types of product streams (A, B, and C) were conducted in accordance with selected physical and chemical properties. Findings clearly indicate that the reuse of fine particle generated in product stream A as construction materials in roadbed is highly recommended if the impurities can be removed beforehand. The product stream B could be suitable for reusing as the covering materials in daily operation of sanitary landfills. Yet it could also be used as backfill materials in the construction projects if the impurities can be removed in advance. Only does the LA abrasion test support the reuse of product stream C as coarse aggregate or pavement subbase for those new structures. Once the secondary materials market is stable and the institution settings are sufficient, it is worthwhile addressing that the associated cost-benefit analysis does confirm the economic potential for such a management practice. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.