Review of Italian experience on automotive shredder residue characterization and management

Automotive Shredder Residue (ASR) is a special waste that can be classified as either hazardous or non hazardous depending on the amount of hazardous substances and on the features of leachate gathered from EN12457/2 test. However both the strict regulation concerning landfills and the EU targets related to End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) recovery and recycling rate to achieve by 2015 (Directive 2000/53/EC), will limit current landfilling practice and will impose an increased efficiency of ELVs valorization. The present paper considers ELVs context in Italy, taking into account ASRs physical–chemical features and current processing practice, focusing on the enhancement of secondary materials recovery. The application in waste-to-energy plants, cement kilns or metallurgical processes is also analyzed, with a particular attention to the possible connected environmental impacts. Pyrolysis and gasification are considered as emerging technologies although the only use of ASR is debatable; its mixing with other waste streams is gradually being applied in commercial processes. The environmental impacts of the processes are acceptable, but more supporting data are needed and the advantage over (co-)incineration remains to be proven.     

A mechanical pre-treatment process for the valorization of useful fractions from spent batteries

In this paper the authors propose a full-scale plant aimed to pre-treat spent batteries in order to obtain cleaned useful fractions (magnetic and non-magnetic metals, paper, plastic, a fine-sized material made of a metal-carbon mixture). The treating process was designed after having analyzed and tested a representative sample coming from the whole amount of spent batteries collected in 1 month by the public service in and around Turin. The analyses performed on the sample allowed the authors to determine its in-percentage composition in term of type of batteries: 60-70% b.w. (by weight) alkaline, 25-30% b.w. Zn-C and 5-10% b.w. other types. For each type, the composition in term of size (AAA or LR03; AA or LR6; C or LR14; D or LR20; 9 V or 6F22A; 4.5 V or 3R12A) has also been determined.The treatment for the recovery of secondary raw materials foresees the following phases:

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separation of useful types/sizes of exhaust batteries to undergo further treatments by means of a first sieving process;

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liberation of the single components taking advantage of a crushing operation;

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separation of a fine-sized material (to subject to pyro or hydro metallurgic recovery) from a coarse-sized material (to send to secondary smelt foundries and incinerators) by means of a second sieving phase.

On the basis of the results obtained from the crushing/sieving laboratory tests and the chemical characterization, a full-scale plant able to treat about 76,000 t/y of spent batteries has been designed. The cost analysis performed on the proposed treatment plant has given back a unit pre-treatment cost equal to 3€ per ton of processed spent batteries.     

Environmental–sanitary risk analysis procedure applied to artificial turf sports fields

Owing to the extensive use of artificial turfs worldwide, over the past 10 years there has been much discussion about the possible health and environmental problems originating from styrene-butadiene recycled rubber. In this paper, the authors performed a Tier 2 environmental–sanitary risk analysis on five artificial turf sports fields located in the city of Turin (Italy) with the aid of RISC4 software. Two receptors (adult player and child player) and three routes of exposure (direct contact with crumb rubber, contact with rainwater soaking the rubber mat, inhalation of dusts and gases from the artificial turf fields) were considered in the conceptual model. For all the fields and for all the routes, the cumulative carcinogenic risk proved to be lower than 10^?6 and the cumulative non-carcinogenic risk lower than 1. The outdoor inhalation of dusts and gases was the main route of exposure for both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic substances. The results given by the inhalation pathway were compared with those of a risk assessment carried out on citizens breathing gases and dusts from traffic emissions every day in Turin. For both classes of substances and for both receptors, the inhalation of atmospheric dusts and gases from vehicular traffic gave risk values of one order of magnitude higher than those due to playing soccer on an artificial field.     

The clinical impact of the first-trimester nuchal translucency between the 95th–99th percentiles

Objectives

To evaluate the clinical significance of nuchal translucency (NT) between the 95th–99th percentile in terms of typical and atypical chromosomal abnormalities (ACAs), associated fetal congenital defects and postnatal outcome.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of fetuses with NT between the 95th–99th percentile. Data regarding the rate of associated fetal defects, genetic abnormalities and postnatal outcome were collected.

Results

A total of 306 cases of fetuses with an NT between the 95th–99th percentiles were included. The overall rate of genetic abnormalities was 12.1% (37/306). Chromosomal abnormalities were found in 10.1% (31/306) of cases and 2% were ACA (6/306). Within this group, two were pathogenic Copy Number Variants (CNVs) and four were single gene disorders. The overall rate of fetal congenital defects was 13.7% (42/306). All ACAs were found in fetuses with congenital defects. Postnatally, a new diagnosis of a single gene disorder was made in 0.85% of cases (2/236).

Conclusions

The presence of an NT between the 95th–99th percentiles carries a 10-fold increased risk of fetal defects, representing an indication for referral for a detailed fetal anatomy evaluation. The risk of ACA is mainly related to the presence of fetal defects, irrespective of the combined test risk.     

Encapsulation of Nerol Oil in Polycaprolactone Polymer and Stability Evaluation

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - The objective of this study was to obtain and characterize Nerol essential oil encapsulated in PCL. The miniemulsion and solvent evaporation method was...     

Automobile Shredder Residues in Italy: characterization and valorization opportunities

At the moment Automobile Shredder Residue (ASR) is usually landfilled worldwide, but European draft Directive 2000/53/CE forces the development of alternative solutions, stating the 95%-wt recovery of an End of Life Vehicle (ELV) weight to be fulfilled by 2015. This work describes two industrial tests, each involving 250-300 t of ELVs, in which different pre-shredding operations were performed. The produced ASR materials underwent an extended characterization and some post-shredding processes, consisting of dimensional, magnetic, electrostatic and densimetric separation phases, were tested on laboratory scale, having as main purpose the enhancement of ASR recovery/recycling and the minimization of the landfilled fraction. The gathered results show that accurate depollution and dismantling operations are mandatory to obtain a high quality ASR material which may be recycled/recovered and partially landfilled according to the actual European Union regulations, with particular concern for Lower Heating Value (LHV), heavy metals content and Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) as critical parameters. Moreover post-shredding technical solutions foreseeing minimum economic and engineering efforts, therefore realizable in common European ELVs shredding plants, may lead to multi-purposed (material recovery and thermal valorization) opportunities for ASR reuse/recovery.     

Strategies for the enhancement of automobile shredder residues (ASRs) recycling: Results and cost assessment

With reference to the European regulation about the management of End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs), Directive 2000/53/EC imposes the achievement of a recycling target of 85%, and 95% of total recovery by 2015. Over the last few years many efforts have been made to find solutions to properly manage the waste coming from ELVs with the aim of complying with the targets fixed by the Directive.This paper focuses on the economical evaluation of a treatment process, that includes physical (size and density), magnetic and electrical separations, performed on the light fraction of the automobile shredder residue (ASR) with the aim of reducing the amount of waste to dispose of in a landfill and enhancing the recovery of valuable fractions as stated by the EU Directive. The afore mentioned process is able to enhance the recovery of ferrous and non-ferrous metals of an amount equal to about 1% b.w. (by weight) of the ELV weight, and to separate a high energetic-content product suitable for thermal valorization for an amount close to (but not higher than) 10% b.w. of the ELV weight.The results of the economical assessment led to annual operating costs of the treatment ranging from 300,000 €/y to 350,000 €/y. Since the considered plant treats about 13,500 metric tons of ASR per year, this would correspond to an operating cost of approximately 20–25 €/t. Taking into account the amount and the selling price of the scrap iron and of the non magnetic metal recovered by the process, thus leading to a gain of about 30 €/t per ton of light ASR treated, the cost of the recovery process is balanced by the profit from the selling of the recovered metals. On the other hand, the proposed treatment is able to achieve the fulfillment of the targets stated by Directive 2000/53/EC concerning thermal valorization and reduce the amount of waste generated from ELV shredding to landfill.     

Participatory approach, acceptability and transparency of waste management LCAs: case studies of Torino and Cuneo

The paper summarises the main results obtained from two extensive applications of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to the integrated municipal solid waste management systems of Torino and Cuneo Districts in northern Italy. Scenarios with substantial differences in terms of amount of waste, percentage of separate collection and options for the disposal of residual waste are used to discuss the credibility and acceptability of the LCA results, which are adversely affected by the large influence of methodological assumptions and the local socio-economic constraints. The use of site-specific data on full scale waste treatment facilities and the adoption of a participatory approach for the definition of the most sensible LCA assumptions are used to assist local public administrators and stakeholders showing them that LCA can be operational to waste management at local scale.     

A blue carotenoprotein from the marine sponge Suberites domuncula: Purification and properties

A blue carotenoprotein, extracted from the marine spongia Suberites domuncula has been purified. The apoprotein has a molecular weight of about 31,000; the chromophore is not astaxanthin but it is similar to a monohydroxy, mono-expoxycarotene. The amino acid composition of the protein is briefly discussed.