Recycling of garbage

Technologies in recycling

Main article Technologies in waste recycling

Incinerators of Russia

Main article: Incinerators of Russia

Energy from Waste (W2E)

2019: Waste-to-Energy Report

• Waste to Energy Report 2019 PDF

2017: Energy from waste boom in China and Britain

Fertilizers from waste

2022: Ireland finds way to turn waste into organic fertiliser

The Munster University of Technology, with the support of the government Ireland , plans to implement a project to develop technology for the processing of urban wastewater and dairy waste into organic fertilizers for needs. agriculture countries

Within the framework of the project, it is planned to subject waste to thermal conversion, the resulting ash - to be added to the fields to stimulate the growth of crops and maintain soil health.

The project should begin in the spring of 2022 and last four years, after which the publication of its results is scheduled.^[1]

History of waste recycling

2024: The first complex in Russia for the processing of solid municipal waste of the full cycle was launched. 11.7 billion rubles invested in it

On April 19, 2024, the Moscow Region opened the largest plastic processing plant in Russia, EcoLine-Vtorplast, and an enterprise for the production of finished products from the EcoPlast secondary pellet of the EcoLine group. Investments in the project amounted to 11.7 billion rubles, of which 2.9 billion rubles - federal funding. Read more here.

2023

Waste recycling in Russia increased by 6.1% to 26 million tons

In 2023, 26 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) were processed in Russia. This is a 6.1% increase compared to the previous year, when the volume of processing was 24.5 million tons. This is stated in the materials of the Expert Consulting Center "InvestProekt," published on August 12, 2024.

The study says that garbage processing in Russia has been steadily increasing since 2020, when the figure was 18.7 million tons. In 2021, the volume of processing rose to 22.5 million tons, and in 2022 - to 24.5 million tons. At the same time, the share of recycled garbage is also growing: in 2023, compared to 2022, the value increased by 0.4%, and compared to 2021 - by 6.4%.

It is also noted that the volume of garbage began to increase in Russia. According to estimates, in 2023, 49.9 million tons of MSW were formed in the country, which is 3.3% more than in 2022 (48.3 million tons). In 2020 and 2021, 48.5 million tons and 48.4 million tons of garbage were formed in the Russian Federation, respectively. The MSW structure is as follows:

· Food waste - 20-50%;

· Waste paper - 9-26%;

· Polymer materials - 10-25%;

· Glass - 5-20%;

· Metals (ferrous and non-ferrous) - 2-6%.

The leaders in terms of garbage generation are the Moscow region, where 5.1 million tons of MSW were formed in 2023, and Moscow, where 3.8 million tons of waste were formed. About 56% of the garbage is sent for burial, 37% - for processing, 5% - for disposal and 2% - for disposal. In regional terms, the distribution of garbage generation is as follows:

· Central Federal District - 32% MSW;

· PFD - 17%;

· of the Northwestern Federal District - 12%;

· Southern Federal District - 12%;

· SSO - 10%;

· UFO - 7%;

· of the North Caucasus Federal District - 5%;

· Far Eastern Federal District - 5%.

The authors of the report say that solving the problem of waste disposal is one of the most pressing tasks, including at the federal level. The decrease in the share of MSW sent for burial from the total mass of MSW formation is the most important indicator within the framework of the implementation of the national project "Ecology."^[2]

Singapore scientists turn plastic into fuel and food

Researchers at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have developed a plastic recycling method that can turn waste, including electronics and packaging components, into hydrogen fuel, food preservation products and other useful substances. This became known on September 18, 2023.

The scientists' method is to break down carbon-carbon bonds using LEDs and a commercially available vanadium-based catalyst. According to the researchers, this method can be applied to 75% of the world's plastic waste.

Pros of the method:

• A wide range of applications. The method is capable of recycling up to 75% of all types of plastic waste. This is particularly important for polycarbonates and other category seven plastics, which are rarely recycled due to concerns about the release of harmful chemicals.
• Environmental safety. The process does not involve the release of toxic or harmful chemicals, making it environmentally friendly and reducing the risk of pollution.
• Cost-effectiveness. The cost of creating a laboratory installation for the method is about $21, making the project not only available for scientific research, but also potentially beneficial for industrial scaling.

The most expensive components were 9 computer fans attached to radiators above the quartz coil, which contained a mixture of plastic, catalyst and solutions.

• Productivity. The method provides high processing efficiency by converting plastic into carboxylic acids with "good yields." Acids can be used in various industrial processes, increasing the economic benefit.
• Multifunctionality of by-products. The formic and benzoic acids produced in the process can be used in fuel cells, liquid organic hydrogen carriers, and even in food, making the process even more advantageous.
• Solution to the hydrogen storage problem. The liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) produced in the process offer an effective solution for hydrogen storage and transport, which could be a key factor in the transition to a hydrogen economy.
• Support from the oil and gas industry. The method attracts the attention of major players in the oil and gas sector, which can contribute to its rapid scaling and commercialization, as well as attracting investment.
• Psychological effect. The method can help overcome psychological barriers associated with the use of recycled products. Plastic turns into safe, small molecules, which can convince people of the safety of such products.
• Investment in the future. Despite initial capital expenditures, the method offers long-term economic and environmental benefits, making it attractive to investors interested in sustainable development.
• The new plastic recycling method represents not just a scientific breakthrough, but also a real opportunity to solve one of the most pressing environmental problems of our time. Given its economy, environmental safety and multifunctionality, this method has every chance of becoming a key element in the sustainable development strategy at the global level.

With the method attracting the attention of major players in the oil and gas sector, its commercialization and scaling could become a reality in the near future. This, in turn, can lead to a significant decrease in the volume of plastic waste and its harmful impact on the environment^[3].

Scientists have proposed a universal method for recycling waste from gypsum production

An international group of scientists has proposed a comprehensive method for producing synthetic gypsum from water filtration products coming from natural sources. From the waste remaining after the production of gypsum, researchers propose to make sorbents for the removal of oil products from rivers, seas and oceans, as well as photocatalytic materials for the treatment of wastewater from dyes. Tests of the obtained materials have shown that they not only meet all the requirements for substances of this class, but can also be used as a fertilizer. MISIS announced this on August 11, 2023.

Often industrial waste is a problem for enterprises that requires additional storage or disposal costs. Neutralization of spent sulfuric acid and chemical deposits of natural water discoloration allows not only to reduce the volume of waste materials, but also to create a new product that can be used in construction, medicine or other industries. However, in this case, in addition to synthetic gypsum, an acidic filtrate is formed - a liquid with high acidity and a high iron content.

Scientists at MISIS University, together with colleagues from Belarus, proposed to process acidic filtrate not only into magnetic sorbents capable of removing oil products from aqueous media, but also into photocatalytic materials for cleaning wastewater from dyes. As the researchers note, the water remaining after the neutralized filtrate can be used as a complex fertilizer, as it contains sulfur, calcium, magnesium and sodium.

Photocatalytic materials were obtained by synthesis of combustion in solution, and glycine, citric acid, urea and hexamethylene tetramine were used as reducing agents.

High concentration iron sulfate obtained after gypsum production is an excellent source for the synthesis of magnetic sorbents and photocatalysts. The best results as photocatalytic materials for the destruction of harmful organic substances were shown by samples obtained using citric acid and hexamethylenetetramine as reducing agents. It is better to use glycine as a reducing agent to manufacture the most efficient oil sorbents. The remaining neutralized filtrate was also tested as a complex fertilizer. Shoots of oil radish watered with this solution accelerated growth by 15% compared to untreated samples, "said study co-author Valentin Romanovsky, an employee of the Research Center" Structural Ceramic Nanomaterials "at MISIS University.

Further research by scientists will be aimed at testing the technology for producing synthetic gypsum from other calcium-containing waste and obtaining high-quality binders based on it.

2022

Growth in waste recycling by 1.5% to 3.11 trillion rubles

The volume of the Russian waste processing market in 2022 reached 3.11 trillion rubles, which is 1.5% more than a year ago. This is stated in the study "GuideMarket," published in August 2023. Based on the report, the market has seen steady growth since at least 2018.

This growth rate of the waste recycling market in Russia in the period from 2018 to 2022 indicates that this sector is at the beginning of its life cycle. This opens up prospects and provides the potential for further development of the industry, the researchers say.

According to them, in order for the waste processing market to continue its growth, the development of market and state mechanisms for regulating and supporting this industry is necessary. The state has already adopted a number of legislative acts aimed at stimulating the development of processing enterprises and creating a favorable environment for investment.

The volume of the Russian waste processing market in physical terms during the study period has an unambiguously positive trend, which is due to an increase in the volume of garbage sorting and processing, experts say.

They also draw attention to the fact that the volume of industrial waste processing is higher than the volume of municipal solid waste (MSW) processing: in 2022, according to Rosprirodnadzor, the share of industrial waste processing in the total volume of generated waste amounted to 39.2%, and the share of MSW processing amounted to 6.6%. At the same time, the share of the market volume that accounts for MSW processing in 2022 amounted to only 5%.

Sergei Korolyov, Deputy General Director for Investment Development of PPK Russian Environmental Operator, says that in 2022 about 12% of waste was disposed of in Russia, which is four times more than in 2019.^[4]

PF NPK will invest more than a billion rubles in the processing of industrial waste in the Moscow region

The research company NPK POF, with the assistance of the Moscow Region Development Corporation, will build a plant for recycling plastic in the Moscow Region. The project is planned to be implemented on the territory of the Ramenskoye urban district. KRMO announced this on September 2, 2022. Read more here.

Industrial waste processing workshop launched in Moscow

The Moscow manufacturer has launched a workshop for processing waste from the production of packaging materials. This was announced on August 3, 2022 by the Department of Investment and Industrial Policy with the word of the head Vladislav Ovchinsky. Read more here.

Residents of the Skolkovo Foundation launched a project in the field of waste processing

The Skolkovo Foundation announced on June 7, 2022 the launch of a joint project by Reinnolz Lab (ReinnolC) and Dynamics of NPP to produce waste processing plants to minimize harmful emissions into the atmosphere. Read more here.

2021

Rostec began production of terminals for receiving bottles for the purpose of subsequent processing

In December 2021, Rostec announced the serial production of terminals for receiving aluminum cans and plastic bottles for the purpose of subsequent processing. The manufacture of such equipment was established at the RT-Invest plant (a subsidiary of Rostec) in Klimovsk near Moscow. Read more here.

Citizens' conscientiousness does not fit into containers

Sociologists of the research holding Romir"" studied the attitude of Russians to separate garbage collection. On the eve of the international Earth Protection Day, which is celebrated on March 30, they interviewed 1.5 thousand respondents aged 18 and over, living "in all types of cities in all federal districts." The results of the survey showed that the overwhelming majority of Russian citizens - 88% - unconditionally or rather support the idea of ​ ​ collecting waste separately, only 12% of respondents were against. Two years ago, such an idea was approved by 73% of Russians, and 27% spoke negatively about it^[5].

Despite supporting the idea of ​ ​ separate garbage collection, the majority of respondents (52%) admitted that in practice they do nothing to do this by throwing garbage in one bag.

Sociologists note that in 2019, 91% of respondents answered this way. Thus, one can note a sharp jump in the number of supporters of nature-saving technologies in Russian society.

The most popular eco-activity remained the collection and delivery of plastic: the number of citizens regularly engaged in this has grown over the past two years from 6% to 30%. 21% of Russians collect paper and cardboard (two years ago - only 2%), 14% each - glass and metal (2% and 1% in 2019).

Survey participants said what else they are doing to improve the environmental situation. 45% of Russians throw used batteries into special containers (against 13% in 2019). Another 38% give old clothes and shoes to charities (13% in 2019).

18% of Russians do not buy plastic bags in stores (against 5% in 2019), 7% - products in tetrapak packaging (3% in 2019), and goods in plastic packaging do not purchase, as two years ago, 4% of Russians. Only 26% respondents do nothing of the above, while in 2019 these problems were not interested in the 65% of Russians.

2020

Chemists have learned to make protective coatings from electronic garbage

On August 1, 2020, it became known that American chemists from the National Chemical Association developed methods for the disposal of electronic garbage - equipment that is not suitable for processing by classical methods.

A typical processing process involves the use of a large number of products of the same type, made of a single material, which can be converted either into valuable raw materials or even into finished products. For electronics, this traditional method does not work, since radio, computer and other devices contain too many small parts made of various materials with very different properties. It is not possible to separate the components using classic more or less cheap technologies that are used by recycling processors.

At the same time, electronic garbage is of significant value - it contains a large content of non-ferrous metals and other demanded elements. After analyzing the situation, the American Chemical Association has developed complex mechanisms that combine preliminary calibration of garbage and its subsequent treatment at strictly defined temperatures. This made it possible to obtain composite materials from electronic waste that have useful properties.

Following developed algorithms, the researchers turned a mixture of glass and plastic into valuable ceramics containing silica. They also used a calibration and selective heating process to extract copper, which is used in electronics, including in the manufacture of printed circuit boards.

Further, while studying the properties of various copper and silica compounds, a team of experts led by Veena Sahajwalla (Rumana Hossain) found that after extracting them from electronic waste, these materials could be used to create a strong hybrid coating suitable for protecting metal surfaces.

To create and subsequently apply the hybrid material to steel, the scientists first heated glass and plastic powder from old computer monitors to 2732 ° F, creating nanowires made of silicon carbide. They then placed the resulting nanowire, along with the circuit boards, on a steel substrate and reheated it to 1832 F, which caused copper to melt to form a silicon carbide-enriched hybrid layer on top of the steel.

Subsequent tests have shown that the hybrid layer is firmly attached to the steel, without cracks or chips. This not only protects the metal from corrosion, but also increases its surface hardness by 125%.

The scientists called the developed process of creating and applying a hybrid protective coating "waste microsurgery" and believe that it opens up a different direction in the processing of electronic garbage, which can be used usefully, without using additional expensive raw materials^[6].

All city landfills in the Moscow region will be closed by the end of the year

All city dumps near Moscow will be closed by the end of the year. They will be replaced by modern waste processing complexes. On Ecologist's Day, Governor Andrei Yuryevich Vorobyov checked the liquidation of the Shchelkanovo open waste accumulation site in the Ruzsky District^[7] of^[8].

This year we will close all landfills. One "Timokhovo" will remain, and then it is already entering the mode of the waste processing complex. All landfills are being reclaimed. And on Ecologist's Day, we can safely say: we won the landfills - we open the KPO - Andrei Vorobyov.

He noted that only a few years ago there were 39 landfills - they were called landfills. And there was no recycling technology yet. Cities grew - mountains of garbage were within their boundaries. Everything will change. Closed already 29.

"We've had a lot of help from the federal government. The president made a special decision providing support in this industry. Our regional operators received it, "Vorobyov emphasized.

The governor clarified that these are new cars, tanks, conveyors. Everything today is mostly produced in our country. And in a pandemic, when work with municipal waste became even more complicated, the government Russia allocated more than 985 million rubles for regional operators. Moscow region

{{quote 'I'm afraid to seem immodest, but I can say for sure that today the Moscow region meets all the most demanding environmental standards, and from January 1, 2021 it will not have a single landfill - Andrei Vorobyov. So, since last year, separate waste collection has been launched in the Moscow region. This made it possible to recycle about one million tons of garbage. This year the indicator will double.}}

The Shchelkanovo open area near Ruza will be completely removed in the coming days. Here they store garbage for two whole years, and for a long time with serious violations due to the fault of the contractor. Since the beginning of March, an emergency has been introduced, and the authorities have taken up the landfill.

Back in 2018, the site was created for storing waste, but for a period of no more than 11 months. It was then planned to be removed and reclaimed. Only the Polygon-2004 company, with which the contract was concluded, violated it.

Time passed, and the waste still did not disappear. The Moscow Region authorities joined in solving the problem and introduced an emergency regime. Garbage began to be taken out on March 20. More than 20 thousand tons of waste were removed.

Moscow will recycle 20% of garbage

In Moscow, at least 10% of waste is processed. The vice-mayor of the capital Pyotr Biryukov told about this in January 2020 in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta. The official added that in 10 years this figure will be increased at least twice - up to 20%.

Pyotr Biryukov also approved the initiative to introduce a fee for the disposal of packaging from manufacturers and importers of these products. "I fully support! If the industry switches to other packages that decompose better and faster, then there will be less garbage. Our task, cities and public utilities, in particular, is to ensure that the city is clean and comfortable under any conditions, "said the Deputy Mayor of Moscow.

Recall that in the capital from January 1, a separate collection of solid household waste was introduced. For this purpose, special blue containers were installed in the courtyards of houses and social institutions. They are designed to store recyclable materials: paper, plastic, glass and metal.

Main article: Moscow Smart City

"Today, the problem of centralized collection of electronic garbage remains unresolved in Russia, which contains almost 70% poisonous substances falling on the entire volume of MSW. There is no clear scheme for the management of electronic waste, its accumulation, storage, logistics. As a result, a gray market for the management of electronic waste has formed, where valuable components are extracted, and all other fractions are sent for illegal burial. Only a small part of the equipment discarded by the population reaches regional operators, which makes it difficult to get into real processing. In addition, there is a whole layer of problems that require a general solution at the state level - the adoption of measures to stimulate and subsidize the electronics processing industry, which is highly capital-intensive; determination of the mechanism for transfer of ownership of waste; clear definition and delineation of the concepts of "recycling" and "disposal." The most relevant issue for the industry - the EPR mechanism - also requires logical understanding and concrete steps from REO. Ways to solve these issues can be found only in close cooperation of state authorities, federal development institutions, MSW operators and real ones processors, "- Alexander Shadyuk, First Deputy General Director of ECOPOLIS Corporation JSC, commented.

2019: Only 7% of waste is recycled in Russia

The level of waste processing in Russia in 2019 did not exceed 7%, and more than 90% is still sent to landfills and landfills. At the same time, the power of official landfills is almost running out.

Among the main problems of the implementation of the reform, the Accounts Chamber noted a shortage financing and insufficient elaboration of the parameters of the federal project. Thus, the project does not provide for measures to prevent and reduce volumes waste generation, there are no measures for their separate collection.

2016

Ukraine recycles only 4% of garbage

As of March 2016, most of Ukraine's landfills are used for other purposes. The authorities do not allocate funds for the creation of solid waste processing infrastructure, as is done in many countries of the world.

As Bloomberg notes, an obstacle to the country's recovery, in addition to war, is that "Ukraine is drowning in its own garbage."

At the federal level, the Ukrainian authorities do not want to raise bills for garbage collection (according to the requirements for IMF loans in Ukraine, there is a decrease in state subsidies and an increase in the cost of energy for consumers), there are not enough funds at the municipal level to create enterprises and infrastructure for waste disposal.

The construction of incinerators and other facilities requires significant investments, with which no one has yet sought Ukraine. Bloomberg notes that the risks of a new environmental catastrophe are growing in Ukraine, for example, another large-scale fire similar to the one that broke out at a landfill near Lviv in May 2016 and lasted for several weeks.

In comments to the agency, the head of the power and environment sector of the UN Development Program, Sergei Volkov, said that most of Ukraine's landfills "are not used for their intended purpose":

"Almost all landfills in Ukraine are used for other purposes. Something can happen on each of them at any moment. "

The problem of the lack of modern waste disposal facilities for Ukraine looks especially acute in comparison with the EU, with which some of its citizens associate their hopes for the future. Ukraine processes only 4% of solid waste, sending 95% to its "36 thousand legal and illegal landfills"^[9].

Rising share of waste-to-energy recycling in China

2015: EU recycling rate - 45%, Germany - 65%

According to the statistical agency Eurostat (as of 2015), for Germany, the MSW processing rate was 65%. For the EU as a whole, this figure is 45%.

1992

1989: Separate garbage collection in Moscow

1985

1982: Glass container processing system in the USSR

1978: Collection and processing of waste paper in the USSR

See also

• Incinerators of Russia
• Electronic waste in Russia
• Electrical Waste (Global Market) Electronic Waste
• Technologies in recycling
• Plastic waste
• Space debris