LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

In 2011, ARN received a 1 million euro subsidy from the European LIFE+ subsidy programme for optimisation of the post shredder technology plant (PST plant). Over the next few pages we explain how we have optimised our production line using the subsidy funds.
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Life+

Since the launch of the LIFE programme by the European Commission in 1992, a total of 157 projects have been financed in the Netherlands. Of these, 126 focus on environmental innovation and 31 on nature conservation. These projects represent a total investment of €426 million, of which €106 million has been contributed by the European Union.

To the official Life + website

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LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

Expanding capacity

All last year we worked hard at the PST plant expanding production capacity; and with considerable success. In total, we processed 40,000 tonnes of shredder waste in 2015; 10 percent more than in the previous year.

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

ARN publishes Layman’s Report

Over the past few years, ARN has received a grant worth € 1 million from the European Life+ programme, with the purpose of further optimising the production line at the PST plant. In the Layman’s Report, published today, ARN explains how the grant was spent, and what results were achieved thanks to the funding.

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

Hans van de Greef: “Efficient use of energy”

How can we consume the least possible energy while extracting the most possible valuable raw materials from shredder waste? This is the question that challenges us every single day, at ARN. Our efforts are certainly paying off, as the energy saving has now risen to around 30% per tonne of material.

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

ARN in magazine Ondernemersbelang: which market parties are useful for our raw materials?

When you buy a new car, you pay a recycling fee of € 45. What is this money spent on? In the magazine Hét Ondernemersbelang, director of the PST plant Hans van de Greef provided a clear answer to the question: What exactly happens to your old car?

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

Life+ generates profits on several fronts

By: Hans van de Greef Just imagine it: a row of 12 trucks fully laden with copper. Each year, this is just about the amount of copper we expect to retrieve from the plastic fraction of shredder waste on our new metal recovery line. This new facility represents an important next step in further increasing the yield from the PST plant.

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

Life+ grant improves efficiency of PST plant

To further improve the production line at the PST plant, in 2011 ARN received a grant in the amount of € 1 million from the European Life+ programme. Three years later, this grant has clearly been well spent: since 2012, annual production has quadrupled, and the EU target of 85 percent reuse and 10 percent useful application has been officially achieved.

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

Research into new sales channels for raw materials

Based on European legislation, since 1 January 2015, EU countries have been required to recycle end-of-life vehicles in accordance with the EU Directive. This demands at least 85 percent recycling, supplemented by 10 percent energy recovery. By opening the PST plant in Tiel, ARN has created the possibility of fulfilling this requirement, on behalf of the Netherlands. This legally-imposed target has already been reached, partly thanks to a Life+ grant awarded to ARN in 2011. How was the funding spent? And what exactly have been the results, so far?

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

Always wanted to see how shredder waste is processed?

Are you interested in a (company) visit to the PST plant? Then you are in luck! We will be delighted to show you how the incoming shredder waste is processed at ARN Recycling into the four raw material flows: plastics, fibres, minerals and metals.

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

New, sustainable Stiba logo plaque in ‘BlueRoots’ material

This month, the new, sustainable Stiba logo plaques for installation at the entrance will be delivered to all 134 Stiba dismantling companies. The new plaques are produced from an environmentally-friendly composite, traded under the brand name ‘BlueRoots’. The basis of BlueRoots is material from recycled cars from the PST plant in Tiel, plus a biobased resin.

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

Hans van de Greef of ARN

The main focus at the PST plant last year was on increasing efficiency. And our efforts have clearly hit the mark. As compared to 2013, total production rose from 25,000 tonnes to 36,000 tonnes. Nonetheless, there is still room for further improvement.

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

PST plant serves complete automotive shredder market

All shredders processing Dutch end-of-life vehicles are now supplying materials to the PST plant. The list includes all Dutch and a number of foreign shredders. As a consequence, ARN has achieved its target: not only are more than 95% of the end-of-life vehicles now recycled or usefully reused, the waste from the ARN end-of-life vehicles is also processed at the PST plant.

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

Recycling capacity expanded to 38,000 tonnes

During the course of 2013, capacity at the PST facility in Tiel rose considerably. As explained by director Hans van de Greef, “We now have sufficient capacity to process all automotive shredder waste from all Dutch end-of-life vehicles.”

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

PST facility deploys teams efficiently for optimum production

Following optimisation of fibre processing and plastic separation, the PST facility is now able to focus fully on expanding production and the sales market. To that end, the facility is now deploying more teams with less people per team leading to higher production at lower production costs.

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

Software update in the PST plant

ARN is constantly working to optimise the production process in the PST facility for processing shredder waste in order to achieve the target of 95% recycling of end-of-life cars by 2015. But what optimisations have been carried out?

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

PST factory update

In April 2011, ARN opened the new PST factory in Tiel. The aim is to achieve 95% recycling of old cars in 2015. The factory processes waste from the shredder a stage further. To keep you updated with progress at the factory, every month we give you a glimpse behind the scenes.

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

Daily production at PST plant reaches latest highpoint

After several months of intensive trial operation, the production line at the PST line in Tiel is gradually able to operate at full capacity. At present, the focus is on fully harmonising the speeds at which the various material flows are processed.

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

ARN Recycling accredited as official work placement company

Following an extensive audit, ARN Recycling has been accredited by the PMLF centre of excellence as an official work placement company. As a link between business and industry, educational institutions and government, the PMLF contributes to ensuring the availability of sufficient qualified personnel in the sectors Process and General operational technology, Environmental technology, Media and Laboratory technology.

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

First shipment leaves Tiel

Over the past months the people at the new PST plant in Tiel have been working hard to start up a fully integrated processing line. And with success. Because despite a few minor teething problems, the first shipment of finished material was collected and transported to Galloo Plastics in France on 3 November.

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

LIFE+ subsidy contributes to recycling performance

On 20 July last it was announced that ARN Recycling had been granted the Life+ subsidy of the European Commission of around EUR 1 million. LIFE+ is the European subsidy programme for the development and implementation of the European nature and environment policy. The PST project fits well within the general purpose of the subsidy, since it strives to implement the 95% recycling target in the European ELV Directive. For the rest of Europe, the PST plant can serve as a demonstration project.

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

Module D for ‘clean sand’ production

Module D from the PST line has processed its first material. Module D is designed to ensure that the mineral fraction genuinely consists as much as possible of sand (mineral material). Carbon provides an indication of the non-mineral content of the material. This quantity must be less than eight per cent in the end product of the module (and hence of the factory). The clean end product is suitable for several specific applications, such as backfilling in worked out mines.. In this way, part of the car material is re-used.

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

Module C – processing the light fraction (fibres)

Over the past few weeks, a number of modules for the plant were explained in the newsletter. This time we will be discussing the first expansion of module C, a component installed just before the spectacular opening on 28 April last.

LIFE+ optimises ARN Post Shredder plant

First test phase approaches for PST plant Tiel

In December 2010, work started on installing a system for separating the synthetics stream at the PST factory in Tiel. The goal of this system is to improve the quality of the synthetics fraction by separating metal and other parts from the plastics and to reduce the plastics further. Thanks in part to a unique drive/sink technique, ultimately three fractions remain.