Bound Glass in Shredded Municipal Solid Waste

The binding and trapping of glass and organics that occurs during the shredding of municipal solid waste (MSW) is examined experimentally. Such glass is called bound glass. This process produces feed which detrimentally effects air classifier production of refuse derived fuel (RDF). Glass contaminated RDF causes excessive slagging on incinerator walls and abrasion of mechanical parts. Results indicate that the glass prticle size distribution produced by the shredder and the moisture content in the waste steam effect bound glass amounts. Further, bound glass increases with moisture content and increases with decreasing particle size. Dry waste streams and shredders which produce large glass particles are suggested to produce better feeds for air classifiers, and consequentially better RDF.