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Das Ziel der nachhaltigen Kreislaufwirtschaft ist die moglichst effiziente und umfassende Nutzung von Ressourcen. Um dieses Ziel zu erreichen, werden auch im Bereich der Abfallwirtschaft vermehrt neue Ansatze von Industrie 4.0 entwickelt und implementiert.

Solid recovered fuels (SRF) have increasingly substituted primary fuels in the cement industry, even up to 100%. However, contaminants originating from the discarded consumer products are transferred into waste and SRF. With increasing amounts of SRF being utilized, closely monitoring contaminant concentrations – as is already state of the art in several countries and the cement industry – is gaining importance. SRF producers may need to take measures assuring that quality criteria are met, contaminant concentrations are kept at a low level, or to produce contaminant-depleted SRF. This work investigates and discusses the potential measures to reduce contaminant concentrations: removing the fine fractions, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and black&grey materials. Five streams of mixed commercial waste were coarsely comminuted, screened, PET and PVC were removed using an industrial near-infrared sorter, and black&grey materials were manually removed and further sorted by fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Concentrations of Ag, Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cl, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Sb, Si, Sn, Sr, Ti, V, W, and Zn in the fractions are reported, and the effect of single and combined measures is presented. Results show that black&grey materials contain significant shares of the total Sb, Cl, and Co in the waste stream. Furthermore, the concentration of several contaminants is increased when only PET and PVC is removed. Removing the fine fraction together with PVC can lead to a concentration decrease of all investigated analytes, enabling the production of a contaminant-depleted SRF.

The general aim of circular economy is the most efficient and comprehensive use of resources. In order to achieve this goal, new approaches of Industry 4.0 are being developed and implemented in the field of waste management. The innovative K-project: Recycling and Recovery of Waste 4.0 - "ReWaste4.0" deals with topics such as digitalisation and the use of robotic technologies in waste management. Here, a summary of the already published results in these areas, which were divided into the four focused topics, is given: Collection and Logistics, Machines and waste treatment plants, Business models and Data Tools. Presented are systems and methods already used in waste management, as well as technologies that have already been successfully applied in other industrial sectors and will also be relevant in the waste management sector for the future. The focus is set on systems that could be used in waste treatment plants or machines in the future in order to make treatment of waste more efficient. In particular, systems which carry out the sorting of (mixed) waste via robotic technologies are of interest. Furthermore "smart bins" with sensors for material detection or level measurement, methods for digital image analysis and new business models have already been developed. The technologies are often based on large amounts of data that can contribute to increase the efficiency within plants. In addition, the results of an online market survey of companies from the waste management industry on the subject of waste management 4.0 or "digital readiness" are summarized.

The production of Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) and related energy recovery in the European cement industry represents the state of the art in waste management, having evolved into a highly important part of a sustainable and circular economy. This paper describes the production and quality of eight Solid Recovered Fuels (SRF) of PREMIUM quality that are produced from Municipal (Mixed) and selected Commercial Wastes (i.e. Bulky and Lightweight Fraction from Plastic Sorting Plants) in three types of treatment plants located in four European countries, namely Austria, Croatia, Slovenia and Slovakia. The investigated SRF PREMIUM Quality was produced in three different Plant Types applying various process technologies. All three types have been investigated and are described in detail (i.e. flow sheet). Eight SRF PREMIUM Qualities have been comprehensively investigated by sorting, sieving, and physical-chemical analyses. Analyses performed are in accordance with (inter)national standards (i.e. Austrian “ÖNORM”, European “EN” standards and CEN TC 343 guidelines). The results gained show that all investigated SRF fulfil the Austrian quality requirements for heavy metals before co-incineration in the cement industry and it can be confirmed that SRF produced in the investigated plants in Austria, Croatia, Slovenia and Slovakia in fact may be declared as “SRF PREMIUM Quality” that can be used for energy recovery on the European SRF market and utilized in the European cement industry.

This contribution describes characterization, classification, production, application and quality assurance of Refuse Derived Fuels (RDFs) that are increasingly used in a wide range of co-incineration plants. It is shown in this paper, that the fuel-parameter, i.e. net calorific value [MJ/kg(OS)], particle size d(90) or d(95) [mm], impurities [w%], chlorine content [w%], sulfur content [w%], fluorine content [w%], ash content [w%], moisture [w%] and heavy metals content [mg/kg(DM)], can be preferentially used for the classification of different types of RDF applied for co-incineration and substitution of fossil-fuel in different industial sectors. Describing the external production of RDF by processing and confectioning of wastes as well as internal processing of waste at the incineration plant, a case study is reported on the application of RDF made out of different household waste fractions in a 120,000t/yr Waste to Energy (WtE) circulating fluidized bed (CFB) incinerator. For that purpose, delivered wastes, as well as incinerator feedstock material (i.e. after internal waste processing) are extensively investigated. Starting with elaboration of sampling plan in accordance with the relevant guidelines and standards, waste from different suppliers was sampled. Moreover, manual sorting analyses and chemical analyses were carried out. Finally, results of investigations are presented and discussed in the paper.

This contribution describes the dynamic visualisation of European (EU 28) municipal waste management performance, using the Ternary Diagram Method. Municipal waste management performance depends primarily on three treatment categories: recycling & composting, incineration and landfilling. The framework of current municipal waste management including recycling targets, etc. is given by the Waste Framework Directive – 2008/98/EC. The proposed Circular Economy Package should stimulate Europe's transition towards more sustainable resources and energy oriented waste management. The Package also includes a revised legislative proposal on waste that sets ambitious recycling rates for municipal waste for 2025 (60%) and 2030 (65%). Additionally, the new calculation method for monitoring the attainment of the targets should be applied. In 2014, ca. 240 million tonnes of municipal waste were generated in the EU. While in 1995, 17% were recycled and composted, 14% incinerated and 64% landfilled, in 2014 ca. 71% were recovered but 28% landfilled only. Considering the treatment performance of the individual EU member states, the EU 28 can be divided into three groups, namely: “Recovery Countries”, “Transition Countries” and “Landfilling Countries”. Using Ternary Diagram Method, three types of visualization for the municipal waste management performance have been investigated and extensively described. Therefore, for better understanding of municipal waste management performance in the last 20 years, dynamic visualisation of the Eurostat table-form data on all 28 member states of the EU has been carried out in three different ways: 1. “Performance Positioning” of waste management unit(s) at a specific date; 2. “Performance dynamics” over a certain time period and; 3. “Performance development” expressed as a track(s). Results obtained show that the Ternary Diagram Method is very well suited to be used for better understanding of past developments and coherences, for monitoring of current situations and prognosis of future paths. One of the interesting coherences shown by the method is the linked development of recycling & composting (60–65%) with incineration (40–35%) performance over the last 20 years in the EU 28.

This contribution describes the processing and the quality assurance of solid recovered fuel (SRF) that is increasingly used in a wide range of co-incineration plants. As an example, the preparation of municipal, commercial and industrial wastes for recovering of two different specifications of waste fuels (i.e. primary burner fuel and hot disc fuel used in cement industry) is reported and the multiple stage processing scheme used in SRF production is presented as well as the quality of SRF obtained. It will be shown, that removing of metals and sorting out of unwanted inert materials like stones, glass and concrete only after disintegration of the waste matrix during several crushing and separation steps can be carried out efficiently. In the following chapters, the quality assurance of SRF is demonstrated and described by using two different scenarios (i.e. different sizes of waste streams with different particle sizes, delivered to a cement plant by walking floor trucks). Based on CEN/TS-guidelines for SRF as well as national norms (ÖNORM), two sampling procedures and sample preparation schemes are elaborated for the scenarios and own practical experiences in quality assessment of heterogeneous waste fuels are reported. Finally, references are given on new, innovative laboratory equipment like cutting mills with attached cyclones and a mobile, hand-sized XRF-instrument for fast identification of extraneous materials removed from the laboratory sample prior to chemical analysis.

One of the challenges for the cement industry is the quality assurance of alternative fuel (e.g. solid recovered fuel, SRF) in co-incineration plants – especially for inhomogeneous alternative fuels with large particle sizes ( d95⩾100 mm), which will gain even more importance in the substitution of conventional fuels due to low production costs. Existing standards for sampling and sample preparation do not cover the challenges resulting from these kinds of materials. A possible approach to ensure quality monitoring is shown in the present contribution. For this, a specially manufactured, automated comminution and sample divider device was installed at a cement plant in Rohožnik. In order to prove its practical suitability with methods according to current standards, the sampling and sample preparation process were validated for alternative fuel with a grain size >30 mm (i.e. d95=approximately 100 mm), so-called ‘Hotdisc SRF’. Therefore, series of samples were taken and analysed. A comparison of the analysis results with the yearly average values obtained through a reference investigation route showed good accordance. Further investigations during the validation process also showed that segregation or enrichment of material throughout the comminution plant does not occur. The results also demonstrate that compliance with legal standards regarding the minimum sample amount is not sufficient for inhomogeneous and coarse particle size alternative fuels. Instead, higher sample amounts after the first particle size reduction step are strongly recommended in order to gain a representative laboratory sample.

This work presents an analysis on the suitability of mechanical biological treatment of municipal solid waste in South America, based on two previous experimental investigations carried out in two different countries. The first experiment was performed for determining the mass and volume reduction of MSW in the province of Concepción (Chile). The implemented bench-scale process consisted of a manual classification and separation stage, followed by an in-vessel biological degradation process. The second experiment consisted of a full-scale experiment performed in the city of Estrela (Brazil), where the existing municipal waste management facility was adapted to enhance the materials sorting and separation. Expressed in wet weight composition, 85.5% of the material input in the first experiment was separated for biological degradation. After 27 days of processing, 60% of the initial mass was reduced through degradation and water evaporation. The final fraction destined for landfilling equals 59% of the total input mass, corresponding to about 50% of the initial volume. In the second experiment, the fraction destined to landfill reaches 46.6% of the total input waste mass, whilst also significantly reducing the total volume to be disposed. These results, and the possible recovery of material streams suitable for recycling or for preparing solid recovered fuels, are the main advantages of the studied process.

This work introduces the development and application of a multi-goal evaluation procedure for assessing sets of remedial options that have previously been found technically suitable for managing a certain contaminated site. The construction of this decision support tool, in the form of a balanced scorecard, has followed a multi-attribute conception of the contaminated sites problem, identifying the most critical aspects considered by all stakeholders involved in contaminated sites management decisions. The developed tool has been checked in its formulation and application against an export benchmark of an Austrian remediation project. The performed evaluation allowed to identify and suggest a remedial option that best fitted the expectations of all stakeholders involved in the project. Furthermore, through the accomplishment of a sensitivity analysis it has been demonstrated that the system is stable and robust in terms of the chosen elicitation schemes, and that the preferences of the different stakeholders are influencing factors on the final result. The results and conclusions of this work present the benefits of implementing the developed balanced scorecard as a tool for supporting decision making in contaminated sites remediation projects.

Volcanic soil can be used to remove metals from wastewaters. Once used, it is disposed in landfills. The utilization of this material in the cement industry as an alternative raw material was evaluated using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. This possibility has been studied from an environmental point of view in a Chilean cement facility, representative of the current operation state of art, including both technical and economic analysis. Two scenarios were compared: Scenario 1, which corresponds to the existing cement production process, and Scenario 2, which represents cement production using spent volcanic soil. With the exception of the categories of carcinogens (C) and minerals (M), the comparative results are favourable to Scenario 2, specially regarding to the category of ecotoxicity (E), mainly due to the avoided landfilling emissions of the volcanic soil. When considering the damage assessment, damage to human health (HH), ecosystem quality (EQ) and resources (R) are lower in Scenario 2. In addition, sensitivity analyses were performed to study the influence of particular parameters (i.e., transport of spent volcanic soil, CO2 emissions from the clinkerization process and heavy metals leaching from the spent volcanic soil) on the results of the assessment. The use of alternative raw materials (in this case, spent volcanic soil), which present the advantage to be wastes from other technical systems, appear to allow the development of cement production in a more sustainable way, slightly improving the economy of the process. The spent volcanic soil can be treated with zero cost for the wastewater treatment plant with savings of 0.23€ for each tonne of clinker production. Establishing a sound management way for the spent volcanic soil could foment its possible use as mineral adsorbent in industrial wastewater treatment facilities.

Bildung eines universitaren Forschungsclusters — Kooperation entlang der Wertschopfungskette vom Rohstoff bis zum Bauteil — Sichtbarmachung eines gemeinsamen Leistungsangebots — Synergienutzung — Einbeziehung von Christian-Doppler-Laboratorien — Flexible Gestaltung von Kooperationen und Netzwerken

Two in-series columns systems with volcanic soil were tested for wastewater pollutants adsorption capacity. The first system was tested with acidified volcanic soil and the second with a reactivated volcanic soil. The reactivated soil was obtained by washing the previous spent acidified soil system with an acid solution. The systems parameters were obtained using the Bohardt and Adams model for fixed-beds. The acidified soil parameters indicated an adsorption capacity q of 28 and 139 mg/g of phenolic compounds and color, respectively (for each column), compared to 12 and 39 mg/g for the reactivated soil system. The adsorption rate constant k ranged between 1.5 × 10 −6 and 2.8 × 10 −6 l/min mg and no significant difference was observed for each analysed column system and pollutant. Furthermore, the molecular weight distribution analysis of input and output samples of one acidified soil column indicated that the fraction >30 000 Da is the most adsorbed until the breakpoint. Moreover, the CODs and tannins and lignin removal efficiencies at the breakpoint reached values between 60% and 70% in each column and each system, indicating that lower biodegradable compounds were retained effectively. The results indicate that it is possible to compare the acidified volcanic soil adsorption capacity with natural zeolites, and a preliminary costs evaluation indicates that volcanic soil could be also competitive, even when comparing with activated carbon.

The volcanic soil of Southern Chile was tested for its heavy metal retention capacity. The maximum uptakes for CrO42- (CrVI), Cu2+, Zn2+ and Pb2+ were determined to be 2.74, 5.32, 5.86 and 7.44 mg g-1, respectively. At a slightly alkaline pH value (7.5), it seems that a precipitation-adsorption process was responsible for the Cu2+ and Zn2+ uptake onto volcanic soil. All the determined values are of the same order of magnitude as natural zeolites heavy metals adsorption capacities. In addition, the heavy metals diffusion model through a 1 m volcanic soil mineral liner shows breakthrough times of 21.6, 10.2 and 8.9 years, for Pb2+, Zn2+ and Cu2+, respectively, confirming the trend obtained in the adsorption isotherms. The natural volcanic soil of Southern Chile is an interesting material for possible use as landfill mineral basal sealing. It has an appropriate sealing potential (average Kf value of 5.85 × 10-9 m s-1) and a heavy metals retention capacity comparable with natural zeolites. About two-thirds of the agricultural land in Chile (approximately 0.4 million km2) is derived from volcanic ash, suggesting an important soil volume for future landfill projects, that could be obtained in sufficient quantities from urban building activities.

The main physicochemical characteristics of the volcanic soil of Southern Chile, with allophane as the main pedogenic mineral phase were analysed and compared with common zeolites (clinoptilolite) of the European market. The ultimate goal of this study was to test volcanic soil for the use as mineral landfill liner. The main results indicated that the clay and silt fractions together of the volcanic soil were between 38 and 54%. The buffering capacity of the volcanic soil was higher compared with the studied zeolites, whereas the cationic exchange capacity of the volcanic soil (between 5.2 and 6.5 cmol+ kg-1) is of the same order of magnitude of the studied zeolites (between 9.7 and 11.4 cmol+ kg-1). Moreover, the anionic exchange capacity of the volcanic soil was higher compared to the zeolites analysed. The hydraulic conductivity of the volcanic soil, measured in the laboratory at maximum proctor density, ranges between 5.16 × 10-9 and 6.48 × 10-9 ms-1, a range that is comparable to the value of 4.51 × 10-9 ms-1 of the studied zeolite. The Proctor densities of the volcanic soil are in a lower range (between 1.11 and 1.15 g ml-1) compared with zeolites (between 1.19 and 1.34 g ml-1). The volcanic soil physicochemical characteristics are comparable to all the requirements established in the Austrian landfill directive (DVO, 2000). Therefore, the use as mineral landfill basal sealing of the analysed volcanic soil appears reasonable, having a pollutant adsorption capacity comparable to zeolites. It is of special interest for Southern Chile, because there are no alternative mineral raw materials for basal liners of landfills.

This paper describes the requirements for the production, quality, and quality assurance of solid recovered fuels (SRF) that are increasingly used in the cement industry. Different aspects have to be considered before using SRF as an alternative fuel. Here, a study on the quality of SRF used in the cement industry is presented. This overview is completed by an investigation of type and properties of input materials used at waste splitting and SRF production plants in Austria. As a simplified classification, SRF can be divided into two classes: a fine, high-calorific SRF for the main burner, or coarser SRF material with low calorific value for secondary firing systems, such as precombustion chambers or similar systems. In the present study, SRFs coming from various sources that fall under these two different waste fuel classes are discussed. Both SRFs are actually fired in the grey clinker kiln of the Holcim (Slovensko) plant in Rohožnik (Slovakia). The fine premium-quality material is used in the main burner and the coarse regular-quality material is fed to a FLS Hotdisc combustion device. In general, the alternative fuels are used instead of their substituted fossil fuels. For this, chemical compositions and other properties of SRF were compared to hard coal as one of the most common conventional fuels in Europe. This approach allows to compare the heavy metal input from traditional and alternative fuels and to comment on the legal requirements on SRF that, at the moment, are under development in Europe.

Peru is an interesting emerging market with a stable development and economic growth during the last years. This growth also brings new challenges for sustainable development. The rising energy demand and the increasingly high volumes of waste need sustainable solutions. Thus far, Peru has a big unused potential in the production of bioenergy, especially a big amount of unused biomass. With the construction of a small Flash Pyrolysis Reactor at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru (PUCP), the research of the potential of different biomass feedstock for pyrolysis process has started. The first results and an overview of the current situation in Peru are presented in this paper.

A new approach concerning in-situ remediation on source (‘hot-spot’) decontamination of a chromate damage in connection with an innovative pump-and-treat-technique has been developed. Iron granulates show significant higher reduction rates, using fluidized bed conditions, than a literature study with a fixed bed installation of small-sized iron granules. First results from an abandoned tannery site concerning injections of sodium dithionite as a chromate reductant for the vadose zone in combination with a pump-and-treat-method, allying the advantages of granulated zero valent iron (ZVI), are reported. Reduction amounts of chromate have been found up to 88% compared with initial values in the soil after a soil water exchange of 8 pore volumes within 2.5 months. Chromate concentrations in the pumped effluent have been reduced to under the detection limit of 0.005 mg/L by treatment with ZVI in the pilot plant.

This paper deals with the identification of PAH metabolites, which are formed during PAH bioremediation. The investigation was performed with trimethylsilylation (TMS) of the sample, following gas chromatographic (GC) separation and mass spectrometry (MS). The mass spectra were analysed, rules of fragmentation developed and characteristic fragments were presented.

The present paper describes the development, performance and conclusions derived from three know-how and technology transfer projects to South American countries. The first project comprised a collaborative study by European and South American universities to find sustainable solutions for Chilean and Ecuadorian leather tanneries which had underachieving process performances. The second project consisted of investigations carried out in a Brazilian municipality to enhance its municipal solid waste management system. The final collaborative programme dealt with the initial identification, evaluation and registration of suspected contaminated sites in an industrial region of Chile. The detailed objectives, methods and procedures applied as well as the results and conclusions obtained in each of the three mentioned projects are presented, giving special attention to the organizational aspects and to the practical approach of each programme, concluding with their main advantages and disadvantages for identifying a set of qualitative and quantitative suggestions, and to establish transferable methods for future applications.

This work introduces the outcomes of the first process for the identification and evaluation of sites potentially contaminated in the Region of the Bio Bio, Chile. The methodology combined qualitative and quantitative elements from Austrian and German risk assessment procedures, calibrated and adapted to the Chilean reality. The developed process consists of collecting historical and current registers on soil use, effects of materials handling on the population's health, and the description of the site conditions. The first analytical step corresponds to an image algebra analysis, through which the most vulnerable areas of the region are established. The sites identified inside the most vulnerable areas are classified into five priority classes, giving an approximate degree of endangerment from these sites. Through the experience, from a total of 507 sites identified as suspicious of contamination, five sites were classified under the highest priority. The results of this analysis have allowed Chilean authorities to focus their resources on the detailed investigations to be carried out in the five priority locations, whilst planning the future strategy to follow for the practical management of all sites found as currently posing a risk to the environment and to the society.

An irrigation process through volcanic soil columns was evaluated for bleached Kraft mill effluent pollutants retention. The system was designed to remove color and phenolic compounds and a simple kinetic model for determining the global mass transfer coefficient and the adsorption rate constant was used. The results clearly indicate that the global mass transfer coefficient values ( K c a ) and the adsorption rate constants are higher for the irrigation processes onto acidified soil. This means that the pretreatment of washing the volcanic soil with an acid solution has a positive effect on the adsorption rate for both pollutant groups. The enhanced adsorption capacity is partially explained by the activation of the metal oxides present in the soil matrix during the acid washing process. Increasing the flow rate from 1.5 to 2.5 ml/min yielded higher ( K c a ) values and adsorption rate constants for both pollutant groups. For instance, regarding color adsorption onto acidified soil, there is an increment of 43% in the ( K c a ) value for the experiment with a flow rate of 2.5 ml/min. Increasing the porosity of the column from 0.55 to 0.59, yielded a decrease in the ( K c a ) values for color and phenolic compounds adsorption processes. Onto natural soil for example, these decreases reached 21% and 24%, respectively. Therefore, the ( K c a ) value is dependent on both the liquid-phase velocity (external resistance) and the soil fraction in the column (internal resistance); making forced convection and diffusion to be the main transport mechanisms involved in the adsorption process. Analyzing the adsorption rate constants ( K c a )/ m , phenolic compounds and color adsorption rates onto acidified soil of 2.25 × 10 −6 and 2.62 × 10 −6 l/mg min were achieved for experiment 1. These adsorption rates are comparable with other adsorption systems and adsorbent materials.

In Austria more than 50% of the high-calorific industrial residues and wastes generated are utilized for energy recovery in industrial utility boilers. This study investigated full-scale trials of combined incineration of in-plant residues with various industrial wastes. These trials were carried out in order to learn how the alternatively used fuel influences the incineration process itself as well as the quantity and quality of the various incineration products. The currently used fuel, which consisted of in-plant residues as well as externally acquired waste wood and the refuse-derived fuel (RDF) mixtures used during the full-scale trials are characterized in terms of material composition as well as chemical and physical parameters. An input?output mass balance for the incineration plant (two fluidized bed combustion units, 20 and 30 MW, respectively) has been established, based on the data collected during the full-scale incineration trials. Furthermore, pollutant concentrations in the off-gas as well as the solid incineration residue are reported. It is not only the pollutant content but also a variety of other internal as well as external factors that have to be considered if a company is to decide whether or not to thermally utilize specific waste types. Therefore a strengths and weaknesses profile for several types of waste and the specific industrial boiler is also presented. Energie-Umweltmanagement

During the few last years, the cement industry has developed to an important factor in waste management, as more and more waste fractions and industrial residues are utilised as secondary raw material and secondary fuel in the rotary kiln clinker process. Ideal combustion conditions like high bed-temperatures, oxygen excess and long residence times are creating perfect facilities for the decomposition of organic pollutants. Non volatile inorganic pollutants can be safely fixed in the alkaline matrix of the clinker by counter-current adsorption in the preheater cyclones. In Austria, cement works have become the main disposal facility for used oil, old tyres, fly ash and used foundry sands and recently the sorted plastic fraction of household waste is utilised as a fuel of high calorific value. The fundamental requirements for the thermal utilisation of waste in cement works are no significant increase of the emissions and no deterioration of the cement quality as well as no impairment of work place safety. These conditions only can be met by a packet of control measures, starting with quality control of the input material, development of new emission control techniques (e.g. for NO) for cement plants as well as ambient air quality control programs completed by biomonitoring methods for environmental impact assessment studies. In this paper, the salient features of air quality control measures in modern cement works which are utilising secondary materials are elaborated by way of practically oriented examples.