Waste accepted for storage can be hazardous and non hazardous, both solid and liquid, and of a wide range of types: sludge, soil, dust, packaging in various materials, ash, screened waste, abatement solutions, solvents and others. Depending on their physical state, they can be stored in different areas of the plant, loose in special bays, in containers of various kinds, in boxes or on special shelves, in areas suitably equipped with containment systems (kerbs and/or bumps) and collection nets for any accidental spills of liquid waste.

The plant has a treatment capacity of 70,000 t/year and is intended for the selection of mixed waste, mostly similar to municipal waste. The plant consists of a conveyor belt, a vibrating screen that removes the fine fraction, a selection booth where operators carry out manual selection, a magnet and a press. Incoming waste is unloaded under a canopy in order to check whether it can be sent for mechanical selection. If the waste does not appear to be sortable, it is loaded onto mobile containers and sent directly for disposal. Outgoing materials are stored in boxes or in pressed bales placed inside a warehouse.

The grinding and mixing of hazardous waste is carried out in a shed equipped with a suction system consisting of wall mounted hoods and an abatement system consisting of a bag filter and activated carbon filter from which a channelled emission point originates.

WEEE is disassembled in a section of the plant, in a compartmentalised area with a metal frame and soundproofed and insulated sandwich panels, ventilated and lit directly from the outside by three windows which are able to open completely. The area is equipped with a height adjustable workbench with all the necessary tools for disassembling electronic equipment. The area is equipped with a mobile infrared heater. Incoming waste is stored in the already authorised areas and transported in small quantities to an area adjacent to the disassembly area. Materials obtained from disassembly such as plastic, metal, electronic boards, cables, etc. are sent to recovery centres, while non recoverable components are sent for disposal as non hazardous waste mixes.

The plant is located inside a warehouse in a 700 m2 area, it is designed to treat 10 t/day and consists of the following parts:

• Single rotor primary grinder equipped with interchangeable grids;
• Washing system for ground waste consisting of a perforated cylinder;
• Secondary grinder equipped with interchangeable grids;
• Bagging machine.

The material to be treated comes from the liquid waste reconditioning and transfer area or directly from production facilities. Waste is selected by type and quality in the room where the treatment takes place. The waste is loaded into the loading hopper of the first grinder via a conveyor belt. The ground material is sent to the washing tunnel where alkaline washing liquids are used. These liquids are stored in two external tanks at a temperature ranging between 60 and 80gradiC. At the end of the washing process, the material is rinsed with water and dried with hot air. The storage tanks for the washing liquids are equipped with electric heaters for heating the liquids and with loading pumps. At the end of the washing process, the material is discharged onto a conveyor belt equipped with a magnet that sends it to the loading hopper of the second grinder. Downstream of the system, a machine for bagging plastic waste in special big bags is installed.

The entire treatment system is served by a suction and abatement system. The primary grinder is equipped with an extractor hood connected to an abatement system consisting of an activated carbon abatement tower. The washing tunnel is equipped with two extractor hoods connected to a two stage wet washing tower. Emissions from the activated carbon filter are also fed into the separate abatement system, one for acid and the other for basic treatment.