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June 2008 - Posts
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BIG CORPORATIONS TO GO GREEN COCA COLA PLANS AT 100% RECYCLING
The non-alcoholic beverage giant, Coca Cola is aiming to recycle or reuse all the Aluminium beverage cans that they sell in America. At present, Coca Cola uses about 60% recycled Aluminium in its beverage cans. Coca Cola has already set a goal to recycle or reuse 100 percentages of its PET plastic bottles.
The largest beverage producers announced that they will be spending a whooping $60 million in a series of recycling initiatives and in building the world’s largest PET bottle-to-bottle recycling plant in Spartanburg, S.C. The 30 acre recycling plant is expected to produce the equivalent of nearly 2 billion 20 ounce Coca Cola bottles via recycled PET when it opens in 2009.
Coca Cola Enterprises-Inc launched Coca Cola recycling LLC in the year 2007 to recover and recycle all the packaging materials used by them. “By the end of 2008, Coca Cola recycling will recycle more than 100 million pounds each of PET and Aluminium”, said Mr. John Burgess, the President and Chief operating officer of Coca-Cola recycling.
However Coca Cola now focuses on the “greener side of life”.
PEPSICO BUILDS A LIFECYCLE OF ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING
PepsiCo, one of the world’s largest food and non-alcoholic Beverage Company also play an important role in recycling. All Pepsi containers are designed to be recyclable. More than 50% of the Pepsi containers were recycled in 2000. Pepsi beverage containers are recycled at a rate of 48 million per day. Moreover, Pepsi created a program called “Performance with purpose” to help sustain the environment while continuing profit and growth. The purpose of this program includes three goals: environment sustainability, human knowledge of issues and talent sustainability. The attraction of this program is that it hires and rewards the best and brightest.
PepsiCo has many goals and target set for reduction of energy, water, resources and more for the year 2015. The interesting news is that PepsiCo has won the “Energy Star Partner of the Year” award three times in a row.
BOEING EXPANDS AICRAFT RECYCLING RATE
Boeing, the world’s leading aerospace company recognizes the serious challenges faced by our ecosystem. So, they are committed in reducing the effects of their operations, products and services. Boeing, who co-founded the ‘Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association’, targets 25 percent improvement for solid waste recycling rates by the year 2012. Boeing claims that about 80 percent of the materials used in Airplanes can be recycled. Boeing has also received the National Recycling coalition’s top honor for corporate recyclers in 1995.
Today Boeing expands its wings and aims at 90 percent recycling rate in near future. Let’s hope more scrap planes in the graveyard will get a rebirth.
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FOREIGN TRADE PROCEDURES (2008-2009) PUBLISHED BY THE DIRECTORATE OF FOREIGN TRADE OF INDIA.
The new foreign trade procedure for the period 2008-2009 is released by the Directorate of Foreign Trade of India. Few amendments (Division 2.32.A added to the old trade procedure and condition III deleted) were made to the old procedures in scrap metal trade.
Chapter 2.32 which deals with the import of scrap metals from any parts of the globe to India is shown here:-
Chapter 2.32- Import of Metallic Waste and Scrap
Division 2.32.1- Import of any form of metallic waste, scrap will be subject to the condition that, it will not contain hazardous, toxic waste, radioactive contaminated waste / scrap containing radioactive material, any type of arms, ammunition, mines, shells, live or used cartridge or any other explosive material in any form either used or otherwise.
Division 2.32.2- Import of following types of metallic waste and scrap will be free subject to conditions detailed below.
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S. No |
Exim Code |
Item Description |
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1 |
72041000 |
waste and scrap of cast iron |
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2 |
72042190 |
Other |
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3 |
72042920 |
Of High speed steel |
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4 |
72042990 |
Other |
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5 |
72043000 |
Waste and scrap of tinned iron or steel |
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6 |
72044100 |
Turnings, shavings, chips, milling waste,
saw dust, fillings, trimmings and
stampings, whether or not in bundles |
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7 |
72044900 |
Other |
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8 |
72045000 |
Remelting scrap ingots |
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9 |
74040010 |
Copper scrap |
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10 |
74040022 |
Brass scrap |
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11 |
75030010 |
Nickel scrap |
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12 |
76020010 |
Aluminium scrap |
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13 |
79020010 |
Zinc scrap |
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14 |
80020010 |
Tin scrap |
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15 |
81042010 |
Magnesium scrap | CONDITIONS Shredded form: Import of metallic waste and scrap listed in division 2.32.2 above, in shredded form shall be permitted through all ports of India
Shredded form only: Import from Hodaideh, Yemen and Bandar Abbas, Iran will be in shredded form only.
Unshredded compressed and loose form: Import of metallic waste, scrap above in unshredded compressed and loose form shall be subject to the following conditions: CONDITIONS FOR IMPORT OF SCRAP IN UNSHREDDED FORM
Condition-1: The importer should furnish the following documents to the customs at the time of clearance of goods:
Documents to be produced:
- Pre-shipment inspection certificate as per the format in Annexure-I to Appendix-5* from any Inspection & Certification agencies given in Appendix-5* to the effect that:
+ The consignment does not contain any type of arms, ammunition, mines, shells, cartridges, radio active contaminated or any other explosive material in any form either used or otherwise.
+ The imported item (s) is actually a metallic waste/ scrap/ seconds/ defective as per the internationally accepted parameters for such a classification.
- Copy of the contract between the importer and the exporter stipulating that the consignment does not contain any type of arms, ammunition, mines, shells, cartridges, radio active contaminated, or any other explosive material in any form either used or otherwise.
* To download the format in Annexure-I to Appendix-5 and the list of Inspection and certification agencies, just visit the website http://164.100.9.245/exim/2000/apndxftp0809/appnd-5.pdf.
Condition-II: Import of scrap would take place only through the following designated ports and no exceptions would be allowed even in case of EOUs (Export Oriented Unit), SEZs (Special Economic Zone): Designated Ports:
1. Chennai
2. Cochin
3. Ennore
4. JNPT
5. Kandla
6. Mormugao
7. Mumbai
8. New Mangalore
9. Paradip
10. Tuticorin
11. Vishakhapatnam
12. ICD Loni, Ghaziabad
13. Pipava
14. Mundra
15. Kolkata
16. ICD Ludhiana
17. ICD Dadri (Greater Noida)
18. ICD Nagpur
19. ICD Jodhpur
20. ICD Jaipur,
21. ICD Udaipur
22. CFS Mulund
23. ICD Kanpur
24. ICD Ahmedabad
25. ICD Pitampur
26. ICD Malanpur Note: ICD stands for Inland Container Depot.
Condition III: Condition III* in the old procedure is no longer in use and is deleted in the amended procedure. *Condition III stated that “New system of import from registered sources will come into effect from 01.10.2007. However, in cases where Bill of Lading is dated 30.09.2007 or before, imports will be allowed on the basis of Pre-Shipment Inspection regime in terms of Para 2.32 of the HBP v1, notified vide Public Notice No. 1 dated 08.04.2005 and as amended from time to time, till new system of import from registered sources comes into effect. List of Pre-Shipment Agencies notified under earlier regime is available on DGFT web site”.
Division 2.32.A- In case any agency wishes to be enlisted under Appendix 5, they may furnish an application to the office of Director General of Foreign Trade with the following documents:
- A brief on the activities of the agency, its history, membership, organizational structure, manpower, etc.
- Infrastructural setup, logistics, testing labs etc. for carrying out the inspection of metallic scrap.
- List of companies/agencies for which testing has been carried out.
Division 2.32.3- However, import of other kinds of metallic waste and scrap will be allowed in terms of conditions of Indian Trade Classification (Harmonised System) (ITC (HS)).
Division 2.32.4- Import policy for seconds and defective, rags, PET bottles / waste, and ships is given in ITC (HS).
No major amendments were made to the old trade procedure other than the addition of paragraph 2.32.A and the deletion of condition III.
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TILTING TYPE ROTARY FURNACES (TTRF)
Tilting rotary furnaces are used for melting Aluminium Scrap and dross. A tilting type rotary furnace (TTRF or TRF) is in fact an ‘inclined rotating well’ which associates the benefits of rotary furnaces, reverberatory furnaces and dry-hearth furnaces in a single machine. In fact, the concept of these furnaces has been around for a long time and was used before the Second World War in the copper industry. However, the technology of the earlier days was not able to extract the full benefit from this simple but ingenious design. Today, with advances in mechanical engineering, hydraulics, refractories and particularly process control, the concept reveals all its features.
FEATURES OF TILTING ROTARY FURNACES (TTRF)
• Improving working conditions for furnace-men.
• Melting a wide range of feedstock.
• Diminishing or eliminating metal pollution by trace elements in the charge (For example free iron)
• Facilitating charge mixing and homogeneity.
• Provides lining ‘Self Cleaning’
• Consumes less energy and has high thermal yields.
• Ensures 2 to 3 times faster melting rates than old conventional furnaces.
In recent years, the tilting type rotary furnaces has taken a new look. The old style open door cement mixer is now replaced by computerized controls, sealed door and the latest generation of oxy/fuel burners. The high flame radiation of the oxy/fuel burner system and the capability to control furnace atmosphere makes the TTRF the most energy efficient system available.
The ability to melt multiple alloys without the use of chlorine or preprocessing is a tremendous economic and environmental benefit to the secondary melting industry.
Dry process melting drastically reduces contamination of the refractory lining; providing flexibility for the refiner. It is possible to change alloys to meet customer demands without costly, time-consuming “wash heats”. The only restriction in this type of tilting rotary furnaces is the physical size of the charge material. The TTRF offers a 54 inch diameter opening to receive the charge material into the furnace.
The core of the TTRF s its computer control and the optical real time display. The computer controls and displays all operating parameters including rpm, chamber temperature, metal condition, oxy/fuel burner power and ratio. In order to know when the metal is molten a graphical display indicates the power required for rotation as a function of time (Fig). A dramatic and sudden decrease in output power is an indication to the operator that the metal is ready to pour.
The tilt rotary furnace is not a new concept and has been in existence since 1970. As a result of requirements for less costly melting processes, development of new technology, and the economics of purchasing less costly scrap, MDY, a technology based company with experience and expertise in melting and process improvement, modified old control principles and designs in 1995 to what they are today.
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By the year 2020, the Aluminium demand is projected to get increased to 70 million tonnes, with over 30 million tonnes obtained from recycled scrap. Recycling Aluminium that is currently in use as cars, commercial vehicles, ships, airplanes etc would equal up to 18 years of primary Aluminium output. The amount of Aluminium produced from old scrap has been growing from 1.4 million tonnes in 1980 to a whooping 6.8 million tonnes in 2004. The transport sector has been the most important resource of recycled Aluminium. Today recycled Aluminium is produced from 44% transport, 28% packaging, 10% engineering and cables and only a mere 7% from building applications due to its long use phase. Shown in the fig is a graphical representation of Aluminium scrap sources.
However, Aluminium recycling will undergo major changes through the next decade. Buildings that contributes only 7% of aluminium scrap now; will represent up to 33%, recycled aluminium from transport will fall down to 32%. The schematic representation of the forecast is shown in the fig.
The growing markets for Aluminium are supplied by both primary and recycled metal sources. The increase in demand for Aluminium and long life time of the products mean that the overall volume of primary metal will continue to be noticeably greater than the volume of recycled metal.
It will be clear from the representation that the volume of primary metal will continue to be much more than recycled Aluminium if recycling rate is not increased.
GLOBAL ENERGY SAVINGS DUE TO ALUMINIUM RECYCLING
Recycling Aluminium saves up to 95% of energy required for primary Aluminium productions thereby avoiding harmful emissions including green house gases. Improving overall recycling rate of Aluminium is very much essential for sustainable development. Today, recycling of Aluminium scrap saves up to 80 million tonnes of green house emissions per year, which is equivalent to the emission of 15 million cars. The reduction in Co2 emissions in future by the End-life Aluminium recycling is predicted and shown below.
The objective of the Aluminium industry for 2020 or beyond is to reduce the green house emissions, conserve less energy and avoid dependence on natural resources; with the help of recycling. All the energy inefficient materials used today will be replaced by Aluminium (especially transport applications). And so the demand for the same will shoot up. Inorder to eliminate the energy losses during the production of Aluminium due to this increased demand, recycling of Aluminium scrap has to be followed from now!
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Let us start with the life cycle of aluminium can. Metals don't have life anyway. To make this passage interesting, let's assume that metals are living things
Here in a processing unit, an aluminium-can is born. Meanwhile let me tell you a fun fact, every 3 seconds, a human baby is born, in mean time 140 cans are born! Alright here a new born aluminium can goes to the self of a beverage store and ready to be sold. Someone purchases the beverage, enjoys it, and the empty aluminium can is thrown in a recycle bin. This scrap aluminium can is easily separated from other scrap and are taken for the recycling process. There he is melted in a furnace, rolled into sheets in mills and then new beverage can is made.
However this recycling process completes within 60 days. So after 60 days, the old dead beverage can gets a rebirth. He is back on the self again for business, yelling “I am back.” Yes the fact is aluminium never wears out, it can be recycled forever. “Aluminium never dies!” And the important fact about aluminium is that it never looses its properties. So a scrap aluminium-can becomes a new one in 60 days, it’s “can to can in 60 days”
Though this story is imaginary, the facts told about aluminium are true. That is, the scrap aluminium-can can be recycled within 60 days and reused as a new can without any loss in the metal properties. And aluminium can be recycled for many number of times. So if anyone sees an aluminium-can lying in roadside, it is not just a waste, but it is a living aluminium-can crying that “I am still alive”. So “SAVE THEM!”
THE RECYCLING PROCESS
The recycling of Aluminium can is a simple four stage process.
1. Shredding- Aluminium cans which arrive in bales are shredded into pieces to the sizeo f a walnut in a shredder. The shredded pieces are then passed to a magnetic separator to remove the impurities.
2. Decoating- Decoating is done to maximize energy efficiency. Lacquer from the branded and decorated cans is removed by blowing hot air (around 500ºC) through the shreds in a decoater, on a slowly-moving insulated conveyor.
3. Melting- The hot, shredded, decoated aluminium is fed into the furnaces and melted. The furnaces have state of the art regenerative burners and a burner management system to reduce the amount of energy used.
4. Casting- Ingots are cast by tilting the holding furnace and pouring the molten metal - via a two-stage process to remove any remaining minute non-metallic particles and gases - into a vertical casting unit. Chemical composition and metal cleanliness are then tested on each cast. As the metal flows into the mould, it is chilled by jets of cool water being pumped around the mould, and a solidified outer shell is formed. The ingot solidifies gradually during the casting process, which takes approximately three hours. The ingots, which each contain around 1.6m used drinks cans, are then shipped on to a mill for rolling into the sheet from which can makers subsequently produce new cans.
Aluminum cans distinguish them as the most recycled and most recyclable beverage container in the world. An awesome 105,784 cans are recycled every minute nationwide.
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I remember those good old days, when the air was clean to breathe, water was clear to drink and the land was full of fresh green vegetation to have healthy food. However a lot of environmental problems now affect the entire world. I am even unable to breath due to this pollute air. Today to drink some fresh water, it has to be purified using several methods. We can find fresh green vegetables no more.
According to me, of the various kinds of problems faced by our planet, the depletion of non-renewable natural resources is the major concern. The increased demands of Aluminium nowadays claim more energy and mineral resources. However, based on my experiences, every problem will have its causes, effects and most importantly a solution. In the case of depletion of natural resources, the unique solution is to “Recycle.” The usage of recycled metal saves both energy and mineral resources needed for primary production.
The well known fact about aluminium is that anything made of Aluminium could be recycled for ‘n’ number of times and can be reused. Moreover the atomic structure of the same never changes, no matter the number of times it has been recycled. Moreover, recycling one kilogram of aluminium can save up to 8 kilograms of bauxite, four kilograms of chemical products and 14 kilowatt hours of electricity. It is the good news regarding the increased usage of Aluminium. The only thing is, we have use recycled Aluminium.
Aluminium scrap is collected and recycled everywhere in the World. Recycling of Aluminium plays a key role in Europe, North America and Japan. By the year 2020, the metal demand is projected to shoot up to 70 million tonnes. The challenge for the metal Industry is to satisfy the ever increasing demand for Aluminium, at the same time reducing any negative impacts to the environment. Recycling of Aluminium is the best way to meet the emerging Industrial needs and to eliminate environmental risks and conserve energy. Also, recycling aluminum creates 97% less water pollution than producing new metal from ore.
We will never know the worth of water until the well is dry. It is high time to act to stop the depletion of non-renewable natural resources and conserve non-renewable energy sources. So recycle and reuse whatever it is possible to do so and save the grinning Planet.
“Good Planets are hard to find, don’t blow it”-Quoted in time.
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