The Eagle Edge 350 can produce mulch from the treads and sidewalls of tires ranging from 33 inches to 63 inches in rim size.

Eagle International, Lyons, Nebraska, has debuted the Eagle Edge 360, which is designed to produce high-quality mulch from the treads and sidewalls of over-the-road (OTR) tires ranging from 33 inches to 63 inches in rim size.

The design features rasp heads in three locations at varying angles. Multiple rasp heads increase the surface area that can be claimed as mulch and speeds up cycle time, according to the company. In addition, operators can shred rubber mulch from the tread and sidewall simultaneously.

“Our goal with this machine was to incorporate automation,” says Joe Brehmer, president of Brehmer Mfg. Inc., the parent company of Eagle International. “Once the machine has been set up, and you tell it how wide the tire tread is, the programmable logic controls (PLCs) take over.”

The Edge 360 uses semiautomation through PLCs that adjust for speed and rasp pressure, according to the company. The PCLs maximize efficiency by providing consistent pressure and tire rotation to remove mulch evenly across the whole surface of the tread. Operators also control rasp angle and depth with a remote function, Eagle International says.

The entire system includes the Edge 360, a high-efficiency vacuum, cyclone, magnet, conveyor, hopper and bag stand.

“I wanted the Edge 360 to have an element of transportability that Eagle International equipment is known for,” Brehmer says. “We designed this machine to come apart in sections so you can transport it to different locations. You can set up where the stock tires are being stored, recover your mulch and tear down to move on to the next location.”

The plant, to be built in Beerse, Belgium, will use a hydrometallurgical process.

Aurubis, a leading global provider of nonferrous metals and one of the largest copper recyclers in the world, has announced that it is building a hydrometallurgical recycling facility at its Beerse site in Belgium.

At the new Advanced Sludge Processing by Aurubis (ASPA) facility, anode sludge, a valuable intermediate product from electrolytic copper refining, from the company’s recycling sites in Beerse and Lünen, Germany, will be processed. The new process will enable faster extraction of more precious metals, such as gold and silver, as well as tin from the anode sludge, according to Aurubis.

Aurubis acquired the site in Beerse when it purchased the Metallo Group from the investment firm TowerBrook Capital Partners in 2020. This site processes about 250,000 tons of multimetal scrap annually, ranging from complex residues to higher grade scrap types, producing metals, metal products and minerals, the company says.

Since the acquisition of the Metallo Group, Aurubis says it has further expanded its role as one of the world’s leading copper recyclers, processing roughly 1 million tons annually.

“Metal recycling is a core business area for Aurubis,” Heiko Arnold, chief operating officer of Aurubis AG, which is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, says. “This is how we contribute significantly to the circular economy.”

He adds, “With ASPA, our production in Beerse is becoming faster, more efficient and with less valuable metal loss. The new facility is also a prime example of the synergies created by the acquisition of Metallo and how the whole company benefits in developing new innovative solutions together. ASPA uses the in-house recycling know-how of the Beerse plant and grafts it into the processes of other Aurubis plants.”

“We have been working on perfecting the ASPA process for more than three years,” Dirk Vandenberghe, managing director for Beerse, says. “This is a special and very important project for us because it allows us to get more valuable metals out of the same intermediate product and to do it faster than before.

“The newly developed hydrometallurgical process significantly increases the valorization of valuable metals, such as tin and precious metals. “There will be more metals that can be reused. For us, this is the circular economy at its best,” he adds.

Aurubis says it is investing 27 million euros in the project at Beerse. Detailed engineering and approval processes for ASPA are underway. The start of construction for the facility is planned for the second quarter of 2022 and the commissioning for early 2024.

 “We are leveraging synergies, strengthening and securing the Beerse site with ASPA. We are creating new jobs and increasing the plant’s importance for the whole group,” Arnold says. “Its central geographical position between the involved sites enables us to keep the transport distance of the intermediates low.”

Metal recycling is becoming increasingly complex, according to Aurubis, as the number of metals used in discarded electronic consumer goods has risen, and the design of these devices is becoming more intricate. Therefore, the company says, sustainably valorizing metals from this end-of-life material stream requires special recycling skills and investment in research and development.

“ASPA is taking metal recycling to the next level,” Arnold says. “We combine efficiency and speed to get even more out of it. It’s a complex process. However, recycling as many components as possible and harnessing the potential of ‘urban mining’— which means using the city as a raw material depot—for scrap metal is crucial to closing  the waste loop and catering to the increased demand for metals in a resource-efficient way.”

Sheila Lipsey joins the company.

Schupan & Sons Inc., with headquarters in Kalamazoo, Michigan, has announced the addition of Sheila Lipsey as vice president of human resources. She joined the company July 6.

Lipsey will be responsible for developing the company’s human resources strategy and will work alongside management and division presidents to drive performance, teamwork and employee development to meet Schupan’s long-term business objectives.

She joins Schupan from Altium Packaging, where she most recently worked as human resources director. Lipsey will report to Schupan Chief Operating Officer Tom Emmerich and will be on the executive leadership team.

“Sheila’s experience, passion and insights will play a vital role as Schupan continues to grow its business, employees and environmental commitments,” Emmerich says. “Her leadership will be critical as we continue to invest in the talent and ongoing skills needed for a global workforce.”

Lipsey holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration: human resources management from Western Michigan University. She also is Senior Professional in Human Resource certified, completed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration 30-Hour General Industry and 30-Hour Construction Industry trainings, is certified as a professional coach and Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner.

Schupan & Sons Inc. is a third-generation, family-owned metals and plastics business specializing in industrial and electronics recycling, asset management, fabrication and distribution, beverage container processing and materials trading. The company has 15 facilities throughout Michigan, Ohio and Indiana and was incorporated in 1968 by Nelson L. Schupan.

The program brings together the Glass Recycling Foundation, GlassKing, Constellation Brands, LRS and Strategic Materials.

Brands and key players in the glass recycling industry in Chicago have launched the Don’t Trash Glass Program (DTG). The eight-week program seeks to collect glass containers at Greater Chicago area bars and restaurants to be recycled into new bottles, fiberglass and more. 

The program is funded by the nonprofit Glass Recycling Foundation (GRF) based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in partnership with Legacy Marketing in Chicago and beer importer Constellation Brands of Victor, New York. The organizations and businesses involved in the program include glass hauler GlassKing, of Phoenix, waste hauler Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) and glass recycler Strategic Materials, which is headquartered in Houston.

“We are thankful for the opportunity to pilot Don’t Trash Glass in Chicago. The need is clear, and partnering with Corona, GlassKing, Lakeshore Recycling and Strategic Materials shows the value of partnerships across the industry,” says Scott DeFife, president of the Glass Packaging Institute and Glass Recycling Foundation. 

According to a news release from the GRF, the program provides an opportunity for glass-intensive retailers, such as bars and restaurants, to divert glass from the landfill so that it can be recycled. The goal is to create a self-sustaining program that will be scalable in other parts of the country.  

“We are thrilled about this partnership and the impact of diverting and recycling glass, creating a full circle for recycling right in the Greater Chicago area,” says Rose King, chief operating officer of GlassKing.

Glass bottles and containers collected for the Don’t Trash Glass Program will become new containers or fiberglass. GlassKing will bring the collected glass to the LRS facility, which operates a single-stream recycling facility at its Heartland Recycling Center in Forest View, Illinois.

“LRS is very excited to be a part of this pilot outreach program to get more people educated on the importance of recycling glass and encouraging more businesses to recycle in Chicagoland,” says LRS CEO Alan T. Handley. He adds that the company’s Heartland Recycling Center handles more than 110,000 tons of high-grade residential and commercial single-stream recyclables per year and sorts, separates and allocates more than 20 tons of waste per hour.

The GRF says Strategic Materials is the largest glass processor in the United States, and it operates a location in Chicago. The company’s process separates and cleans glass to be sold to bottle and fiberglass insulation manufacturers, creating full recycling circularity. 

“Bar and restaurant collection programs are a great way to divert more glass from landfills and into the local circular economy,” says Laura Hennemann, vice president of communications at Strategic Materials. “The glass bottles in this program will be enjoyed, collected and recycled all within the Chicagoland area, and back as a new bottle in less than 30 days.” 

The company says revenue growth exceeded expectations driven by accelerated volume recovery.

Waste Management (WM), Houston, has announced its financial results for the second quarter, which ended June 30. During the quarter, WM saw growth due to the economy’s recovery from the pandemic, says Jim Fish, CEO of WM.

“In the second quarter, adjusted operating earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) grew 28 percent. Adjusted operating EBITDA margin expanded 50 basis points, and we generated more than $1 billion of cash from operations,” Fish says. “We continue to execute on our pricing programs and efficiently manage our costs as volumes return.”

According to a news release from WM, in the second quarter, revenue increased $425 million in the company’s collection and disposal business, when excluding the impact of acquisitions and divestitures. This is compared with the second quarter of 2020, driven by $307 million in volume increases and $118 million in growth from yield.

The company also reported a $305 million increase in revenue primarily from the acquisition of Advanced Disposal, Ponte Vedra, Florida.

Operating EBITDA in the company’s collection and disposal business, adjusted on the same basis as a total company operating EBITDA, was $1.41 billion, or 32 percent of revenue, for the second quarter of 2021. This is compared with $1.14 billion, or 32.1 percent of revenue, for the second quarter of 2020.

The company says operating EBITDA for its recycling line of business by $56 million and its renewable energy line of business has improved by $14 million.

Expenditures in 2021 were $396 million compared with $436 million in the second quarter of 2020. Free cash flow was $649 million compared to $423 million in the second quarter of 2020.

During the second quarter of 2021, $492 million was returned to shareholders, including $242 million of cash dividends and $250 million of share repurchases.

Moving forward, the company says it is projecting total company revenue growth to be 15.5 percent to 16 percent in 2021. Combined internal revenue growth from yield and volume in the collection and disposal business is expected to be 5.5 percent or greater. Adjusted operating EBITDA is expected to be between $5 billion and $5.1 billion and free cash flow is projected to be between $2.5 billion and $2.6 billion in 2021. 

The company says it is on target to capture between $80 million and $85 million in cost synergies in 2021 from the acquisition of Advanced Disposal, which is on track to achieve $150 million in total annual run-rate synergies from cost and capital savings. 

“Strong performance across all of our businesses—collection and disposal, recycling and renewable energy—generated outstanding results so far this year,” Fish says. “Our focus on disciplined pricing and cost management helped to offset the inflationary cost pressures we have seen, and we expect to continue this focus into the second half of the year to help us deliver on our new, higher outlook. I want to thank each of our team members for their contributions to our success.”