Collections and residual materials

Collections and residual materials
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HAVE YOU NOTICED ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR BIN OR WHEELS AFTER THE COLLECTION?

If you notice that your bin or wheel has been damaged during waste collection, please contact the MRC de Temiscamingue at 819 634-2233, ext. 22

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FROM BIN TO RECYCLING: FOLLOW THE JOURNEY OF YOUR MATERIALS

Ever wondered what happens to your recyclables once they're placed in your bin?

Discover, in 16 steps, the real journey of your materials at the Tricentris sorting center.

FIRST THINGS FIRST: SORTING STARTS AT HOME

The best sorting is the one done right at the source.

STEP 1 - UNLOADING

What happens:

Collection trucks unload the materials picked up from curbside recycling bins. A truck like this can carry up to six tonnes of recyclable materials.

STEP 2 - FEEDING THE LINE

What happens:

Using a wheel loader, the materials are placed onto the first conveyor belt to feed the plant's sorting line.

STEP 3 - PRE-SORTING

What happens:

Sorters perform an initial check to remove large unwanted items and anything that could be dangerous for the team or cause damage or blockages in the equipment.

STEP 4 - CARDBOARD SEPARATOR

What happens:

This equipment performs an initial mechanical sort to separate cardboard from the rest of the materials. Cardboard moves over the rotating shafts, while other materials fall through.

STEP 5 - CARDBOARD

What happens:

Sorters refine the work of the cardboard separator by removing anything that isn't cardboard and ensuring that boxes, even when flattened, are completely empty.

STEP 6 - OTHER MATERIALS

What happens:

Materials that pass through the rotating shafts of the cardboard separator are redirected to the ballistic separators for further sorting.

STEP 7 - BALLISTIC SEPARATORS

What happens:

This equipment sorts materials based on their shape. Flat (2D) items, like a sheet of paper, move upward, while 3D items, like a water bottle, roll downward.

STEP 8 - OPTICAL SORTERS

What happens:

Using cameras and air jets, this equipment is programmed to identify specific materials and direct them to the right place (at the end of the conveyor, into another section further along, or upward).

STEP 9 - ALUMINUM

What happens:

Materials not selected by the optical sorters pass through an eddy current system. This equipment repels aluminum, allowing it to be separated from other containers.

STEP 10 - FINAL SORTING AFTER OPTICAL READERS

What happens:

Sorters refine the work of the optical sorters by ensuring that only the desired materials remain on the conveyor. They remove and redirect any other materials.

STEP 11 - LAST CHANCE SORTING

What happens:

Using cameras and air jets, this equipment is programmed to identify specific materials and eject them to the right place (at the end of the conveyor, into another section further along, or upward).

STEP 12 - METALS

What happens:

A magnet passes over the conveyor to remove all materials made of ferrous metal.

STEP 13 - FIBRES

What happens:

On this sorting line, several workers remove anything that is not fibre and that could affect the quality of the bales produced.

STEP 14 - STORAGE BINS

What happens:

When the storage bin for a specific sorted material is full, operators open a door to release its contents onto a conveyor leading to the baler.

STEP 15 - BALES

What happens:

The sorted materials come out of the baler (shown here in fast motion). They are compacted into bales weighing about one tonne on average.

STEP 16 - LOADING

What happens:

Recyclable materials are finally sent to recycling facilities. Each shipment contains between 20 and 24 bales of the same sorted material.

For more information on residual matters, please refer to the MRC of Temiscamingue's webpage at

www.mrctemiscamingue.org

Documents to download

Get to the complete documentation