Ferrovial Services, through the Environment Competence Centre, in collaboration with the MIT –Massachusetts Institute of Technology– has developed software to optimise the design and operation of mechanical waste treatment plants.
Specifically, this new tool will improve recovery rates of urban waste treatment plants. The pilot project was carried out in the Toledo Ecopark and will serve both the design of new facilities to improve the efficiency of facilities currently in operation.
The software named Modelling of Mechanical Separation Systems, is based on a mathematical model that analyses the different waste separation phases and predicts parameters such as the composition of recyclable waste, the efficiency of recovery and cost and revenue estimates for each tonne of material recovered. After this pilot project, the new software will be implemented in various Ferrovial Services facilities in order to move forward with the experimental phase.
Circular economy: waste treatment
Also, as part of its commitment to the development of the circular economy, Ferrovial Services will develop a new system for recycling plastic waste. This project, which will be carried out in consortium with five other firms (Calaf Industrial, Contenur, Figueres, Cromogenia and Galloplast) will be funded by the CDTI, Centre for the Industrial Technological Development, through a grant from the European Regional Development Fund.
The project called ‘R3BORN’ is focused on MIX plastic processing, which is formed by mixing different types of plastics (one of the most complex materials to recycle). The purpose of this initiative is to discover new applications or methods to recover this waste in order to prevent at least a proportion of it from finishing up in a landfill site. Plastic waste managed in contracts for collection and treatment of waste can consequently be transformed into a secondary raw material.
Environment Competence Centre
The Ferrovial Services Environment Competence Centre provides full technical support throughout the cycle of use of environmental assets, from the initial study, the adapted design, bidding, supervision during construction and ongoing support, in addition to the research and development solutions for managing, treating and recovering waste.
