ERSUC's Mechanical and Biological Treatment Units are located at the Integrated MSW Treatment Centres in Aveiro and Coimbra.

What are they?

They are industrial units where municipal waste (MW) is treated with a view to separating it into different streams in order to maximise the recovery of recyclable and recoverable materials.

How does it work?

Waste is received through a double door system that ensures odours are confined inside. The UR is deposited in pits and then, using claws mounted on overhead cranes, sent for mechanical treatment where, through multiple unit operations, it is divided into several streams: organic matter, recyclables (cardboard, plastic, ferrous and non-ferrous metals), RDF and waste.

- These operations are fully automatic and include the screening of RU, opening of bags, ballistic separation, separation of ferrous metals, separation of aluminium, infrared optical separators and the preparation of organic suspension, with the following separation taking place:

- Recyclables are sent to the recycling industry, where they are transformed into raw materials for the production of new products. Organic matter is transformed into an aqueous suspension, which is then refined using purification equipment to remove impurities (sand, glass, stones, etc.).

Once purified, this suspension undergoes biological treatment, which consists of a series of sequential operations, including anaerobic digestion and subsequent energy recovery, pre-composting in closed tunnels, composting on a plateau and final refining, which produces a product with properties suitable for soil enrichment: compost.