scrap metal shredder

Some examples of scrap metal materials that are commonly shredded are:

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• Tin cans
• Aluminum cans/Aluminum waste
• Tin box containers
• Tin
• Iron
• Copper tube
• Coins
• Computer recycling
• Bulk drums
• Home appliance recycling
• Television sets
• Washing machines
• Waste electrical

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Car crushers are large machines that turn a car into a large bucket of scrap steel and the rest of the car into non-ferrous materials, plastics and waste called automotive shredder residue. The glass, fabric, plastic, and all other non-ferrous materials are separated by eddy current magnets in place of heavy media separation. The non-ferrous materials may be referred to as "zorba".{{Cite web |url=https://dailygazette.com/article/2018/07/12/albany-scrap-metal-processor-to-install-massive-shredder |title=Albany scrap metal processor to install massive shredder |last=Cropley |first=John |date=July 12, 2018 |website=The Daily Gazette |access-date=October 27, 2018}} Often the profit from the non-ferrous materials covers the operating cost for the shredder.

When a metal shredder starts, the material enters into the tear box through the feeding system. The tear blade is loaded on the box. The material is torn into small pieces through the tear, extrusion and shear of the tear blade, and is discharged from the lower part of the box.[http://www.sg-shredder.com/Products/Industrial_Shredder/Metal_Shredder.html metal shredder]

Metal scrap recycling, also called secondary metal processing, is a large industry that processes, in the U.S. alone, 56 million tons of scrap iron and steel (including 10 million tons of scrap automobiles), 1.5 million tons of scrap copper, 2.5 million tons of scrap aluminum, 1.3 million tons of scrap lead, 300,000 tons of scrap zinc and 800,000 tons of scrap stainless steel, and smaller quantities of other metals, on a yearly basis.{{Cite web |url=https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/recycling/recycling_scrap_metal.html |title=Recycling – Scrap Metal Recycling |website=US Occupational Safety and Health Administration |access-date=October 27, 2018}}

Scrap metal shredders can be equipped with different types of cutting systems: horizontal shaft, vertical shaft, single-shaft, two-shaft, three-shaft and four-shaft cutting systems. These shredder designs can be high speed, medium speed and sometimes slow-speed systems, they always include hammermills of a vertical and horizontal shaft design, and can also include in contrast to hammer mills slow speed technology which are also used to process or shred metal and plastic and other waste materials encountered in the scrap metal industry.

The largest scrap metal shredders in the world often have 10,000 horsepower (hp) and are made by a wide range of companies. The designs originate from the 1966 patent applications of the Newell Group and the Williams Group for auto shredding or scrap metal shredding.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}} One example is the 9,200 hp shredder from the Lynxs group at the Sims plant at the mouth of the River Usk in Newport Wales. This Lynxs shredder can process 450 cars per hour.{{Cite news|url=https://gizmodo.com/5893440/the-worlds-biggest-auto-shredder-eats-450-cars-an-hour/|title=The World's Biggest Auto Shredder Eats 450 Cars an Hour|last=Tarantola|first=Andrew|work=Gizmodo|access-date=October 27, 2018}} However, the Lynxs shredders are not unique in this high hp range design. The Schnitzer Steel group installed their own custom made 10,000 hp unit in 1980, and there are many Newell Shredders that have these high hp designs. A 9,000 horsepower Mega Shredder at Sims Metal Management's Claremont Terminal in Jersey City, New Jersey processes 4,000 tons of metal a day.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2013/04/behold_the_mega_shredder_jerse.html|title=Behold the Mega Shredder: Jersey City recycling plant turns cars to confetti in seconds|date=April 28, 2013|work=The Star-Ledger|access-date=October 27, 2018}}

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An engineered enclosure may be used to contain noise and dust.{{Cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-general-iron-scrap-shredder-east-side-pollution-20180714-story.html|title=Planned move of scrap shredder alarms Southeast Side pollution fighters: 'We're tired of being the city's dumping ground'|last=Hawthorne|first=Michael|date=July 19, 2018|work=Chicago Tribune|access-date=October 27, 2018}} In 2018, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control requested public comment on plans to implement enforceable operating requirements for scrap metal shredders.{{Cite web|url=https://ohsonline.com/articles/2018/06/11/hearing-for-metal-shredders.aspx|title=Hearing Concerns Proposed California Regulations for Metal Shredders|date=June 11, 2018|website=Occupational Health & Safety|access-date=October 27, 2018}}

In Houston, the carcinogenic substance hexavalent chromium was identified as an emission from a scrap recycling facility.{{Cite news|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Danger-in-air-near-metal-recyclers-4154951.php|title=Danger in air near metal recyclers|last=Lobet|first=Ingrid|date=December 30, 2012|work=Houston Chronicle|access-date=October 27, 2018}}

• Crusher
• Pollution
• Pulverizer

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{{Reflist}}

• [http://giecdn.blob.core.windows.net/fileuploads/file/rt_auto_shredder_poster.pdf Map of Metal Shredding Locations in the United States], Recycling Today

Category:Recycling

Category:Waste management