An almost full landfill looks like a problem with no way out. But waste deposited ten or twenty years ago is not just volume, it is material: metals that have not fully rusted, plastic that has not degraded, cover soil that can be reused. A landfill reclamation sorting line recovers it and gives you the space back.
The practice is known internationally as landfill mining or landfill reclamation, and the economic logic is twofold. You recover sellable materials and, more importantly, you extend the landfill's life by years instead of opening a new cell, which is far more expensive and far harder to permit. See the full range of waste sorting equipment and where each machine sits in the flow.
Key Advantages of a Landfill Reclamation Line
• It gives you the landfill space back, an almost full landfill can be extended by years by recovering materials from already deposited waste, instead of opening a new cell.
• Five stages in a single flow, screening, air separation, magnetic separation and optical sorting work in series, so old waste yields clean fractions rather than a mixture.
• Enclosed system, odour controlled, old waste is aggressive in smell, and fully enclosing the flow plus treating the air makes operation acceptable near inhabited areas.
• It recovers stabilised organic matter, the fine fraction of old waste is already fermented and can be used as technical soil or cover material.
• It reduces the environmental burden, less deposited waste means less leachate and less landfill gas generated over the long term.
• Intelligent control, the system monitors operation in real time from a touch screen and adjusts the working regime automatically.
Technical Specifications, Landfill Reclamation Line
| Stage | Equipment | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Feeding | Feed conveyor | Uniform introduction of the excavated waste |
| 2. Preliminary screening | Trommel screen, screens | Separating the coarse fraction and non-recyclables |
| 3. Air separation | Air separator | Separating the wet fraction and the organic matter |
| 4. Fine sorting | Magnetic separator, optical sorter | Extracting metals, plastic and paper |
| 5. Grading | Conveyors and storage | Separate storage of each fraction |
| Environmental protection | Enclosed system, air treatment | Reducing odour, dust and gases |
| Control | Intelligent system, touch screen | Real-time monitoring, automatic adjustment |
Capacity, configuration and the number of stages are set from the composition of the waste in your landfill, which varies widely with age, local climate and the deposition practices of the time. An on-site analysis is mandatory before sizing.
Applications for Landfill Recovery
• Almost full municipal landfills, extending service life by recovering the volume occupied by recoverable material.
• Closing non-compliant landfills, treating the waste before relocation or final closure of the cell.
• Land recovery, freeing up surfaces for other uses, particularly in peri-urban areas.
• Alternative fuel production, the combustible fraction from old waste often has good calorific value after drying.
• Organic matter recovery, the stabilised fine fraction can be used as cover material or technical soil.
• Metal recovery, old waste often contains significant quantities of ferrous and non-ferrous metal, at current prices.
How It Works
The flow has five stages. First, feeding: waste excavated from the landfill is introduced onto the feed conveyor at a controlled rate. Second, preliminary screening, done with a trommel screen and screens, separates the coarse fraction from the rest and removes worthless material from the outset. The third stage is air separation, where the air stream splits the light fraction from the heavy one and extracts moisture and organic matter from the wet waste, yielding a fraction that can be recovered as stabilised organic material. The fourth stage is fine sorting, in which magnetic separation removes the iron and optical sorting identifies and extracts the plastic, paper and remaining recyclables. The fifth stage is grading, in which each recovered category is stored separately, ready for recovery. Over all of this sits one aspect that is not optional with old waste: the entire flow is enclosed and the air is treated, because excavated material gives off strong odour, dust and gases. The intelligent control system monitors operation from a touch screen and adjusts the working regime without constant operator intervention.
Selection Guide
Here, more than with any other equipment, sizing cannot be done from a catalogue. The composition of old waste varies enormously: a landfill from thirty years ago in a rural area contains something entirely different from one from ten years ago in a large city. Age determines how far fermentation has progressed, climate determines moisture, and the deposition practices of the time determine how much recoverable material ended up there. That is why the first stage is always an on-site analysis, with sample excavations at several points and several depths. Only once you know what is in the landfill can capacity, stage configuration and, most importantly, whether the operation is viable be established. We will tell you honestly if it is not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it economically worth sorting old waste?
It depends on two things: what your landfill contains and what the recovered space is worth. In many cases the recovered materials alone do not cover the cost, but extending the landfill's life by several years, compared with the cost of opening a new cell, changes the calculation entirely. The on-site analysis gives the answer, and if the answer is no, we say so.
What is actually recovered from old waste?
Most consistently, the fine fraction of stabilised organic matter, usable as cover material or technical soil, and metals, which survive well over time and fetch good prices. Plastic is partially recovered, depending on how far it has degraded. The combustible fraction can go to RDF briquetting after drying.
How is odour controlled?
By fully enclosing the flow and treating the extracted air. Excavated waste gives off intense odour, dust and accumulated gases, and without an enclosed system operating near inhabited areas becomes impossible from a permitting standpoint. It is not an option, it is a condition of operation.
Why is an on-site analysis needed?
Because no two landfills are alike. Waste age, local climate and the deposition practices of the period determine composition, moisture and the degree of fermentation. Without sample excavations at several points and depths, any sizing is guesswork, and a badly sized line is a lost investment.
Is the equipment supplied new?
Yes. We supply new units only, made to order for your application, with complete technical documentation.
What maintenance does a complete line need?
Every machine in the line has its own schedule, but the critical points with old waste are the trommel screen panels, which blind faster because of moisture and sticky material, the air treatment system filters, and the conveyors, which run on highly abrasive material. A stock of wear parts is provided from the start.
Why URSTAG?
URSTAG is a premium brand of recycling equipment, with over 15 years of experience. You don't just get a machine, you get a solution engineered by specialists, built from top-tier components and backed by a team that supports you from design through commissioning.
• European engineering, every machine and every complete line is designed by our engineering teams in Europe, with a focus on reliability, safety and energy efficiency.
• Premium components, we build on motors and automation from industry leaders: Siemens, Schneider Electric, ABB, WEG, SEW-Eurodrive, NORD Drivesystems and Bonfiglioli.
• Over 15 years of experience, we know how materials and machines behave in real-world operation, and we configure each solution for your flow and volume.
• New equipment, configured for you, we supply new units, made to order for your application, with complete technical documentation.
• Delivery, installation and training included, we handle transport, commissioning and operator training, with support throughout the equipment's life.
As a premium brand, URSTAG relies on European engineering, top-tier components and experience. You choose a partner that supports your production long term, with equipment built to run reliably in demanding industrial environments.
