Typical Costs and Income of A Waste Free in 23 (WF23) Micro Recycling Center (MRC)
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WF23 empowers individuals and communities to recycle/upcycle ALL household wastes to eliminate transportation costs, dumping and burning of waste.
Processing organic / food waste/ manure can be a profitable enterprise with Black soldier fly larvae, composting and biogas. The focus should be on BSFL as they consume organic waste and then become livestock feed – a very valuable product. Initial costs are very low – training, a net and eggs or adult black soldier flies.
Costs and Income
- $10 USD for 5kg of waste a day resulting in ½ kg of livestock feed per day
- 1/2kg is sufficient for 5 chickens which can produce 5 eggs per day
- 5 eggs can produce an income of $.50 per day.
- BSFL waste = organic compost has value
- BSFL waste as feed stock to Biogas system has value
Upcycling / Recycling / Processing Plastics can be a profitable enterprise by optimizing the value & environmental benefit of the 3 categories of plastics:
- SOFT plastics – ldpe, pp, etc. NOT pvc
With minimal sorting and cleaning these plastics can be pressed into sheets then formed or assembled into a large variety of products which can be sold or used.
- PVC, thermoset plastics
These plastics are best used as a substitute for small aggregate /aka sand in concrete. While the value is minimal the benefit to the environment is great since sand is typically used at a great cost.
Replacing 10% of the sand in concrete with plastic has no appreciable impact on concrete strength.
- PET, PETE, ABS, PC
If clean and segregated these plastics can be sold in bulk for $50 to $500 USD per tonne. If not sold they can be processed in a heat press using a different process. – same equipment – to make products.
Costs and Income
- A heat press and associated tooling costs $400 to build in community and can process 500kg or more per day
- Additional equipment is a shredder and bailer but are not required
- $.10 per kg is approximate value of a soft plastic panel 10’ x 36”
- $.05 per kg is the approximate value of a PET, PETE, etc.
- An MRC that takes in 1 tonne of mixed plastic per day with a team of 6 workers can generate $75 USD per day of value…and more if products can be produced that have more value. Electricity costs approximately $10 USD per day.