Scrop Iron: Reported United States aggregated spot market prices per gross ton shown for each commodity are based on all Management Science Associates’ (MSA) Raw Material Data Aggregation Service (RMDAS) participants’ actual order data submitted to and processed by MSA as of the 20th of each respective “buy month,” rounded to the whole integer. A map of RMDAS regions is available at http://rmdas.msa.com, as is a further explanation of RMDAS methodology and an accompanying disclaimer.
No. 1 HMS defined as prepared obsolete scrap, 5 feet long and under. Additional pricing information on each grade can be found at www.RecyclingToday.com.
Copper - LME Pricing: Source: London Metal Exchange, www.lme.com
Aluminum - LME Pricing: Source: London Metal Exchange, www.lme.com
Stone and Aggregate Pricing: *Index is based on 1982 average price as 100; Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Wood Scrap: Source: North American Wood Fiber Review; Detailed pricing and analysis for California and other U.S. regions is available by subscription at www.woodprices.com.
5 Questions About the Evolution of GK’s FINGER-SCREEN™
Custom Content - Ask the experts | Screening Technology
Back in the late 1960s, General Kinematics (GK) designed and engineered a dual knife DE-STONER® Air Classifier for use in the wood industry. The DE-STONER® Air Classifier combines vibration, fluidization, and an air knife to separate materials by density. To optimize the separation, we realized the need to control the size of the particles presented to the air knife. Initially, GK’s engineers incorporated a traditional perforated screen deck for this application but quickly discovered the limitations of this setup.
In a traditional perforated screen deck, the perforated hole is made perpendicular to the deck. As a result, material that is slightly larger than the opening gets trapped within the hole, plugging up the screen deck and making screening ineffective. We needed a better way to screen.
2. How Did Screens Evolve?
Dick Reeves, General Kinematics Director - Resource Recovery
While the original perforated plate is appropriate for other industries with similar shaped materials, it is inadequate for the wide variety of shapes and sizes typically found in the recycling industry. Larger and odd shaped materials are more challenging and require a different approach to screening.
We made a slight change to the traditional perpendicular perforated screen by angling the axis of the hole away from vertical. The result creates an incline ramp that helps material climb out of the hole and decreases the plugging of the deck. Even though this evolution was an improvement, the fundamental issue of material getting trapped in a four-sided hole remained.
3. Can You Fit A Square Peg In A Round Hole?
Common sense says no, you cannot. This analogy is especially true when screening recycling materials. In a round opening, you create a four-sided constraint that traps oddly shaped particles. So, while an inclined ramp did help move some materials climb out of the hole, it still wasn’t sufficient enough for much of the product.
4. What If A Screen Had a Three-Sided Opening?
Imagine how a three-sided opening would look. Then flare out two sides to create a tapered, three-sided opening. Also, now include that inclined ramp we developed earlier. We’ve just created GK’s FINGER-SCREEN™!
The FINGER-SCREEN™ is inherently self-relieving, and the inclined ramp creates a three-dimensional material with more uniformed product distribution. The round hole problem was solved, and the screens now could be used for a variety of applications.
5. What Have You Done Lately?
Let me introduce you to GK’s latest innovation in screening. Our FINGER-SCREEN™ 2.0 Primary Screen takes screening to the next level. Featuring all the benefits of the original FINGER-SCREEN™, this new design provides a longer displacement that moves traditionally difficult to screen materials. When used as the primary screen, FINGER-SCREEN™ 2.0 provides the initial size separation which scalps off any potentially destructive contaminants, allowing the rest of the downstream equipment to operate effectively.
Bayshore Family of Cos. receives 2019 Distinguished Leadership Award
The Bayshore Family of Cos., Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, has been named the Environmental Sustainability and Energy Conservation Award Winner in the Distinguished Leadership Award category at the 2019 Jersey Shore Partnership Summer Celebration.
Valerie and Frank Montecalvo, owners of the Bayshore Family of Cos., accepted the award during the celebration, which took place June 10 at Fort Hancock in Sandy Hook, New Jersey, with more than 500 people in attendance.
The Jersey Shore Partnership Summer Celebration honors individuals and organizations that have made extraordinary contributions to the organization’s mission of shore protection and beach replenishment.
“The 127 miles of sandy beaches which make up our Jersey Shore represent a priceless state and national treasure, which drives New Jersey’s $43 billion annual tourism economy,” Valerie Montecalvo said when receiving the award. “Frank and I are deeply honored, along with our entire Bayshore team, for being recognized for our life’s work to advance sustainable materials management through recycling while seeking to operate 100 percent green businesses powered 100 percent by renewable energy.”
Washington state issues hazard warning over demolition robots
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Demolition robots are quickly gaining popularity among contractors as a way to work in tight spaces, get tough jobs done quickly and protect workers in the process. Although the technology can be safer for laborers in some respects, the robots don’t come without their risks.
The state of Washington State Department of Labor & Industries’ Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (WA FACE) program recently released a construction hazard alert to warn contractors of the risks associated with demolition robots after two construction workers were severely injured in separate incidents involving the remote-controlled machines.
WA FACE says the workers operated similar machines with three-part articulating arms powered by electric-controlled hydraulics. Both used remote controllers intended to keep them outside the machine’s risk zone, which varies by specific machine, attachment and task.
In the first incident, an operator working for a specialty trade contractor bumped his remote control against the machine. He had not put the machine into emergency stop mode, so it moved and pinned him between the outrigger and the wall.
His chest was severely crushed, causing him to be out of work for several months. He had been with his employer six months and was reported to be an experienced operator of these machines. He usually worked with a partner but was alone at the time of the incident.
The second incident occurred when an operator was using a machine with a breaker attachment to chip concrete as part of a generator installation project on the road.
He was standing in a tight spot between the excavation wall and the machine. As he tried to apply more pressure on the tip of the breaker, the front outrigger raised off the ground. The machine suddenly shifted forward, and the outrigger came down, crushing his foot.
He was able to use the remote control to raise the outrigger but suffered broken bones and nerve damage, WA FACE says.
He had worked in construction for 23 years but had only operated the machine for five days. His training consisted of a hands-on demonstration and a brief review of the operator’s manual.
The employer conducted a job hazard analysis that identified the swing radius of the arm as a hazard but did not recognize the potential of being crushed under an outrigger.
Following the incidents, WA FACE put together a list of safety recommendations when using demolition robots:
Prepare a job hazard analysis with operators for each new job to identify and control hazards. Use the manufacturer’s safety instructions to establish the risk zone for the specific machine, attachment and task.
Always stay outside the risk zone when the machine is in operation, and do not enter until the demolition robot is put into emergency stop mode or deenergized.
Consider using a proximity warning system, such as those based on radio frequency identification (RFID), to maintain a safe worker-to-machine distance.
Train operators to manage power cables and to continually monitor the process for hazards and redefine the risk zone.
Ensure operators always read and follow manufacturer’s provided safety instructions.
Consider using a spotter to assist the operator when operating the machine.
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