Importance

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Abstract

A separation system includes an air separator that, in one embodiment, primarily receives Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) containing a mixture of relatively light MSW recyclable materials such as plastic, paper, cardboard, plastic containers, and/or metal containers and relatively heavy MSW such as textiles, food waste, yard debris, etc. The air separator blows the relatively light MSW recyclable materials up though a chamber and onto a first conveyor while the other relatively heavy MSW material drops down a chute onto a second conveyor. A separation screen receives the relatively light MSW recyclable materials from the air separator and separates the relatively flat fiber and plastic film materials from the other paper, plastic and metal containers. In another separation stage, an electrostatic emitter is positioned adjacent to a conveyor for applying an electrostatic charge to the fiber and plastic materials. The electrostatic charge causes at least some of the plastic materials to at least partially cling to the conveyor belt while being carried over an end of the conveyor so that the plastic materials do not drop out as far from the conveyor as the fiber materials.

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First Claim