Unilever’s recycling science

10/21/2007

A breakthrough system in the functional utilization of manufacturing process residuals has been developed and established for Unilever Philippines in Paco, Manila, by waste conversion technology supplier.

Mizuhotech Philippines, as engineering group, planned and fabricated the Materials Conversion Facility at Cristobal Street in Paco, Manila.

The facility uses an integrated homogenization process to neutralize and convert production left-overs and residuals into useful products for civil construction and infrastructure development projects.

The residuals and by-products of manufacturing, potential inputs to the conversion facility, first go through a rigorous review and are then subjected (within the confines of Unilever) to the three “Rs” (reduce, reuse and recycle) before the remaining residual flows are considered suitable for the Material Conversion Facility.

The facility receives solid industrial residuals and passes these through a shredding equipment, which changes the physical form and reduces the volume of the left-overs.

A mixing/blending process initiates the main neutralization and conversion process. This step eliminates and/or rearranges molecularly the remaining unwanted components in the materials such that they are rearranged and stabilized, and take on the character of inert-like substances, at which point they can be considered as secondary aggregate materials.

The materials are then turned into finished products through the use of standard moulding, extrusion and forming equipment. This is called the Homogenization Step.

The most significant impact of the process is to eliminate the need to dispose of industrial residuals in sanitary landfills or what used to be known widely as dumpsites.

Equally important is that the residuals such as shredded sachets and wrappers are turned into beneficial secondary raw materials, such as gravel and sand replacements, thus helping preserve precious resources.

A wide range of products can be produced through this particular type of operation. Thus far, its main products have been hollow blocks and pavement tiles, but the facility has the flexibility to fabricate products for community park, shoreline rehabilitation, embankment stabilization and covered canal system.

On a periodic basis, the processed residual materials in aggregate-like form are subjected to stringent analysis at laboratories accredited by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to determine the environmental safety of the secondary raw materials.

An outstanding beneficiary of the materials produced by the facility is the Smokey Mountain community under the leadership of Fr. Ben Beltran. The community is completing two significant projects: the transfer and operationalization of its Materials Recovery Facility from the Temporary Housing Area near Pier 18 in Tondo and the establishment of the Environmental Church, the first of its kind in the country.

Part of the output has also been channeled to support the Unilever Vitality Village at the Baseco compound in Manila.

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