Characterization of automotive shredder residues from two shredding facilities with different refining processes in Sweden

Strict legislation imposing producer responsibility on car manufacturers, introduced in 1998 in Sweden, has prompted a search for new alternatives for recycling organic materials In end-of-life vehicles (ELVs), i.e. the automotive shredder residue (ASR). The recovery of materials from ELVs must increase from the present 70 to 75%, to 95% by 2015. The aim of this study was to characterize material other than ferrous components, i.e. the (automotive) shredder residue [(A)SR] and the non-ferrous (NF), material in order to investigate its suitability for energy recovery. The results show that the good heat value of the material gives it potential, but high levels of metals and chlorinated compounds may cause problems. Levels of elements, metals and polychlorinated dibenzodioxins/furans (PCDD/F), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and polychlorinated benzenes (PCBz) in the ASR were also analysed, and the results are described and discussed.