Abstract: Method and apparatus for hydraulically disposing of animal waste utilizing a water container in which the waste is stored temporarily. Duct work supported in the container is connected to a pressurized water source effective to aspirate water and waste into a submerged inlet and conducting it to a place of waste disposal. A jet of pressurized water aids in comminuting the waste, circulating the same past the waste inlet, and in flushing away larger elements tending to obstruct the inlet.

Abstract: A garbage conveying system is provided. The system has upstream and downstream ends and includes a plurality of remote terminals adapted to receive garbage at a plurality of locations, a central terminal for receiving garbage from each of the remote terminals, and a plurality of remote terminal valves positioned between each of the remote terminals and the central terminal for selective isolation of one or more of the remote terminals.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for recovering metal and plastic from plastic insulated wire. Plastic insulated wire is first chopped or otherwise comminuted to reduce the wire size. The bare metal, typically copper or aluminum, is separated from the insulation and insulated wire by aspiration or electrostatic separation. The plastic insulation is then separated from the insulated wire and any remaining bare metal by eddy current separation, typically in a linear induction motor, resulting in three fractions, the bare metal, the pure plastic, and the remaining plastic insulated wire pieces. The latter may be further processed, as by impact milling to separate the plastic from the metal, and then recycled to separate bare metal, plastic insulation, and insulated wire.

Abstract: In a process for the wet combustion of solid, combustible, radioactive wastes by reaction with concentrated sulfuric and nitric acids or NO.sub.x at elevated temperatures, the improvement wherein the waste, prior to the reaction, is subjected to a preliminary comminution to a particle size less than or equal to 20 mm, and then to a primary comminution, at a temperature less than about 123.degree. K, to a particle size less than or equal to 1 mm.

Abstract: Disk screens having various interface opening dimensions are combined with air classifiers and other refuse separating components to separate municipal and industrial refuse into a fuel fraction and other recyclable resource fractions, each having a low percentage of unwanted materials therein.

Abstract: A process for separating an urban waste mixture of paper and plastic film into its primary components comprising partially triturating the mixture to reduce the paper components to a small particle size ground condition while the plastic film component is generally unchanged and separating the unchanged component from the partially triturated mixture by combing same therefrom.

Abstract: An apparatus for breaking heterogeneous material, in particular city solid wastes which are conveyed on a endless belt conveyor (27) which passes underneath the apparatus comprising a plurality of substantially parallel and ordinately closely juxtaposed to each other blades (15) and counterblades (8), this breaking system being supported by a guiding articulated quadrilateral rod system (13, 14, 18) adapted in unison and in sequence to open and raise to close counterblades (8) under the control of hydraulic cylinders (10), while a second auxiliary system (4, 25, 37, 40) provides to raise the first system at the end of the work stroke and to lower it again just before the beginning of its working stroke.

Abstract: A method for composting solid waste material wherein, in initial treatment stages an optimum particle size is developed at a comminution station. Following an initial air classification arrangement, heavy inorganic materials are segregated to the extent that aluminum, glass and paper characterized products are removed for recycling purposes. A characterizing feature of the invention resides in the development of an optimized moisture content or digestible classified size optimized material at a relatively early stage prior to maceration developing a pulpous substance for digestion. A pug-mill arrangement is utilized for adding optimized moisture prior to digestion and maceration and a cage mill is utilized for the maceration stage of the process.

Abstract: Waste materials of varying density are passed through a hammer mill for size reduction after which they are moved along a gravity path within a stream of hot inert gas. The stream of materials is intercepted by a transversely moving mass of heated inert gas that separates the lighter materials from the heavier ones. A manifold receives the lighter materials while the heavier items are picked up at a lower position by a sealed screw conveyor. An adjustably located table and damper plate enable varying the weight-cut.

Abstract: A chopped mixture derived from municipal solid waste, free of ferrous metal is fed into the open upper end of a vertical rotor chamber for contact sequentially by an upper and lower high-speed rotor, with the rotor blades of the rotors further chopping the mixture and imparting centrifugal force to the mixture particles. Selectifier screens concentrically surround the rotor blades at the upper and lower rotor positions and have mesh openings which effect ballistic separation and elimination of glass, grit, sand, dust and fiber elements at these levels dependent upon the screen size openings. The two rotors are separated to form an intermediate treatment zone permitting liquid or solid spray of the mixture particles passing vertically downward from the upper rotor zone to the lower rotor zone.

Abstract: Solid Municipal Waste is loaded, or loaded and compacted, into a pressure vessel which has means for very fast opening for discharging the contents. The pressure vessel is pressurized, with steam, or a compressed gas such as compressed air. The pressure vessel can be fitted with a breech and a quick release muzzle cover and at the discharge end (muzzle) thereof is fitted with an orifice whose purpose is to promote a powerful turbulence and shock wave, through which the exiting solid material must pass to maintain pressure within the vessel during discharge, and to control the rate of discharge. The disruptive forces produced at the orifice, which can be either a sub-sonic, sonic, or supersonic flow orifice, are a function of the strength of the shock wave or the turbulence. The discharged material is then gravity separated in the wet or dry conditions and the separated materials are then employed in additional processes, or employed as landfill depending on its chemical and physical properties.

Abstract: Moist municipal waste is subjected to a preliminary comminuting action to reduce the size of solid constituents to less than 100 mm, and the larger heavy particles are thereupon segregated from lighter particles which include relatively small fibrous particles and relatively large additional lighter particles. The additional lighter particles are segregated from the relatively small fibrous particles and are subjected to a severing action to reduce their size to a size not exceeding that of the lighter fibrous particles. The fibrous particles are thereupon mixed with severed additional particles, and the mixture is dried and ozonized prior to classification into larger, medium-sized and smaller fractions. At least the larger fractions are used for the manufacture of shaped articles.

Abstract: A method for treating heterogeneous waste, particularly household garbage and general industrial refuse, e.g. paper, glass or bulk objects such as furniture. The composition of waste supplied to the treating site depends on its source, i.e. household bin or industrial skip, and waste from different sources is supplied through different channels, i.e. by different salvage vehicles. At the site the waste is sorted and treated to obtain selected products e.g. for re-cycling.To facilitate obtaining the products and to cope with the range of waste suppied to the site, a number of separate bunkers are provided, each for waste from a particular source. The bunkers are arranged in an arc, although they could be in block formation and are accessible to salvage vehicles. The jib or boom of a crane or another mechanical device can sweep over the bunkers and transfer seleced waste to one of a number of manual sorting or distributing belts, preferably three, via optional hoppers.

Abstract: In a waste disposal system (e.g. in a hospital) in which at least one shredding machine comminutes waste which is then drawn by air suction through a closed ducting system for destruction, each shredder has a discharge valve associated with its waste outlet, this valve being normally open but partially or wholly closed when the shredder is opened to receive waste; the shredder also has a vent opening in its waste inlet door to relieve pressure, and internal germicide sprays.

Abstract: A rotary drum air separation system separates mixed solid materials into a light fraction and a heavy fraction with substantially no stagnation of material in the air drum. It further provides for processing high volume urban solid waste without first size reducing the waste. The system separates such waste into a light fraction, substantially free of glass and ready for composting or for use as a source of energy in the form of heat or combustible gas from pyrolysis, a heavy fraction, and a glass-rich fraction from the heavy fraction, all in a high volume operation.

Abstract: A device for extracting cellulosic and similar materials such as rags, plastics, light metals and wood, which includes a drum which is driven in a first direction at a first speed and a rotor inside of the drum which is driven in a direction opposite to the first direction at a speed higher than the first speed. A plurality of teeth are located on the periphery of the drum along a part of its length for shredding the material placed into the drum input. A fixed plate and a plate of adjustable height are placed at the output of the drum against which the other materials accumulate.

Abstract: In the continuous production of paper-pulp from solid urban waste, paper along with polluting elements are charged into a kneader or hydropulper. Water is added and the paper is pulped, however, the polluting elements remain and at least some of them cannot be reduced in size. In the bottom of the pulper there is a grate through which the paper-pulp and small sized elements can be removed. Larger sized elements are retained by the grate and periodically are removed through a second opening into a pipe in which flow is controlled by a cut-off valve. After periodic removal from the pulper, the larger sized elements and paper-pulp removed along with them, are directed into a separator where the paper-pulp and larger elements are separated and collected.

Abstract: Moist municipal waste is subjected to a preliminary comminuting action to reduce the size of solid constituents to less than 100 mm, and the larger heavy particles are thereupon segregated from lighter particles which include relatively small fibrous particles and relatively large additional lighter particles. The additional lighter particles are segregated from the relatively small fibrous particles and are subjected to a severing action to reduce their size to a size not exceeding that of the lighter fibrous particles. The fibrous particles are thereupon mixed with severed additional particles, and the mixture is dried and ozonized prior to classification into larger, medium-sized and smaller fractions. At least the larger fractions are used for the manufacture of shaped articles.

Abstract: A system for composting solid waste material wherein in initial treatment stages an optimum particle size is developed at a comminution station following which through an initial air classification arrangement, heavy inorganic materials are segregated to the extent that aluminum, glass and paper characterized products are removed for recycling purposes. A characterizing feature of the invention resides in the development of an optimized moisture content or digestible classified size optimized material at a relatively early stage prior to maceration developing a pulpous substance for digestion. A pug-mill arrangement is utilized for adding optimized moisture prior to digestion and maceration and a cage-mill is utilized for the maceration stage of the process.

Abstract: Municipal refuse is treated to produce fuel particularly useful for the operation of a power generating boiler by a process which is characterized by shredding of the as-received material, separation of the light materials prior to pulping of the heavy materials, and ultimate separation from the pulped materials of the inorganic constituents, after which the remaining slurry of predominantly organic materials is dewatered to produce a particulate fuel. The light materials separated after the initial shredding operation are then directly combind with the dewatered organic residue from the pulping operation to effect further reduction in the moisture content of the resultant mixture. The invention is especially applicable to communities where the garbage and trash are collected separately, with the lights produced by shredding and air classifying the trash being added to the fuel product produced by pulping the garbage.

Abstract: A process for producing a compost which comprises grounding municipal waste, magnetically freeing iron contained therein, separating said mixture into components of various sizes by fractionation and, treating said mixture in a fermentation process at a temperature of at least 65.degree. C. by continuously passing air thereto and mixing a solvent with said mixture and heating said vessel until the contents of the vessel are dried, thereby forming a compost.

Abstract: A bin receives coarse discrete primary shredded fuel material, such as may be derived from municipal refuse, and metering conveyor means move the material from the bin through efficient discharge controlling means to smooth flow conveyor means which deliver the fuel material to means for further preparation, e.g. a reshredder. Thence, the reshredded fuel, which may be preheated, is adapted to be conducted in a suspended, aerated state non-stop into the combustion zone of combustion means such as a boiler or a cement kiln.

Abstract: Household or industrial refuse is first passed through a device which rips open garbage bags, breaks open cardboard boxes, and breaks up bundles. Then this refuse is passed through a magnetic separator that extracts all the ferromagnetic elements. Thereafter the refuse is subjected to a coarse comminution and passed through a sieve to eliminate particulate material. The sieved refuse is then fed to an air-classifier which separates it into heavy, medium-heavy, and light fractions. The medium-heavy fraction is more finely communited, then passed through a zig-zag air-classifier and a cyclone to recover material usable in the production of paper, which is combined with the light fraction from the air classifier for reclamation.

Abstract: Waste such as combustible trash and prime garbage is mixed with rubber tires and shredded together to produce a compacted and combustible output product which can be used as a fuel or incinerated for further compacting.The process involves interengaging rotary feeder-cutter wheels mounted on counterrotating shafts to pull materials through a feed path while shredding with the aid of shredder blades interspersed between the wheels. Feeding, mixing and conveying techniques through one or more shredder stages provide for attainment of high speed feed rates and handling of some degree solid debris such as steel belts in tires.

Abstract: A method for the separation of components of solid waste which has been treated by thermal explosive decompression followed by biodegradation (also hereinafter referred to as composting) is presented. The explosive decompression and composting pretreatment before separation presents a granular and inoffensive finely-divided product mixed with less-fragmented non-biodegradable materials such as plastic, metals and other substances. The method first separates the finely-divided product from the waste to leave a first residue, then magnetically separates any magnetic components from the first residue to leave a second residue, and then separates by gravity flotation any plastic components from the second residue, each step being carried out successively without interruption for further treatment of the waste.A system is described which separates the biodegradable and fine residues first, followed by the separation of other, more valuable components from each other at later stages of separation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in pulverization and/or segregation which is suitable for obtaining the desired quality of the pulverized materials. Such pulverization is performed by restricting the discharge rate of the mixture through the discharge opening and thereby controlling the quantity and time the mixture remains within the pulverizer. The pulverizer is provided with a weir at the discharge end of the drum or cylinder for such restricting purpose. Also, beaters disposed within the pulverizer are provided with safety means enabling the beaters to pivot when a relatively stiff constituent is encountered in the mixture.

Abstract: A solid waste pollution control process for the dry recovery and restoration of 100% recycled paper pulp, machine cleaned confetti thrashed paper, fibrous fuels, plastic materials and construction aggregates from "solid municipal refuse", consisting of municipal household garbage, household yard trash, and commercial trash from supermarkets and retail establishments, condominiums, apartments, offices and warehouses. The solid municipal refuse is automatic machine sorted, machine chopped and thrashed and machine and air cleaned and is subjected to specific gravity and ballistics separation to recover the confetti thrashed paper while eliminating and rejecting from this confetti thrashed paper the loose, soft, decayed, wet and extraneous matter including high density particles and abrasive materials, such as metal particles, grit and glass such that this extraneous matter and materials are separated into fibrous fuels and construction aggregates.

Abstract: A machine for tearing open small bags containing city solid waste material and for separating out plastic film material and/or the bags, includes an endless belt conveyor which carries on the surface thereof a plurality of aculei which engage bags containing waste material placed on the surface of the conveyor belt. The belt follows a path of a first straight or rectilineal length and a second or return straight or rectilineal length.

Abstract: Particulate glass values contained in a comminuted inorganic fraction and having the particle of a size up to about 10 mesh are recovered by froth flotation using an amine as the beneficiation reagent.

Abstract: A process for treating metal scrap includes cooling the scrap until it is brittle by contacting it with a first cooling agent which is gaseous and then fragmenting the scrap, said first cooling agent being cooled by being passed through a heat exchanger to which a second cooling agent is fed partly in the liquid phase and partly in the gaseous phase and from which the second cooling agent emerges in the gaseous phase, said second cooling agent being supplied to the heat exchanger partly from a liquid storage facility and partly directly from a refrigeration plant, the refrigeration plant being used in conjunction with a liquifier to supply the storage facility with liquid second cooling agent.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing material to reduce it to a state that renders the material more easily disposed of, the apparatus being adapted to process all types of refuse and garbage of the character usually collected by packer trucks from residential and commercial areas in particular.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating any type of organic waste such as sewage, garbage, weeds and surplus crops to convert them into useful products, having a treatment tank or plurality of such tanks, a conduit circuit for carrying a heating fluid therethrough; vibrators to vibrate the conduit to homogenize and mix the tank contents, a furnace for supplying heat to the conduit circuit with the fuel for the furnace being the gaseous product recovered from the treatment tank or tanks, and solar cells and microwave heating units to balance and maintain the supply of heat when the fuel supply to the furnace is low. Radiation diffusers may be positioned about the tank or tanks to assist in the conversion process.

Abstract: A method for separating fractions of incinerated refuse with a high recuperation yield without requiring special equipment. A first portion of the separation process may be applied to either an initially dry or an initially wet refuse. The refuse is at first screened to a median size. The oversized fraction is crushed and shredded and the non-magnetic fraction separated therefrom is sent commonly to a grinding-rolling mill which also receives the undersize fraction. The undersize fraction downstream of the grinding mill is further treated by a wet separating process, the method achieving separation of ferrous and nonferrous metals, of glasses and silicates, and of magnetic slags.

Abstract: Refuse, particularly of the household type, is sorted according to density by the following consecutive operations: Sifting the refuse; comminuting the oversize obtained; separating the comminuted material by a gas stream into light and heavy material fractions; separating the heavy material fraction by a liquid stream into two fractions of different density; and separating the two fractions of different density into basic components.

Abstract: A centralized vacuum waste disposal system, particularly for use in hospitals, comprises one or more shredding machines feeding a remote incinerator via a ducting system through which shredded waste is drawn by an air compressor. To prevent contaminated air escaping from the system if the compressor stops running, an auxiliary device is provided to maintain a partial vacuum at all times. In addition the shredding machines preferably have drop-out exit grilles to permit efficient scavenging of the machines, and germicidal sprays for drenching the interior of the machines.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for separating scrap essentially consisting of non-ferromagnetic metals into several fractions by specific gravity in which only one heavy separating medium is required. The scrap has been recovered from waste products composed of metals and non-metals by reducing the particle size of the waste through grinding to a size less than 50 mm including particles as small as 0.5 mm. Thereafter, the ferromagnetic components are magnetically separated from the ground waste and the ground waste is fed to a primary specific-gravity separator where non-metallic components are separated from the non-ferromagnetic portion of the ground waste. Thereafter, further separation of the non-ferromagnetic portion in a secondary and, in some cases, tertiary separators is accomplished.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for recovering useable materials from discarded scrap material, such as junked automobiles, is disclosed in which non-ferrous metals are separated from non-metals in a hydrocyclone using water as the aqueous separating medium. A particulate scrap/water suspension is injected into the cylindrical area of the hydrocyclone and a predominently non-metal-containing portion is removed from an overflow area of the cyclone while the non-ferrous metal containing portion is removed from the apex area of the cyclone. If required, the scrap material is preferably pulverized prior to treatment and is subjected to a ferrometallic separation operation if such metals are present.

Abstract: An improved waste material handling system includes a plurality of waste food disposer units which are operable to disintegrate waste food materials to form a slurry. The system also includes a pulper unit which is operable to disintegrate solid waste materials, such as paper, cardboard boxes, plastic bags, etc., to form a slurry. The waste material slurry is conducted from the waste food disposer units and pulper unit to a press which extracts water from the slurry. To prevent the discharge of waste material slurry from an active one of the waste food disposer units to an inactive one of the waste food disposer units and/or the pulper unit, check valves are associated with each of the waste food disposer units and the pulper unit. A pump is also associated with each of the waste food disposer units and the pulper unit to promote a flow of slurry from the units to the press.

Abstract: Structure is provided for successively decompacting waste, such as garbage and trash, at a metered rate, weighing the decompacted waste at a metered rate and separating the heavier portions of the waste from the remainder thereof, coarse shredding the remaining waste at a metered rate and in a manner to gradually reduce the remaining waste to increasingly smaller shredded material, fine shredding the shredded material at a metered rate, acting upon the fine shredded material at a metered rate to break up and pulverize the pieces of glass therein, subjecting the waste to a wash bath while agitating the waste with jets of air and collecting the particles of glass which are dislodged from the waste in the bath by the action of the air jets, drying the remaining waste and thereafter separating ferrous materials from the remaining waste through the utilization of magnetic lines of flux and subsequently separating particles of aluminum from the remaining waste.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating plastic liners from metal closures is disclosed which includes a liquid nitrogen precooler for chilling closures with liners therein, a hammermill for impacting the chilled closures to liberate the liners from the closures, a tumble barrel for separating large pieces of closures from the plastic liners and the small pieces of closures, and a high-tension electrical separator for separating the small pieces of closures from the plastic liners.

Abstract: This invention relates to improving the known process for disposing of refuse while simultaneously producing a useful gaseous product and an inert solid residue in a shaft furnace in which refuse is fed into the top portion of said furnace, an oxygen containing gas is fed into the base, and in which the organic portion of the refuse is pyrolized to char, oils and gas containing a high concentration of CO and H.sub.2, and the inorganic portion of the refuse is fluidized and tapped from the base of the furnace.The improvement in the above-described process comprises removing a portion of the char from the furnace while retaining a sufficient amount of combustible materials in the furnace to satisfy the energy requirements of the process. The improvement permits a reduction in the oxygen requirements of the process and has a beneficial effect on the specific heating value of the fuel gas produced.

Abstract: Solid waste is fed to a confined zone under pressure and contacted with hydrogen containing gas. Partial conversion of the solid waste to methane occurs and the methane containing gas mixture is removed from the confined zone; it is subsequently purified and methanated so as to be a replacement for natural gas. The remainder of the solid waste is discharged from the confined zone as a carbon containing char which is delivered to a separate reaction zone where it is contacted with steam and oxygen under pressure to convert it to synthesis gas (a mixture of hydrogen, water vapor, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide). The synthesis gas is drawn from the reaction chamber and serves as the hydrogen feed gas into the confined zone. Between the two zones, metal and glass are separated from the char by virtue of their much higher density than the carbonaceous char by entrainment of the char in a jet of steam.

Abstract: Crude pulp stock is recovered from municipal waste by selectively pulverizing garbage (food waste) in the waste; removing the pulverized garbage; thence, moistening the rest of the waste so as to selectively weaken the materials, such as waste paper, usable as crude pulp stock; and taking out the pulverized crude pulp stock.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing waste material in which an air column effects separation of the heavy material after first stage shredding and the remainder of the material is subjected to second stage shredding with a system for controlling the second stage so it will operate without plugging and reduce the material to a condition in which a cyclone separator yields a product suitable for a fuel while the air in the apparatus is cleaned before being expelled to atmosphere.

Abstract: A shaft which rotates at high torque and low speed has a plurality of upright plates which are slightly shorter than the inlet funnel in which it is fitted. Stripper fingers in fixed locations protrude towards the shaft and extend between the plates. A wall having a circular arc form emanates from the rear of the inlet funnel and goes over tangentially into a smooth bottom of an outlet chute to which a back pressure device can be connected.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for processing municipal waste with increased processing capacity are provided. The apparatus includes at least a cylindrical screen having ridge projections on the inner surface thereof and a group of beaters mounted on a central shaft extending axially through the cylindrical screen. In carrying out the method, the municipal waste charged into the cylinder receives powerful beating and shearing due to the interaction caused by the relative rotation between the tips of the beaters and the ridge projections thereby remarkably increasing the processing capacity.

Abstract: A device for recovering salvagable components from a mixture of compacted solid waste, especially municipal waste, which includes ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, fibrous organic and inorganic materials. In this installation the solid waste, preferably after first breaking it up, is fed to a magnet assembly for dividing the components into ferrous metals and non-ferrous materials including ferrous metals and non-ferrous metals and organic or inorganic materials. The ferrous metals and the non-ferrous materials containing ferrous metals are then subjected to fragmentation after separating ferrous metals parts from non-ferrous materials. The resulting fragments are separated into ferrous metals and non-ferrous materials and separately conveyed to collection stations. Similarly, the non-ferrous metals and the organic or inorganic materials are first fragmented, then separated from each other and finally separately conveyed to collecting stations.

Abstract: Glass is recovered for use as cullet from mixtures of broken glass with pieces of metal and other heat resistant materials by a method wherein the mixture is thermally shocked by subjecting it to a rapid increase or decrease in temperature to induce cracks in and/or break-up of the glass particles, while the nonglass particles remain unchanged because of their nature, and the mixture is mechanically treated, by agitating or the like, so that the glass particles are broken up by further propagation of the induced cracks. Prior to the mechanical treatment, and preferably prior to the thermal shock treatment, the mixture is screened or otherwise treated to eliminate fines of all kinds. After the mechanical treatment, the mixture is further screened so that the glass particles, which have been reduced in size, can be recovered as the undersized fraction, while the nonglass particles, which have remained generally the same size, are retained on the screen. A number of modifications are disclosed.

Abstract: Structure for preparing heterogeneous refuse material in a manner conducive to relatively inexpensive and direct, further processing. A principal portion of the structure includes a revolving chamber having a central fixed shaft provided with an auger end. A fixed ring portion cooperates with such auger end and is disposed in proximity with the revolving chamber such that the auger may force-feed the chamber with incoming refuse. Impact or mauling-arm means are provided within the revolving chamber for effectively mauling the material passing therethrough, as by gravity feed, so that bundles of garbage tend to be broken-up. In a preferred form of the invention conveyor means are provided for separating out ferrous metals and air-classifying the remaining refuse for further processing.

Abstract: Mixed solid waste, such particularly as municipal waste, is subjected to a pulping action which results in fragmenting the glass and metal constitutes into particles of similar size, with the cast and foil aluminum being converted into the form of chunks and pellets respectively while the aluminum which is present as alloy, such as is used in cans and other food containers, is cut into flake-like particles, after which the mixed particles are dried and then subjected to agitation causing the flakes of aluminum to be concentrated at the top of the mix for separate removal by skimming or scalping. The remaining mixture of glass, aluminum and other materials is then subjected to high tension electrostatic treatment effecting separation of the glass from the other materials.