Editing Materials recovery facility (section)

== Types ==
===Clean===
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A ''clean MRF'' accepts [[recycling|recyclable]]  materials that have already been separated at the source from [[municipal solid waste]] generated by either residential or commercial sources. There are a variety of clean MRFs. The most common are [[Single-stream recycling|single stream]] where all recyclable material is mixed, or dual stream MRFs, where source-separated recyclables are delivered in a mixed container stream (typically glass, [[ferrous metal]], [[aluminum]] and other non-ferrous metals, [[Polyethylene terephthalate|PET]] [No.1] and [[High density polyethylene|HDPE]] [No.2] plastics) and a mixed paper stream including corrugated cardboard boxes, newspapers, magazines, office paper and junk mail. Material is sorted to specifications, then baled, shredded, crushed, compacted, or otherwise prepared for shipment to market.

=== Mixed-waste processing facility (MWPF) / Dirty MRF ===
[[File:TriagemDeLixo.jpg|thumb|Manual material triage for recycling]]

A mixed-waste processing system, sometimes referred to as a dirty MRF, accepts a mixed solid waste stream and then proceeds to separate out designated recyclable materials through a combination of manual and mechanical sorting.  The sorted recyclable materials may undergo further processing required to meet technical specifications established by end-markets while the balance of the [[mixed waste]] stream is sent to a disposal facility such as a [[landfill]]. Today, MWPFs are attracting renewed interest as a way to address low participation rates for source-separated recycling collection systems and prepare fuel products and/or feedstocks for conversion technologies. MWPFs can give communities the opportunity to recycle at much higher rates than has been demonstrated by curbside or other waste collection systems. Advances in technology make today’s MWPF different and, in many respects better, than older versions.<ref>[https://plastics.americanchemistry.com/Education-Resources/Publications/The-Evolution-of-Mixed-Waste-Processing-Facilities.pdf] Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc., American Chemistry Council, (2015) The Evolution of Mixed Waste Processing Facilities 1970-Today</ref>

=== Wet MRF ===
[[Image:MBT sorting.jpg|right|thumbnail|A wet materials recovery facility]]
Around 2004, new [[mechanical biological treatment]] technologies were beginning to utilise ''wet MRFs''.<ref>[http://www.alexmarshall.me.uk/index_files/documents/HarrogateProceedings.pdf ArrowBio Process] Finstein, M. S., Zadik, Y., Marshall, A. T. & Brody, D. (2004) The ArrowBio Process for Mixed Municipal Solid Waste – Responses to “Requests for Information”, Proceedings for Biodegradable and Residual Waste Management, Proceedings. (Eds. E. K. Papadimitriou & E. I. Stentiford), Technology and Service Providers Forum, p. 407-413</ref> These combine a dirty MRF with water, which acts to densify, separate and clean the output streams. It also hydrocrushes and dissolves biodegradable organics in solution to make them suitable for [[anaerobic digestion]].