In 2023, recycling trends continued to evolve, reflecting a global commitment to reduce waste impact on the planet. The global goal for recycling is to drastically reduce raw materials consumption, and when not possible, to reuse them. To recycle becomes a duty we have to take on, with new guidelines on how to organize resources for the future.

According to the World Bank we generate 2.01 billion tons of solid waste annually: waste paper, aluminium and metal scrap, plastic and rubber products, electronics and batteries. These numbers are meant to steadily increase in the coming decades, and for this reason the number of companies engaged in the recycling and waste sector is continuously growing.

Recycling key role in the circular economy 

Recycling plays a key role in the circular economy as it helps to reduce emissions and most of all to save energy and raw materials.

Thanks to recycling it is possible to turn old materials into new ones. For example, electronics contain copper, aluminium, gold, plastic and other materials which can be recycled and used in new products. 

Through high-tech processes high-value metals such as gold, aluminum, copper, and graphite can be recovered from old laptops, mobile phones and electric vehicle batteries.

To support waste and recycling companies to achieve efficient production processes, Bolzoni Group offers a wide product range of attachments to equip forklift trucks according to the different collecting and recycling situations. 

Waste paper heavy-duty handling

The global recovery of paper is increasing year by year and is estimated to 60% in 2022.

Waste paper bale handling is generally harsher than any other handling operation. Forklift truck attachments often need increased protection against wear and damages, and all moving and hydraulic components must be well protected against hitting and dropping objects.

The Auramo B-W and BC-W Series paper bale clamp are specifically designed for the heavy-duty handling of waste bales in the paper industry, as well as plastic and other recycling materials. 

Extremely thin and light design ensures high residual capacity with optimal visibility, and a wide choice of different openings and arm lengths enable efficient handling of several bale units. 

The special steel profile arm carriers make the clamp extremely strong and rigid and pivoting left arm secures handling even with varying bale dimensions. 

Wide variety of baled recycling materials: plastic–, textile-, rubber waste handling

A large variety of recycling materials is organized and collected into bales. As in waste paper handling, these bales need a robust attachment able to face the application. 

The Silver Line LC Series bale clamp is designed for heavy duty applications with a tight budget, and is applied in the handling of all baled materials, such as paper, plastic, metal, textile and rubber waste - loads that can be very heavy and bulky. 

Silver Line is a range of reliable and cost-effective products, suitable for applications in many industries, particularly where high performance and efficient costings are required.

Thanks to its robust design, with capacity ranging from 1400kg to 3200kg, the Silver Line bale clamp model LC-G is widely used for heavy-duty applications. The arms are welded directly to the guides and the clamp ensures higher sliding speed with lower grease requirement. 

Its special features like high tensile aluminium profiles, with wear resistant plastic inserts, ensure long life and reduced total cost of ownership.

"When it comes to white goods recycling, particular attention has to be given to fridges, as these contain gases, which would extremely harm the environment in case of leakage," says Lars Petersson, Bolzoni Group Recycling Industry Specialist. "In this case, we recommend the Silver Line carton clamp LC-C Series, made for the purpose."

Electronic equipment, batteries, metal and scrap sorting in containers 

Global recovery of electrical and electronic equipment is increasing year by year: mobile phones, computers, televisions, fridges, household appliances, medical devices, photovoltaic panels and batteries are now one of the fastest growing waste streams. "Estimation is that almost 1 million tons of electronic waste is generated every week, wordwide," adds Lars Petersson.

The left over used devices and manufacturing scrap are usually stored and transported in metal or heavy plastic containers and boxes. The Bolzoni 360-degree rotating pallet fork clamp KG-H Series is a versatile attachment that can be used for handling various loads and in particular to empty containers and bins in recycling facilities. Its main features are:

• Very rigid frame structure with single piece double "T" profile. 
• Superior visibility through the frame grants safe and easy handling operations
• The 360-degree rotation in both directions ensures fast and safe emptying of boxes and containers

The fork clamp can be fitted with manually rotating forks, which can be locked in 0-, 45- and 90-degree position, which makes it extremely versatile for various applications. 

In addition, the 360-degree rotating fork clamp can be made with slip-on arms to handle barrels and bins. 

Visit our website or contact our Recycling Industry Specialist, to get more information or to ask for a demo unit. Contact the nearest BOLZONI, AURAMO and MEYER representative.

Bolzoni, Auramo and Meyer are Bolzoni Group brands.

The Bolzoni Group is a market leader in the production of forklift truck attachments, forks and lift tables. The company has manufacturing plants in Italy, Germany, Finland, America and China and through its network of direct branches and independent dealers covering all continents it is able to satisfy all market requirements.