FACT SHEET

Market summary shredder floc

In 201314 Sustainability Victoria commissioned market analysis into four waste materials
identified as priorities for market development and four which are emerging materials of
interest. This fact sheet summarises the findings for shredderfloc.

Terminology Shredder floc is composed of two distinct fractions based on size.

Shredder floc is a by-product of metal reprocessing, primarily
from the recovery of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) and white goods,
including refrigeration and air conditioning equipment.
ELV reprocessing in Australia has a recovery rate of approximately
65-75 per cent1 and involves removing pollutants, dismantling,
shredding and metal separation. The material remaining
after the separation of metals is called shredder floc.
1.A finer heavy fraction (particle size less than 25 mm), which
is predominantly inert material with minor organic content.
Anecdotal estimates indicate that the fine fraction accounts for
approximately 30 per cent of the total shredder floc produced.
2.A coarser light fraction (particle size varies, generally in
excess of 50 mm), which is predominantly plastic, rubber
andtextiles. Anecdotal estimates indicate around 30 per
cent of totalshredder floc produced is around 50 mm in size,
and40percent exceeds 50 mm.

Composition
Volumes
Shredder floc typically consists of a combination of plastics, rubber,
There is no specific information available on volumes however
textiles, metals and inert materials such as dirt and glass (see
anecdotal industry estimates indicate there is between 150,000 and
table), and is generally contaminated with heavy metals, mineral oils
200,000 tonnes of shredder floc produced per annum in Victoria.
and hydrocarbons. The composition of shredder floc does not differ
greatly between ELVs and white goods, although older white goods
can contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which ELVs do not, as
well as higher levels of copper.

Table 1: Average shredder floc composition

Material type Average composition range

(%weight)

Plastics 35 55%

Rubber 10 20%

Metals 6 13%

Textiles 7 15%

Fines (paint, 10 20%

glass, sand)

1 Environmental Impact of End-of-Life Vehicles: An Information

Paper, last modified 2002, http://www.environment.gov.au/archive/
settlements/publications/waste/elv/impact-2002/index.html.
FACT SHEET Market summary shredder floc

Table 2: Estimate of potential shredder floc volumes in Victoria

Year Total shredder floc Assumed shredder floc composition

generation
Fine heavy fraction Coarse fluffy fraction (over 25 mm,
(25 mm or less, mostly inert) mostlyplastic, rubber and textiles)

(lower (higher (lower (higher (lower (higher

estimate) estimate) estimate) estimate) estimate) estimate)

2013 140,000 200,000 42,000 60,000 98,000 140,000

2014 142,460 203,500 42,700 61,000 99,700 142,460

2015 145,000 207,100 43,500 62,000 101,500 145,000

2016 147,600 210,900 44,300 63,300 103,300 147,600

Products and applications Market overview

In Australia, shredder floc is sent to landfill for disposal, although Shredder floc is currently landfilled in Victoria as there is
the industry commonly uses it as a daily cover on landfills. no established market. Industry consultation suggests that
Internationally, some recovery of shredder floc does occur. generators of shredder floc face disposal costs of $70$100
In Europe, this is mostly driven by the European Commission per tonne, or between $15$20 million in total. Industry
Directive 2000/53/EC, which aims to reduce the hazardous therefore has a strong desire to identify an alternative use.
componentry of vehicles and achieve a target of 85 per cent for Potential markets, and barriers, are shown below.
reuse and recycling (excluding energy recovery), and 95 per cent
for reuse and recovery (including energy recovery), by 2015.
Table 3: Potential market opportunities and barriers for shredder floc in Victoria
Two main types of technologies exist for the treatment
of shredder floc; those based on mechanical separation,
and those based on thermal treatment. Potential Barriers
market
Mechanical separation allows for the shredder floc to be sorted
into different sized fractions which can then be recycled. Use in a non-load The shredder floc would require a
Textile fibres are then used as a de-watering agent or a coal bearing cement significant amount of pre-processing
substitute in coke production. The mineral fraction is used material, such as to improve particle consistency and
as landfill cover, for slope filling and in road construction. a fascia product. product quality.
(Note: there is only one landfill in Victoria that is currently
licensed to accept shredder floc and use it as daily cover). Use of the finer The shredder floc is potentially
inert shredder contaminated with volatile hydrocarbons.
In contrast, thermal treatment usually involves initial floc fraction Vapours and fumes would likely be
separation of metals, and then combustion of the residual in road base produced during asphalt production.
material via technologies such as gasification. The gas can or asphalt
be combusted to create energy, or used in the manufacture production, The material is likely to require treatment
of various chemical products. The ash from the gasification asasubstitute prior to use in asphalt. The cost is likely
process can be used as an inert construction material. forvirgin sand. to be prohibitive given the relative cheap
price of substitute material (virgin sand
A combination of these two technologies can also be used. orrecycled glass sand).

Use of the Given the variable composition of the

coarser fraction shredder floc, the type of technology
(composed mainly capable of accepting it for this use
of plastic, rubber maybe limited.
and textiles) in
an energy from Ability to secure shredder floc feedstock
waste application. long term.

2
FACT SHEET Market summary shredder floc

Market barriers Market opportunities

The key market barriers for use of shredder floc are cost and There is little market opportunity for shredder floc under current
contamination. Residual oil is the primary contaminant persisting conditions. The material is not currently a prescribed industrial
inshredder floc and it is therefore treated as a prescribed waste, however should this change, it could potentially make
industrial waste. There are processes and technologies a number of processing options financially viable. However,
availablethat would allow oil to be easily extracted from ELVs. risks associated with contamination would need managing.
However, thiswould require additional cost in a market already They could also limit available market options and impact on
experiencing pressures from the downward trend on scrap prices. processing of endof-life vehicles and other feedstock in Victoria
given high disposal costs and the low value of scrap metal.
Industry consultation suggests that the only viable end market
for shredder floc is as a fuel, either co-fired or more likely
as an input to a bespoke Energy from Waste (EfW) facility
but that the barriers are currently unsurmountable.
Further information
The uncertainty regarding contaminant levels and high
For more information contact
processing costs, at present, precludes shredder floc from
Jane Street on (03) 8656 6709
being used in other products such as fascia or road base.
email jane.street@sustainability.vic.gov.au
or visit www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/marketanalysis
Market risks
There are three key market risks for the use of shredder floc.

Environmental: The impact of contamination indicates

that environmental risks are significant. While recent
studies suggest that polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)
contaminants are largely locked up in plastic componentry,
the risk of oil contamination remains very high.

Regulatory: Shredder floc is currently not a classified

industrial waste and this impacts on the ability of the
material to be used in other applications. Uncertainty
means long-term investment is unlikely.

Social: Social concerns are likely to be high in the event

that EfW infrastructure is installed to process shredder
floc, and pose risks for planning applications.

This fact sheet summarises a more comprehensive market analysis report completed by Hyder Consulting on behalf of Sustainability Victoria (May 2014).
Due to the confidential nature of some information provided by stakeholders the full market analysis report is not publicly available.

Sustainability Victoria
Level 28, Urban Workshop,
50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone (03) 8626 8700
sustainability.vic.gov.au
Published by Sustainability Victoria.
Market summary shredder floc
Sustainability Victoria, September 2014 IWM030