Italian experience on automotive shredder residue: characterization and management

ASR can be classified as both hazardous or not hazardous waste. However both the stringent landfill legislation and the EU objectives/legislation related to ELV treatment, will limit current landfilling practice and impose an increased efficiency of the recovery and recycling of ELVs. The present paper situates ASR within the ELV context in Italy. Primary recovery techniques recycle up to 75% of the ELV components; the remaining 25% is called ASR. Characteristics of ASR and possible upgrading by secondary recovery techniques are reviewed from Italian research contributions. The application in waste-to-energy plants, in cement kilns or in metallurgical processes is analysed, with attention to the possible environmental impacts. Pyrolysis and gasification are considered emerging technologies although the sole use of ASR is debatable, its mixing with other waste streams is gradually being applied in commercial processes. The environmental impacts of the processes are acceptable, but more supporting data are needed and the advantage over (co-)incineration remains to be proven.