Corn Cob Re-use or recycle

[qrdehs]

Hi again,

My company generates approx 25 CY/month of non-haz corn cob waste. The corn cob is used in both a deburring process and drying operations. I currently pay $15/ton for a haz-waste disposal company to take it. They use it to mix with liquid wastes and they love the stuff. However, I cannot talk them into buying it from us.

Since it appears that this corn cob has a beneficial use, does anyone know or have any ideas on how to sell the stuff or at least giving it away for no cost? I thought about offering for free to some of the local auto mechanics for soaking up oil spills, but I am afraid of liabilities.

Thank you for any ideas..

 

[kenvlach]

Re “non-haz corn cob waste.”

I, and more importantly, the EPA, tend to believe the waste is hazardous until proven otherwise. Your process has added metallic fines and liquids. If you are deburring copper alloys or diecast zinc, the problem is obvious – it will fail the EPA’s acidic leachate test and be determined hazardous per heavy metal content. Even if deburring Al alloys or steel, the alloying element (e.g., Cu & Zn in Al 2000 & 7000 series alloys) content may be too high.

Regarding use as oil absorbent: the metal burrs are a problem (scratch floors), plus any illegal disposal of oil-contaminated waste may be traced back to you.

Two suggestions.
1) Contact competitors of the hazardous waste disposal company; you may be able to sell or get rid of at a lower cost. This material has real value as it allows a multitude of hazardous liquids and sludges to be destroyed as fuel in cement kilns.

2) Try recycling the material in-plant: Dry, then remove the metals by blowing through a cyclone separator. Perhaps, a vibratory sieve. Magnetic separation is possible for iron and steel. Liquid separation/flotation would work if waste heat is available for drying.

I concur that use as oil absorbent would bring liability. It is unlikely that in-plant recycling is cost competitive due to extremely low disposal costs (the purchase price is presumably also low), but check it out. Option 1) seems most feasible.
Ken

 

[qrdehs]

Thanks,

I agree with you that it would "seem" that the waste would be considered hazardous. However, I have performed 6 TCLPs now over the past year to get a composite assay. Every TCLP came at BDL for 6 metals and Cr which ranged from BDL to 0.06mg/l and Barium that came in at a high of 0.37mg/l. For the past 10 yrs this company has received a special waste authorization from the DEP (with TCLPs to prove it)to disposed of it in a municipal landfill, but this was expensive so I started disposing with the haz waste company because they use it and therefore give me a better price.

I will take your suggestion and go to some of the competitors and see if I can get an even better price. We do currently sift and recycle as much as possible in house.

Thanks very much for your suggestions. This forum is proving to be very helpful and I hope I can return the favor some time and help someone else out. Thank again.