Effect of recycled polyethylene on storability hazardous waste incinerator fly ashes: Towards a new composite material

Landfills can be classified into three general categories: class1-type landfills for hazardous wastes, class2-type landfills for non-hazardous wastes, and class3-type landfills for inert wastes. besides, hazard potential of hazardous waste incinerator fly ashes (hwi-fa) is high to be accepted for class1-type landfills. the main aim of this study is to lower the hazard potential of hwi-fas with the help of a matrix material. for this purpose recycled polyethylene (r-pe) was chosen as matrix material. being cheap, inert, easy to find and ease of processing are main reasons of choosing r-pe. two different fly ash sizes were used in the experimental studies, first group was under 45 μm, second group was under 400 μm. different amounts (15, 30 and 45 wt.-%) of hwi-fa obtained from the first hazardous waste incinerator of turkey, izaydas, were added to the matrix material. composite specimens were produced in an injection molder. standard leaching, wear and tensile tests were applied to the specimens. according to the findings, for particle size under 45 m all hwi-fa/r-pe mixtures found to be suitable for class2-type landfills. similarly hwi-fa with particle size under 400 m was suitable for class1-type landfills except wt.-45% mixing ratio. addition of hwi-fa (-45 μm) to r-pe first increases wear resistance of the material but increased ash content causes a decrease in the wear resistance of the pe. the increased size of ash particulates (-400 μm) effects wear resistance of the composite negatively. similar results were also obtained for tensile tests.