The White Falcon - 10.08.1990, Side 9

Compiled from “News From Iceland”
“Even a small nation can produce a lot of
scrap metal,” explained Pall Halldorsson,
director of the Icelandic Steel Company, the
country’s pioneer metal recycling plant. “Eu-
ropean estimates show that the per capita
production of waste metal in this part of the
world amounts to about 75 kilos per year, or
almost 20,000 tons in Iceland alone.”
Which means a lot less rusty and unattrac-
tive scrap metal will be left lying about to
clutter up the countryside. The recycling
plant, located just south of Reykjavik near the
Icelandic Aluminum smelter in Straumsvik, is
the first of its kind in Iceland. When it be-
Kies fully operational this month, it is ex-
ted to produce some 20 tons of recycled
al hourly, all of which is to be exported.
Turning eyesores
into profit
One rusty automobile body after another
disappears down into the gaping chute at one
end of the factory complex, only to emerge a
few minutes later as finely shredded steel,
ready for re-use. Large containers on both
sides collect various by-products: rubber,
ground glass, and non-ferrous metals. Each
has to be disposed of separately, as only the
iron and steel are melted down for recasting at
the plant itself.
Last May the shredder received a swallow
of champagne from Minister of the Environ-
mental Julius Solnes to wash down its first
main course of rusty automobile frame. The
minister said it warmed the cockles of his heart
to see what short work the powerful machin-
ery made of discarded vehicles and other scrap
iron.
Some 70 percent of the Icelandic Steel
Company is owned jointly by British steel
company IPASCO Steel and Holding Ltd. and
the Swedish firm Axel Johnson AB, and the
remaining by various Icelandic interests.
Small is not only
beautiful but necessary
Some 70 percent of the country’s scrap
metal is expected to find its way into the
recycling plant, but this is not expected to be
enough to ensure efficient use of the facility in
the years to come. “We have contracts with
refuse collection departments of the capital
area and on the Reykjanes peninsula in the
southwest to accept all scrap metal for reproc-
essing,” Halldorsson explained. He hopes it
will be eventually possible to organize regular
collection services in other areas of the coun-
try.
“Recycling is a question of attitude as much
as anything,” he maintained. “We have to
accustom ourselves to disposing of all materi-
als so that they can be reused, whether paper,
glass or metal.”
The factory was purchased lock, stock, and
barrel from IPASCO at Hautmont in the north
of France. It was dismantled, shipped to
Iceland and reassembled in just over a year’s
time. “Not because it wasn’t paying proposi-
tion,” Hallddrsson pointed out, “but because it
is more efficient to operate larger plants in
areas of mainland Europe where there is a
greater supply. In Iceland, however, even this
plant is almost too big. The purchase cost for
us was about one-third of what a new factory
would be, meaning that our capital investment
has been considerably lower than would have
otherwise been possible.”
According to Halldorsson, this size of plant
is generally referred to as a “mini-mill,” and
has a capacity to produce around 90,000 tons
of steel annually working round the clock. “At
least to start with we plan on; having only one,
eight-hour shift daily,” Halldorsson said,
“which should produce 20-30,000 tons per
year, or about all that we can hope to collect in
Iceland. To get the best return on our invest-
ment, however, we should be running continu-
ously, and that will mean importing scrap
metal for reprocessing.”
Plans are already afoot to import raw mate-
rials and to investigate the possible recycling
of steel ships. At present, Iceland and Norway
are among the few countries which still permit
the scuttling of obsolete vessels at sea.
Putting power to work
Efficient operation also means access to
power at reasonable rates. The electric arc
furnace, which Halldorsson maintained was
practically the only steel recycling process,
contains three 16-inch graphite electrodes
which melt the scrap steel with high current in
a manner similar to an arc welder. The molten
steel is then cast continuously into steel billets
which protrude from the bottom of the caster
like one-meter-square sausages. The billets
are subsequently cut to desired length and
moved out of the building for loading onto
transport trucks.
“Our agreement with the National Power
Company (Landsvirkjun) is to purchase sur-
plus power, which they can decide to cut off it
necessary, giving us only two hours’ notice.”
The two hours, he added, would be sufficient
time to complete any casting already in prog-
ress.
When operational this winter the plant is
“Scrap Metal” continued on page 11
CHAPEL OF LIGHT
~ss/ss“s?
v. 7 p.m.
Schedule of
Religious services
Friday
Jewish Sabbath Service
Saturday
9 a.m. Seventh Day Adventist
5:30 p.m. Roman Catholic Mass
Sunday
8:30 a.m. Liturgical Communion
Service, (Multi-faith
chapel)
9:30 a.m. Protestant Sunday
School at the high school
9:30 a.m. Roman Catholic Mass
11:00 a.m. CCD (Sept through May,
high school)
11 a.m. Protestant Morning
Worship (Communion-
First Sundays)
12:30 p.m. Roman Catholic Mass
Lav Reader Services
10 a.m.
11:15 a.m.
3 p.m.
2:30 p.m.
Wed. 7 p.m.
Thurs. 7 a.m.
11:30 a.m.
Church of Christ,
(New Community Center)
Gospel Service,
(Andrews Theater)
Bahai Faith
The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Christian Life, Church of the
Nations
Episcopal Matins Service
Weekdays
Roman Catholic Mass
(First Friday of each
month with luncheon.)
Contact the chapel at 4111 or 4211 for other
activities.
August 10,1990
9