Environmental Engineering

General learning outcomes The course aims to provide knowledge and develop skills related to urban mining and recycling processes of end-of-life products turning them into secondary raw materials, in agreement with the principles of circular economy and the sustainable development goals of UN AGENDA 2030, with particular reference to SDG11 (Sustainable cities and communities), SDG12 (Responsible consumption and production), SDG13 (Climate action). In particular, the course aims to illustrate the main technologies and related equipment at laboratory and / or industrial plant scale in order to carry out the recognition, characterization, selection and treatment of materials to be recycled of different nature and origin (packaging waste such as plastic, glass, paper and aluminum, construction & demolition waste, waste from electrical and electronic equipment, end-of-life vehicles, etc.). Starting from the knowledge of solid particle properties, it will be possible to evaluate and define the most suitable physical-mechanical treatment techniques in order to produce secondary raw materials, taking into account technical, economic, environmental aspects and technological innovations of a rapidly evolving sector. Some of the main recycling chains for the production of secondary raw materials will be then examined, highlighting the critical issues and the key factors of each of them. Specific learning outcomes Based on the acquired knowledge, the student will be able to define the fundamental operations, their sequence and logic in order to design a mechanical process to produce secondary raw materials from end-of-life products, choosing the most suitable separation methods, defined from the characterization of solid waste materials also through innovative approaches. The student will also develop the ability to evaluate, select and apply quality control actions for both feed and output streams in a recycling plant, in order to optimize the processes, maximizing waste recovery and secondary raw materials value, in the perspective of circular economy and efficient use of resources. After passing the exam, students will be able to: ● Understand the fundamental principles for the recycling-oriented characterization of materials ● Apply traditional and innovative analytical techniques for material recycling ● Know the recycling technologies for different waste materials and end of life products ● Understand and evaluate recycling processes considering both technical and economic aspects ● Apply the fundamental principles for the physical separation of materials to be recycled Students will also acquire the following transversal skills: ● Demonstrate effective communication with specialists and non-specialists ● Team work ability ● Write a technical-scientific report ● Make an oral presentation ● Analyze issues critically ● Access and select appropriate sources of information