The analysis compares three different systems.
The resulting waste fee depends on the complexity of the technology and the use of the sorted components.

The volume of mixed municipal waste in landfills should decrease, while the use of recycling and energy recovery should increase. With the steadily rising fees and further legislation in the field of landfilling, there is also an increased motivation to seek alternative methods of waste management.
Robert Procházka from VÚMZ, a company specializing in the production of waste management equipment, discussed technological methods of mixed waste treatment, economic parameters of selected systems, and the resulting waste fees for residents at the Vykurovanie 2024 conference.
In the article, you will learn:
- The technical possibilities for treating mixed waste.
- The level of waste recovery achieved by the three compared systems.
- Which waste treatment method has the best return on investment but is also the most complex and expensive.
- How the cost of waste processing and the fee per resident changes according to the different systems.
- The economic assumptions behind the analysis.

A simple system
The first system involves crushing mixed waste and separating the heavy and light fractions. “It is a simple system that ensures only the division of fractions and the stabilization of biodegradable waste before landfill disposal. The light fraction is sold as fuel for further processing,” explains R. Procházka, describing the technology and outputs.
The result of processing waste in such a facility is TAP fuel (up to 40%), separated metals (2%), and the rest ending up in the landfill. The cost of processing one ton of waste in this way is 85.3 euros, which translates to an annual fee of approximately 40 euros per inhabitant.
Figure 1: Simple system for processing mixed waste

“This system is the cheapest, but we are unable to utilize the other components,” he explains.
Optical sorting
A more complex system is represented by a device with optical sorting of mixed waste, which is capable of capturing certain waste components. The recovery of mixed waste with this technology has increased from 2% to 30% compared to the first system. Up to 40% of the waste, in the form of organic and inert materials, ends up in the landfill, while up to 30% of the input waste volume is converted into fuel. Secondary recyclable components also represent up to 30%.
Image 2: Mixed waste processing system with optical sorting line.

“TAP fuel is cleaner now, though it might be less energy-efficient since we removed more plastics. On the other hand, this prevents incineration or landfilling,” says the expert.
Thanks to the possibility of selling valuable fractions of mixed waste, the economic parameters of the investment have improved, according to the analysis. The cost of processing one ton of waste decreased to 54 euros, and the fee per inhabitant, assuming an average production of 460 kg per year, is 25 euros annually. According to M. Procházka, this system is already cheaper than current landfill costs.
Optics + inert
The third model system for processing mixed waste is the most complex and, in addition to optical sorting, also uses the inert fraction, which is thermally treated and can be utilized for backfilling. This significantly reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills.
Overall, approximately half of the waste volume is recovered, a third is converted into fuel, and the remaining 20% ends up in the landfill. The cost of waste processing in this case is 25 euros per ton, which translates to a waste fee of 12 euros per resident annually.
“The investment cost is higher, but the return on investment is faster. We are currently introducing this system in Slovakia, and the first tests will take place in a few months,” says R. Procházka.
Image No. 3: Comprehensive waste processing system with optical sorting and the use of inert fraction.

Necessary grant support.
“A more sophisticated system for processing mixed municipal waste, with the potential for maximum separation of recyclable commodities, thermal treatment of inert material, such as for construction mixtures, and the production of RDF for energy use, leads to the best path for the sustainability of future mixed waste recovery facilities that can at least stabilize the waste processing fees for local governments,” concludes the analysis.
From the perspective of setting up the project’s economics, the proximity of a waste-to-energy (ZEVO) or micro ZEVO facility and a mechanical-biological treatment (MBÚ) line should be important. The economic viability of solutions is also influenced by the changing prices of primary and secondary raw materials, as well as alternative fuel (RDF) (estimated at 80 euros/ton).
An important role, however, is also played by the setup of state support for such projects, as they involve costly investments with uncertain profitability, influenced by many factors.
“The large-scale adoption of technological applications and the use of processed waste forms depends primarily on the legislative setup of individual EU countries and the potential for using grant mechanisms for waste processors. In order for waste processing to be economically viable and thus achieve the societal goal of a circular economy,” adds R. Procházka.
All prices mentioned in the article are current at the time of publication and may vary depending on the price per ton of processed waste and the current market price of plastics.
The text and images are from the website. www.odpady-portal.sk. článok https://www.odpady-portal.sk/Dokument/107976/kolko-stoji-uprava-zmesoveho-odpadu.aspx