With gate fees levied on each tonne of waste accepted for treatment at EfW sites, the weighing equipment in place must be accurate, reliable, and able to stand up to fraudulent transactions.

Truck scales can be used at site entrances to help weigh and monitor incoming waste sources, while traffic management solutions can help to manage the flow of traffic. Software can also tie in with back office systems to ensure accurate data collection.

The composition of waste from different sources can vary significantly. Measuring inputs, tracking waste sources, recording data, and keeping the burner supplied with a uniform volume of waste, can help EfW plants maximise the amount of energy extracted from each tonne of waste. Truck scales are ideal for weighing incoming vehicle loads, while floor and forklift scales can be used to track and monitor waste sources as part of the EfW extraction process.

To meet legislation and reporting requirements, energy from waste sites must measure and record data including emissions, waste handling, and operational standards.

Weighing scales and indicators can be linked to back-office systems to record real-time weight data which can be used to meet reporting requirements and monitor the efficiency of inputs and outputs.

Energy from waste plants produce ash as a by-product of the incineration process. In some instances, the ash can be used as a raw material for use in the aggregate industry. Metals can also be collected from the bottom of the furnace and sold for re-use. In both instances, it is important that the EfW site has weighing equipment – usually floor or bench scales – to weigh the by-products for resale, as well as for environmental reporting purposes.