Once paper has been separated from other recycling materials, the cans are then removed.
Containers that come out of the ballistic separator now pass into a series of machines.
Here cans, followed by glass, are removed, leaving plastic for further sorting.
Separating iron and non-iron metals
A magnetic belt attracts steel and other metals containing iron (known as ferrous metals).
A roll packer then compacts the ferrous metals.
The rest of the recyclables then pass through an eddy current separator. This contains spinning magnets that send non-ferrous metals, such as aluminium, off the conveyor.
The machine injects the cans with the same charge that small magnets in the drum carry. Like charges repel, and the aluminium cans bounce off the magnets into a chute.
Ferrous and non-ferrous metals are stored in separate bunkers.
The remaining material contains only glass and plastic.
Previous stage: separating paper
Next stage: separating glass