A significant proportion of the fuses collected are smelted and processed in a converter into reusable base materials and slag. Since processing by means of smelting is impossible in the Netherlands, much of the expense of being able to process in this way consists of transport costs.
Since our wish is to achieve the highest yield reasonably possible, we have found a new partner in the Netherlands that is able to greatly reduce our transport costs by mixing our fuses with their own products. They are also able to process cartridges known to be free of harmful substances in a different way, resulting in a yield many times higher. This enables us to generate more money for good causes.
By splitting the fuses mechanically into the raw base materials instead of smelting them, the remaining processing can be better focused on the right material. Any plastics present are no longer incinerated, but can also be reused, which is also good for the environment. Sand automatically goes to the construction materials industry, while the casings are still reused for road construction. Now that the base materials are separated in a cleaner way, the burden on the environment is greatly reduced. And clearly, if the base materials are no longer smelted out of the fuses, less energy is needed for the processing. Because the use of dangerous substances in cartridges has been banned for decades, there is an increasing supply of cartridges without dangerous substances, which are suitable for this processing method. By making a clear division among types of fuse at the source, we are able to process increasingly large batches safely and in an environmentally friendly way. On top of that, the proceeds that can be donated to charity are higher.