Abstract
In Poland, special attention is focused on sustainable municipal waste management. As a result, new waste incineration plants are being planned. They are considered to be modern, ecologically friendly, and renewable energy sources. The waste from conventional incineration, which contains hazardous substances, must be disposed of in an appropriate manner. This study used advanced statistical tools, such as control charts, trend analysis, and time series analysis. The analysis was based on the leachability of selected elements and chemical compounds in incineration bottom ashes (IBAs) from the Waste to Energy Plant in Kraków, which were weathered for 2 weeks. The analysis was performed for 34 weeks. The obtained leachability results were compared with the leachability limit values of individual components. Based on the analysis of the control charts, it was found that in the case of selected samples, the leachability limit values for processing outside the plant using the R5 recovery process (LLVR5) values were exceeded. Seasonality analysis was performed using the autocorrelation function (ACF), the partial autocorrelation function (PACF), and the frequency analysis. Based on the obtained results, it was concluded that the leachability of elements and chemical compounds from waste does not confirm the occurrence of seasonality. It was found that from the exceedances of the LLVR5 mean that the two-week weathering is not sufficient and further studies should be carried out. The research methodology, which was presented on the example of the leachability of elements and compounds from IBA, can also be used for other waste analyses.
Highlights
While the production of significant amounts of these residues is associated with the challenges of their management and processing [9], most of incineration bottom ashes (IBAs) after weathering and the recovery of metals can be recycled as a road sub-base and replace natural aggregates typically used in that process [10,11,12,13]
The results presented refer to waste with European waste catalogue code 19 01 12–bottom ash and slags other than mentioned in 19 01 11 (IBA) [24]
IBA are mainly composed of amorphous substances and minerals rich in calcium and silicates and are enriched with iron and sodium [45,46,47]
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. While the production of significant amounts of these residues is associated with the challenges of their management and processing [9], most of IBA after weathering and the recovery of metals can be recycled as a road sub-base and replace natural aggregates typically used in that process [10,11,12,13] Some of these residues, due to their heavy metal content and leaching potential, have environmental impact on soils and water and can be classified as a hazardous waste that requires specialized processing methods. Such detailed statistical tests, together with the analysis of trends and seasonality for the leachability of the above-mentioned elements and compounds from IBA from MSW incineration plants, are performed for the first time, which makes the obtained results unique. The used methods are suitable to regulate the process and optimize the costs of the waste treatment depending on the chemical compounds of this waste as a function of time
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