Estimation of Methane Production and Electrical Energy Generation from Municipal Solid Waste Disposal Sites in Pakistan

Ihsanullah Sohoo,Zubair Ahmed Sohu,Zhi Kai Chong,Marco Ritzkowski,Kerstin Kuchta,Senem Önen Cinar

doi:10.3390/en14092444

Abstract

This work aimed to estimate the annual methane production from the municipal solid waste disposal sites in Pakistan. In this study, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) default methodology was used to estimate theoretical methane formation potential of the waste disposal sites in major cities of Pakistan. The estimates of this study are based on the last population census conducted in the year 2017 and latest available data regarding the waste generation and management practices in the cities considered in the study. Results showed that 31.18 million tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) is generated annually. The top 10 major populated cities in Pakistan (with 20% share in country’s population) contributing 31% share in the total quantity of MSW generated in overall country. On average 50–60% of the MSW generated is collected and openly dumped at the designated waste disposal sites. After analyzing the data, we estimate that annually 12.8 MtCO2-eq of methane is emitted from the waste disposal sites in major cities considered in this study. The methane produced from the waste disposal sites can be sustainably utilized as a source of energy through transforming MSW disposal sites (open dumps) to sanitary landfills with methane capturing and utilization facilities. In the present scenario of waste management and methane formation potential, sanitary landfills would generate 62.35 MWh of electric power if 25% of the methane was recovered and utilized in power generation.

Highlights

Sustainable management of municipal solid waste (MSW) is one of the major challenges municipal authorities are facing in developing countries [1,2,3]
Following the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines [48], this study estimated that overall 12.7 Million tonnes CO2 equivalent (Mt CO2 -eq) of CH4 is being released from waste disposal at dumpsites sites in the most populous cities of Pakistan
The methane emissions are higher from waste disposal sites in Lahore and Karachi causing an annual release of 8.52 Mt CO2 eq and 3.40 Mt CO2 -eq of methane in atmosphere respectively

Summary

Introduction

Sustainable management of municipal solid waste (MSW) is one of the major challenges municipal authorities are facing in developing countries [1,2,3]. Sustainable waste management practices can be defined as handling of waste generated by the means of collection, transfer/transport, reuse, recycling, disposing, and landfilling, concurrently considering the costs and effects on public health and ecosystems [4]. Landfilling predominates in global waste management strategies, as 37% of MSW is disposed of in landfills and 33% of MSW is still ending up at open dumps [6]. LFG Energy Project Development Handbook; United States Environmental. Protection Agency (EPA): Washington, DC, USA, 2017.

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