Abstract
There is a lack of knowledge about the composition and particle size distribution of the <80 mm fraction mechanically separated from residual municipal solid waste (rMSW) and the stabilized residual (SR) after aerobic stabilization in a full-scale MBT plant. Therefore, the composition of the particle size fractions (>60 mm, 60–40 mm, 40–10 mm) of the <80 mm fraction and SR, collected in all seasons (summer (S), autumn (A), winter (W), spring (Sp)), was determined. Biodegradable waste (vegetable waste, other organic waste, paper, cardboard) constituted from 44.1% (A) to 54.3% (Sp) of the <80 mm fraction and it decreased to 8.5% (W) to 17.1% (S) in the SR, after effective biodegradation. In SR, the smaller particle size fractions (up to 40 mm) predominated. The main contaminants in SR were plastic, glass, metal, and other waste. Hierarchical clustering indicated that the composition of the particle size fractions of SR was more similar across four seasons than that of the <80 mm fraction. After stabilization and separation, the share of contaminants increased in the SR size fractions, which means that their recovery before landfilling may be profitable. This suggests a new direction in waste management that would be consistent with the principles of a circular economy, in which a waste product, like SR, which previously could only be landfilled, becomes a source of secondary materials.
Highlights
Landfilling remains the most common method of disposing of residual municipal solid waste
The present study showed that the proportions of the particle size fractions in
Regarding the particle size fractions separated from the
Summary
Landfilling remains the most common method of disposing of residual municipal solid waste (rMSW). The rMSW relates to waste left mainly from households containing materials that have not been separated out during selective collection. To reduce the environmental impact of landfilling, rMSW has to be prepared for disposal in mechanicalbiological treatment (MBT) plants. In MBT facilities in Poland, two types of waste are received and treated independently. Plastic, metal, paper and glass that were separately collected are manually and automatically divided into several fractions based on the type of recyclable material. The fine fraction from these sieve consists of mostly organic matter and is sent to either anaerobic digestion or aerobic stabilization. Separately collected biowaste may be treated in these two processes. The coarse fraction is a source of recyclable materials, which are recovered from it. The remaining fraction is called refuse-derived fuel (RDF), which is about 40% by weight of the input rMSW [1]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
