Investigation on Municipal Solid Waste Characteristics from Commercial Sources and Their Recycling Potential in Padang City, Indonesia

Abstract

The aim of current study is to analyze the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) characteristics for the last 10 years including generation rates, composition, proximate analysis, and recycling potential in commercial area of Padang City. Such characteristics are very important for MSW management planning. National Standardization Agency of Indonesia (SNI) 19-3964-1994 was used as guidance for 8 consecutive days sampling to commercial facilities including traditional market, shop, hotel, restaurant and automobile service point. Types of marketable waste observed from recycling agents, scavengers and solid waste banks (SWB) were used as reference for estimating the recycling potential of dry waste (non biodegradable waste). Current investigation on MSW generation rate, composition, and chemical characteristics was compared to those in 2005 and 2009. As a result, MSW generation rates tend to increase from 2005 to 2009 (0.430 kg/cap/day and 0.523 kg/cap/day), while decrease from 2009 to 2016 (0.523 kg/cap/day and 0.346 kg/cap/day). People awareness on waste reduction and reuse might be contributing to this decrease. Composition of plastic waste has been increasing in the last 10 years due to the increasing level of plastic-packaged food production (13.00% and 34.59%). Recycling potential for biodegradable waste, paper waste, plastic waste, glass waste, non ferrous metal waste, and ferrous metal waste are 69.901%, 74.994%, 79.863%, 85.604%, 95%, and 71.591%, respectively. The high recycling potential of MSW creates an opportunity for the local government to promote waste recycling program and to reduce the waste entering the municipal landfill. 3R waste treatment facility (TPS 3R), Integrated waste treatment facility (TPST), and SWB must be established at source and municipality scale.