Municipal Waste Management in the Algerian High Plateaus

Abstract

Algeria is facing a constant increase in waste production nationwide. This increase is not only a consequence of population growth, but also a result of ever changing production and consumption modes coupled with an evolution in living standards. Algerian political authorities have chosen Technical Landfill Centres as a competitive and safe technique if it is well-conceived by the rule book, regarding other options of waste management.Our research work aims at determining the optimum conditions of urban solid waste landfill. The study presented in this paper is based on an expertise performed in a Technical Landfill Centre (TLC) which is owned by two local councils and situated between two towns in the territorial division of Naama. Input waste has been analysed physically and chemically as well as leachates (BOD5, COD, heavy metals ..). Elements characterisation was performed according to the MODECOM protocol (a protocol of waste characterisation adopted by the French Environment and Energy Management Agency ADEME) which distinguishes 3 fractions distributed according to their sizes: big >100mm, medium: 100 -20mm, fine < 20mm, and 13 categories (organic matter, paper, cardboard ..).Sampling was realised directly from waste disposals entering the TLC of Touadjer with respect of different areas of waste collection. These sampling operations were repeated for three areas of collection belonging to two local councils at the rate of 4 campaigns in two years (2012-2103) spread over the four seasons.