Abstract
The paper presents experimental studies of municipal solid waste (MSW) composition and its thermal properties (moisture and ash content). Measurements were taken to track seasonal changes in the composition of MSW. For example, in spring, the content of organic waste was 17.0% and, in autumn, it reached 31.5% due to considerable consumption of seasonal vegetables and fruits. The share of paper in MSW changed from 21.4% in spring to 9.7% in autumn. More paper in spring is due to discarded student notebooks at the end of a school year, as well as spring household cleaning. These data indicate significant changes in waste composition during the year, which should be taken into account when planning technologies for waste management.
 Laboratory studies of moisture and ash content by season allowed the range of these changes to be determined. In autumn for instance, the moisture and ash content of organic waste was about 82% and 14%, respectively, while in winter, it was approximately 73% and 22%, respectively. These figures can be explained by the organic waste origin: autumn organic waste often comes from fruit pulp and, for example, watermelon peels, and winter organic waste tends to consist mostly of dry vegetable peels such as potato peelings.
 The low calorific value of certain components is based on their composition and the level of moisture and ash in different seasons. Therefore, it is important to take into account the moisture and ash content of individual components, not average values, in order to calculate the waste calorific value.
 MSW thermal characteristics change significantly over the seasons: the MSW moisture content is the highest in autumn (about 49%) and the lowest in winter (32%). The ash content in MSW ranges from 20% in spring and autumn to 27% in summer. The lowest calorific value per working mass in different seasons varies from 7 to 10 MJ/kg, which must be taken into consideration when developing waste management systems in general and when designing specific energy recovery facilities.
Highlights
The system of waste management in the Russian Federation is moving from landfilling to more advanced technologies
Waste composition data are used in multi-criteria decision analysis of waste-to-energy technologies for municipal solid waste management (Qazi, et al 2018) and they contribute significantly to the life cycle assessment results and the uncertainty associated with these results (Bisinella, et al 2017)
The annual cycle of studies is an important aspect in waste management planning, since one-time analysis results can lead to inaccurate planning or inefficient implementation of municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment and disposal technologies
Summary
The system of waste management in the Russian Federation is moving from landfilling to more advanced technologies. This process should be based on the application of municipal solid waste (MSW) management principles and the introduction of effective technologies for MSW treatment and energy recovery in order to reduce the impact on environmental and human health. Waste composition data are used in multi-criteria decision analysis of waste-to-energy technologies for municipal solid waste management (Qazi, et al 2018) and they contribute significantly to the life cycle assessment results and the uncertainty associated with these results (Bisinella, et al 2017). The content of inert fraction varied significantly from 28% in autumn to 38% in winter
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