Amount Of Municipal Solid Waste Research Articles

Development of a Common Waste Combustion System for Generating Electricity at Remote Area

Malaysia’s daily amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) has rapidly increased. This causes the landfills number to increase due to inadequate waste management systems. Apart from that, Malaysia depends on non-renewable resources for electricity generation which could have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, this study proposed to reduce landfills in Malaysia in a proper way and supply electricity using municipal solid waste as a renewable resource. In this study, the combustion of municipal solid waste (MSW) produces steam, which will rotate a turbine that is connected to a dynamo. Then, the energized dynamo will supply electricity to appliances including a direct current motor. The motor shaft then rotates the dynamo shaft in the pulley system which causes the electricity to flow in a closed loop. In this system, a pressurized container is crucial to produce sufficient steam. Based on the experimental setup, it was observed that continuous electricity was successfully achieved by looping the system using a pulley on the dynamo and motor.

Policy analysis on municipal solid waste management in Dhaka South City Corporation, Bangladesh: A qualitative study

Background: Inadequate and improper municipal solid waste (MSW) management is one of the significant reasons behind the environmental deterioration in Bangladesh. The projected daily waste generation for 2025 in Dhaka City is 47,665 tons, half of which remains uncollected despite door-to-door community-based waste collection. There are few studies on MSW management in Bangladesh, most focusing on household-level waste management, measurement of the amount of MSW, etc., but none applied a political economy lens to examine the policy issues related to MSW management. This study aimed to explore the context, actors, and processes regarding MSW management of policies in Dhaka City, Bangladesh, applying the policy-triangle-framework. Methods: This study adopted an exploratory qualitative approach, and document reviews and key informant interviews were conducted from September 2016 to January 2017. Results: We found that the issue of MSW slowly entered the policy documents starting with the Sixth-Five Year Plan (2011-2015), with some earlier sporadic policy initiatives. Due to its being a relatively new concept, stakeholders still lack the expertise to tackle the issue leading to donor dependence. MSW management demands multi-stakeholder involvement, which, in turn, depends on multi-ministerial and -departmental coordination, which is chronically deficient. MSW policies, like most other social policies, demand citizen involvement, without which both policy formulation processes and their proper implementation are compromised. Conclusion: In order to overcome these policy challenges, the technical and financial capacity of the stakeholders for MSW management should be enhanced, high-level multi-ministerial coordination needs to be strengthened, and citizen empowerment and engagement must be ensured at every step of the MSW policy cycle.

Upgrading MSW pyrolysis oil through distillation and hydrotreatment for automobile engine applications: A short review

The demand for fossil fuel in today’s world is increasing at a higher pace with rapid population growth and industrial development. The reserve for petroleum-based fossil fuels is finite which necessitates the search for alternative fuels. Pyrolysis oil obtained from Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) has drawn the attention of many researchers because of their high heating value and similar fuel properties with commercial automobile fuel and has potential to substitute commercial diesel fuel. Nevertheless, the crude oil obtained from pyrolysis of MSW has some shortcomings such as higher viscosity and density, lower flash point and cetane index, unpleasant odor, and higher sulfur content, preventing its useability as a drop in fuel for automobiles at present. In this short review, distillation and hydrotreatment post treatment procedures, amongst many others, are discussed for improving the properties of pyrolysis crude oil. Focus has been given on waste plastic and waste automobile tire pyrolysis oils as they constitute a significant amount of MSW currently. This review reported that noticeable improvement of the properties (cetane number, flash point, viscosity, and sulphur contents) of crude pyrolysis oil (PPO or TPO) can be achieved through distillation and/or hydrotreatment, which are comparable to the properties of standard diesel.

Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste Generated in Some Egyptian Cities

Municipal solid waste (MSW) poses a cumulative problem related to many aspects, namely, social, economic, and cultural. Therefore, such a situation must be accompanied by the development of well-established management systems starting with the knowledge of MSW quantities, its quality and characterization and ending with a suitable landfilling technique. This work aims to characterize Egyptian municipal solid waste generated from two cities in Great Cairo, where 45 samples were collected regularly. The research was carried out by researchers in the Chemical Engineering Department at Cairo University and selected undergraduate students from October to December 2020. The collected MSW was characterized by evaluating the quality and quantity of generated waste. Selected properties considered were: composition (including the organic fraction, papers, plastics, textiles, metals, glass, and others), density, moisture content, calorific value, and Carbon Hydrogen Nitrogen Sulfer (CHNS) chemical elemental analysis. The results obtained showed that the organic fraction was dominant to other fractions (4287%) and the carbon content was more than 47% and the calorific values to range between 4360-12277 kJ/kg. The results obtained were used as a base for a waste management proposal, either from mass recovery for highrecyclable samples or energy recovery for high calorific value waste. In other circumstances, waste-to-energy WTE processes were recommended as a promising solution to developing countries in the world where the energy demand is essential for the life.

Assessment of The Geotechnical Properties of Municipal Solid Waste and Its Effect on The Surrounding Soil: A Review

Due to rapid growing of population and active lifestyle, massive amounts of municipal solid waste (MSW) are produced worldwide. The MSW can harm the environment and threaten the land if the dumping sites are not managed scientifically. The geotechnical properties of MSW are the key parameters required in the landfill operations and waste management facilities. Hence, presence of the geotechnical properties data of the waste can assist engineers in selecting possible solutions for extension of the landfill and obtaining prior background data for the evaluation and design of landfills. MSW disposal changes the geotechnical properties of soil. Also, alterations in the geotechnical properties of soils may contribute to the physical and physico-chemical interactions between soil and contaminants of the dumping sites. As leachate, which is generated by the waste, penetrates into the soil, it moves pollutants into the soil and influences the strength and stability of the soil. The main objective of this research is to summarize the most recent literature of the physical and mechanical properties of MSW, and their influence on the geotechnical properties of soil. The findings of numerous investigations on the physical and mechanical characteristics of MSW and soil influenced by MSW are presented and discussed. Depending on the reviewed research studies, it can be observed that the engineering characteristics of MSW are complicated and varied for various reasons. The waste components and degradation process can cause an increase in moisture content and unit weight, and a decrease in organic content, hydraulic conductivity and compressibility of MSW. Additionally, MSW sites significantly impact the physical and mechanical characteristics of underlain and surrounding soil and deteriorate the soil quality. Further, it was noticed that the influence of dumping on soil is reduced with depth due to less interaction between the soil and waste

Transition and Implementation of Circular Economy in Municipal Solid Waste Management System in Nigeria: A Systematic Review of the Literature

As the environment reaches field capacity and is unable to regenerate waste naturally, challenges resulting from municipal solid waste management (MSWM) are showing a global increase, especially in developing countries. Nigeria is a country with a huge quantity of municipal solid waste (MSW) without a functional and operational MSWM system. This systematic review of the literature (SLR) aimed at investigating knowledge application in view of the circular economy (CE) model in the management of MSW in Nigeria, while answering research questions on the adoption and implementation of the circularity principle. In line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol, a comprehensive search strategy was developed to source electronic versions of updated articles from the Scopus, Web of Science, and Sage databases. The search retrieved 476, 878, and 374 results, respectively. The search was limited to publications written in the English language between 2008 and 2022 and was downloaded via Endnote and screened using Rayyan.ai. The SLR was conducted between February and October 2022. Findings revealed some potential opportunities for the transition and implementation of CE by identifying major indicators and enablers, but pointed out some barriers, including weak legislation, poor funding, the non-engagement of professionals, the absence of infrastructure, a lack of strategic planning, uncivilized behavioral conduct, and demography. The need to improve the current practice of MSWM from the linear economy (LE) of take–make–dispose is crucial. Summarily, the transition towards CE in MSWM is feasible and it can be initiated through the application of the 3Rs and 12Rs while anticipating the provision of infrastructural and novel technologies for a functional MSWM framework.

Potential for Thermo-Chemical Conversion of Solid Waste in Canada to Fuel, Heat, and Electricity

The amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in Canada was 34 million tonnes in 2018. Responsible waste management is challenging, but essential to protect the environment and to prevent the contamination of the ecosystem on which we rely. Landfilling is the least desirable option, and diversion through thermo-chemical conversion to value-added products is a good option for difficult-to-recycle waste. In this study, the amounts, moisture contents, heating values, and compositions of municipally collected solid waste produced in Canada are reported, a classification that is suitable for conversion purposes is proposed, and the potential for thermo-chemical conversion is determined. Much of the waste generated in Canada is suitable for being converted, and its potential for heat or electricity generation was determined to be 193 PJ/yr and 37 TWh/y, respectively. The GHG emissions that are saved through diversion from the landfill, while assuming the generated heat or electricity offsets natural gas combustion, gives a GHG reduction of 10.6 MMTCO2E/yr or 1.6% of Canada’s GHG emissions. The blending of waste in feedstocks can have varying effects on the amount of biogenic CO2 produced per unit energy in the feedstock, which is an important consideration for new projects. Other considerations include the heating values, moisture contents, and contaminant levels in the waste.

Development of a Sustainable Community Environmental Management Model by Using the Process Engage Educational Institutions and Communities

Background and Aims: The amount of municipal solid waste generated tended to increase during the year 2017-2019 and there is more reuse of municipal solid waste, in which incorrect disposal tends to decrease, but with the situation of the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 since the beginning of March 2020, and continued until a new wave of outbreaks in late 2020 and early 2021. The problem of solid waste is increasing, the Local authorities will collect and transport waste, which the municipality will do by itself, but some hire private companies to carry out the collection in the area for waste management problems that are mostly found as residual waste. Thus, this research was; (1) to study the problems and needs of sustainable community environmental management. (2) To find a model and develop a sustainable community environmental management model by using the participation process of educational institutions and communities. Materials and Methods: This research was a qualitative study in Kaeng Loengchan Sub-district, Mueang District, Maha Sarakham Province. The research tools were semi-structured, observational, and recording interviews with a target population of 30 participants. Use content analysis. Results: The results showed that; (1) The community environmental problem that is currently facing is the continuous increase of solid waste from consumption and household consumption which, if not properly managed, will cause chronic problems. (2) Sustainable community environmental management model found that (1) the implementation of the 5R principles in the household, (2) the establishment of a community waste bank, and (3) the use of an application system to help collect solid waste management data. Conclusion: The local government should develop further by incorporating them into local ordinances to develop and support the budget for expanding the results to other areas. And the development of a sustainable community environmental management model by using the participation process of educational institutions and communities.

Innovative approach to waste management: utilizing stabilized municipal solid waste in road infrastructure.

In recent years, a sudden upsurge in the quantity of municipal solid waste (MSW) has been observed, and the status quo demands a constructive and economically viable solution. The use of stabilized municipal solid waste (SMSW) in road construction can help in reducing the burden on landfills and waste management authorities. In the existing study, SMSW was accumulated from the Okhla landfill which is situated in New Delhi that is rich in an organic content. This SMSW was then blended with soil (5%, 10%, and 15%) and bottom ash with varying percentages (10%, 20%, 30%) individually and a mix of soil and bottom ash in the ratio of 1:1 to reduce the content of organic matter. The blended sample was then tested to check its compaction value, California bearing ratio (CBR), unconfined compressive strength (UCS), durability, and scanning electron microstructure (SEM). The results indicated that the addition of bottom ash to SMSW decreases the maximum dry unit weight that varies between 1.65 and 1.51 KN/m3 while this value reduces to 1.72 to 1.67 KN/m3 in the case of the bottom ash-soil blend. Also, CBR value reduces to 25.50 to 18.00% in case of bottom ash and 25.89 to 21.92% for bottom ash-soil samples and inverse in the case of SMSW samples blended with soil ranges between 19.95 and 22.59%. The California bearing ratio value of all samples under soaked condition meets the minimum criteria (> 10%) as specified in IRC SP-72 for low-volume roads, but at the same time failed to meet the durability specifications. Thus, it is recommended to use this soil subgrade material in arid regions.

Social cost of waste-to-energy (WTE) incineration siting: From the perspective of risk perception

Faced with the rapidly growing amounts of municipal solid waste, the development of waste-to-energy (WTE) plants is conducive to resolving the garbage siege problem. However, the public tend to exaggerate the fire and explosion risks and the toxic pollutants from WTE incineration plants. Protest campaigns against the siting of WTE facilities are mounting in China, implying that the excessive risk perceptions would result in social costs such as the reduction in net benefits for operating WTE facilities and market failure in the housing market due to negative externalities. Considering the importance of public risk perception in energy policy options, this study uses a social cost model to identify the determinants of risk perception, how the risk perception would influence facility expansion, and measure the non-market value of marginal efforts made by the government based on the field survey data in Shenzhen. Results showed that: (1) residency status, household income and living distance influence public risk perception; (2) the fitting risk perception significantly reduces the probability of approving facility expansion with the marginal effect of 8.8%; (3) exaggerated risk perceptions distort the adjacent property market and the marginal cost of government's efforts to maximize individual welfare is 651–932 USDs.

Strategy formulation path towards zero-waste of municipal solid waste: A case study from Shanghai

Achieving zero-waste of municipal solid waste (MSW) is not only a vision of policymakers but also an aspired topic of scholars. Although many countries and regions have formulated ambitious zero-waste strategies, relatively few scholars have studied how these strategies were developed and implemented. This study summarized a strategy formulation path towards zero-waste of MSW, and built a zero-waste system dynamic model to simulate the zero-waste situation of Shanghai’ MSW from 2000 to 2050. There are primary, intermediate and advanced stages towards zero-waste of MSW. Reaching these three stages needs to follow the goals of “zero landfill at the end, more recycling at the middle, and less generation at the source”. Additionally, this study compared 13 scenarios to give MSW zero-waste strategy formulation path for Shanghai from 2025 to 2050. The simulation results show that the amount of MSW generated in Shanghai will continue to increase, reaching 16 million tons MSW and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will reach 1.7 million tons by 2050. Shanghai’ MSW will achieve zero-waste by 2050 only if recycling rate can increase to 70%, proportion of green raw materials increase to 50%, resident waste disposal reducing by 10%, and resident consumption reducing by 10%. Shanghai will reduce MSW by 30%–60% and GHG emissions by 50%–90% under zero-waste scenario. Laws and regulations to strengthen the construction of a green supply chain, promotion and education to enhance residents’ active zero-waste awareness, and mandatory policies to push forth zero-waste awareness are the focus of future zero-waste strategies. Although it is difficult to achieve zero-waste goal, continuous adherence to zero-waste action is still urged, which is very important for the sustainable development of the environment.

Pilot-scale flue gas pyrolysis system for organic and plastic wastes with improved liquid properties in a non-thermal plasma reactor

A fast, oxidative pyrolysis system was developed to produce a pyrolysis liquid (PyOL) upgraded with a non-thermal plasma (NTP) reactor. In addition to the 1.8 million tonnes per annum of plastic wastes, large amounts of municipal solid waste in Malaysia end up in landfills, of which 40–60 % is organic or food waste. Organic and plastic wastes (OPW) can be used as carbon feedstocks for the pyrolysis process to produce PyOL, reducing the OPW disposal in landfills, and carbon emissions. However, the current pyrolysis methods use pure nitrogen, implying increased operational cost, and are commonly performed at the lab scale. In this study, flue gas was used for the pyrolysis of OPW at a pilot scale. The use of flue gas for PyOL production reduces the operational costs and lifecycle carbon emissions. Results show that the addition of a small percentage of plastics at the pyrolysis temperature of 350 °C increased the yield of liquid. However, large amounts of plastics resulted in significant material agglomeration. A disadvantage of PyOL is the degradation of properties with respect to storage time. Therefore, a NTP reactor was developed to improve the PyOL properties. After NTP treatment, the aromatic and carbonyl ester groups decrease, the calorific value increased, and certain chemical compounds increased in concentration. This study provides operational parameters for the pilot scale pyrolysis (and waste-to-energy) process, improving the technical viability of scaling-up such systems.

Development of a spatial optimization model for MSW management by hydrothermal carbonization: A case study on Dhaka

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a promising solution to cope with the large amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) produced in densely populated metropolitan areas of developing countries. But technical and logistical limitations typically necessitate optimal plant locations and a strong supply chain for MSW-based HTC plants to be economically attractive. To that end, a novel linear programming (LP)-based spatial optimization model has been developed that takes multiple critical constraints (biomass availability, hydrochar yield, market demand, costs of transporting and handling biomass and hydrochar, and land cost) into account to maximize the net profit of HTC plants. Dhaka, being a mega city, is burdened with the issue regarding disposal of large quantity of MSW. A case study was conducted based on the MSW management system of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) for two schemes, a single (79.26 MWthermal) plant and a double (39.63 MWthermal) plant, in Dhaka city and its surrounding area. The model showed that the single plant scheme generated a higher profit (~18.5 million USD) than the double plant scheme (~17.7 million USD). Locations within Dhaka city near the secondary transfer stations were found to be favorable for plant establishment in both schemes. Further analysis revealed that plants' net profit is highly dependent on their optimal locations, with total transportation cost being the most significant location-sensitive element. Standardized coefficients suggest that for a single plant scheme, total transportation cost will always have a more dominant effect than land cost. This model will be able to guide the policy makers to take necessary steps for proper management of ever-growing city waste by setting up HTC facilities at optimal locations.

Automatic Waste Segregation

Abstract: Rapid increase in volume and types of solid and hazardous waste due to continuous economic growth, urbanization and industrialization, is becoming a burgeoning problem for national and local governments to ensure effective and sustainable management of waste. It is estimated that in 2006 the total amount of municipal solid waste generated globally reached 2.02 billion tones, representing a 7% annual increase since 2003 (Global Waste Management Market Report 2007). The segregation, handling, transport, and disposal of waste needs to be properly managed to minimize the risk to the health and safety of patients, the public, and the environment. The economic value of waste is best realized when it is segregated. Currently, there is no such system of segregation of dry, wet and metallic wastes at the household level. This paper proposes an Automated Waste Segregator (AWS) which is a cheap, easy to use solution for a segregation system for household use, so that it can be sent directly for processing. It is designed to sort the refuse into metallic waste, wet waste and dry waste

Carbon Residue from Copyrolysis of Cartons and Plastics As an Efficient H2O2 Activator

The recent significant increase in the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a remarkable environmental issue. Pyrolysis is a promising thermal treatment process, as it can reduce MSW and produce some valuable products as well. This study evaluated the potential of the carbon residue (CR) as an efficient H2O2 activator. The CR was produced from the copyrolysis of a mixture of abandoned cartons and plastic wraps, which are becoming increasingly dominant in MSW. The results show an interesting interaction between cartons and PVC, that the introduction of PVC into the carton greatly enhanced the activation rates of H2O2 by CR below the ratio of 0.2:1 (PVC/carton, w/w), whereas higher PVC content lowered its activation ability. EPR signals under different conditions revealed that CR directly activated H2O2 to mainly produce •O2–, which was responsible for pollutant degradation. A mechanistic study suggested that the rates of H2O2 activation were mainly governed by two factors: the amount of oxidative sites on CR and the conductivity of CR, which both were also quantitatively correlated with the activation rates of H2O2. Surface defects and surface-bound radicals were attributed to the two factors, respectively. The introduction of a limited amount of PVC to the carton greatly increased both factors mainly contributed from the generation of HCl during pyrolysis of PVC. In summary, this study may provide some new insights on the catalytic features of CRs, which are generated from the pyrolysis of a mixture of abandoned plastic wraps and cartons.

Life cycle assessment of municipal biowaste management - a Czech case study

As part of coming targets to transition to a sustainable society and actively set a circular economy, one of the EU objectives is to decrease the amount of municipal solid waste and initiate the separation of its organic fraction, i.e., biowaste. Consequently, the question of how to best manage biowaste at the municipal level is of high importance, and previous research has shown the strong influence of local factors on the most sustainable treatment option. Life Cycle Assessment is a valuable tool for comparison of waste management impacts and was used to assess environmental impacts of the current biowaste management in Prague and give insight for improvements. Different scenarios were created regarding EU and Czech biowaste targets for separated collection. Results show the significant influence of the source of energy that is substituted. Consequently, in the current situation of an energy mix highly based on fossil fuels, incineration is the most sustainable option in most impact categories. However, community composting was found to have a better potential to reduce ecotoxicity and resource use of minerals and metals. Furthermore, it could supply a significant proportion of the minerals need of the region while increasing the autonomy of the Czech Republic regarding mineral fertilisers. To meet targets of EU directives for separated collection of biowaste, a combination of anaerobic digestion, to avoid use of fossil fuels, and composting, to increase circular economy, is most likely the best option. The outputs of this project would be of great significance for municipalities.

Optimal dispatch of nearly-zero carbon integrated energy system considering waste incineration plant-carbon capture system and market mechanisms

Considering the waste incineration plant-carbon capture (WIP-CC) system and market mechanisms, the optimal dispatching strategy of nearly-zero carbon integrated energy system (NZC-IES) is proposed. The incineration of large amounts of Municipal Solid Waste can result in significant carbon emission and air pollution. However, lack of consideration of mechanisms for carbon processing and environmental protection will prevent the development of NZC-IES. Accordingly, a novel mixed integer nonlinear mathematical model, NZC-IES, is established that minimizes the total cost and controls carbon emission and air pollution. Unlike previous studies of optimal dispatching for WIP-CC system, the climate and health costs of WIP and the social costs of energy sources for CC are considered. A model of adjustable thermoelectric ratios for WIP and a model for CC with the storage tanks are established to enhance the flexibility of the thermoelectric output. Also, demand response model and ladder-type carbon trading model are developed to serve for NZC-IES. Case studies reveal that the proposed optimal dispatching strategy can realize the waste to energy utilization and low-carbon emission with economic performance.

The waste separation behaviour of primary and middle school students and its influencing factors: Evidence from Yingtan City, China

Waste separation at source has been proved to be an effective way to reduce the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) which has become a major challenge to China’s ecological environment. However, waste source separation requires effort from each individual citizen. As the important drivers of change and potential influencers of the future world, younger Chinese’s waste separation behaviour is crucial to the long-term successful implementation of China’s MSW separation policy. To explore the waste separation behaviour of younger Chinese and identify the factors that may influence their behaviour so as to better encourage younger generation of Chinese to practice waste sorting in their daily lives, a questionnaire survey of 579 primary and middle school (PMS) students aged between 6 and18 years old (y/o) was carried out in Yingtan City, Jiangxi Province, China. Binary logistic regression was adopted to explore the factors that might influence the respondents’ waste separation behaviour. The results indicate that more than half PMS students in Yingtan have participated in waste separation, and junior year students perform better in waste separation practice than their seniors. Students are found to have basic knowledge of MSW classification, but they are more familiar with recyclable waste and hazardous waste than non-recyclable waste. The analysis also highlights positive relationships between PMS students’ attitude to waste separation, their willingness to do it, their environmental education and their waste separation behaviour. The level of convenience of waste sorting facilities and influences from friends and families are also positively related to the students’ waste separation practice, but families have the strongest influence. The perception of a mandatory waste separation policy would demotivate students in terms of waste separation practice, while giving rewards is considered to be the most effective approach to encouraging waste separation. Finally, management strategies for improving PMS students’ waste separation behaviour are discussed and several recommendations for improvement are made.

Application of Fly Ash Obtained from the Incineration of Municipal Solid Waste in Agriculture

In the current context of the increase in the amount of municipal solid waste as a result of the development of urbanization, in this paper we have analyzed the impact of the use of fly ash obtained from the incineration of municipal solid waste in agriculture on the development of plants as an improver of acidic soils due to the nutrients it contains. We presented ash treatment methods to reduce the content of heavy metals and salts. Based on the studies in the literature, it was found that by adding certain concentrations of fly ash to degraded soils, the quality, porosity, and texture of the soil are improved; the yield of certain crops increases; the water retention capacity of the soil and soil aeration are improved; the density of the soil bulk; the compactness of the soil is reduced; the pH value is optimized; the electrical conductivity of the soil is increased; the crust formation is reduced; and it provides micronutrients to the soil. In the context of the circular economy, by using fly ash as an organic fertilizer in agriculture, the amount of chemical fertilizers harmful to agricultural crops is reduced, the problem of ash storage is solved, and thus it no longer pollutes the environment.

Advanced biorefinery feedstock from non-recyclable municipal solid waste by mechanical preprocessing

Because of accelerated urbanization and the development of a global economy, a large quantity of municipal solid waste (MSW) has been collected and disposed of by the municipalities. Due to this drastic increase in the disposal of MSW, the need for its management is a must to preserve the environment. Currently, approximately 50% of the total MSW generated in the United States has been utilized through various recycling, combustion, and composting technologies, which means the remaining 50% is sent to landfill; this is often known as non-recyclable MSW (nMSW). As this nMSW is physically and chemically heterogenous and contains very high amounts of inorganic material, processing is required prior to using it as a biorefinery feedstock. Thus, this study focused on how mechanical preprocessing advanced the physical and chemical properties of nMSW. The physical and chemical properties were investigated in terms of particle size distribution, bulk density, ultimate and proximate analysis, and the higher heating value (HHV). The combustion properties were examined in terms of ignition temperature, peak heat release rate, and combustion efficiency. Results showed that the variability of physical and chemical properties of nMSW can be reduced by mechanical preprocessing. For example, the variability of the bulk density of the as-received nMSW was approximately 17.3% while it reduced to 5.8% when the sample size was reduced to 2 mm. Similarly, the variability of ash and HHV reduced from 49.2% to 11.0% and 13.4%–4.2%, respectively. Combustion thermograms showed that the size reduction positively improved the combustion properties. For example, 2 mm of spec sample started to ignite approximately 4 times earlier and took 6.5 folds less time to reach the peak heating rate compared to as-received nMSW. Overall, the mechanical preprocessing reduced the variability of physical and chemical properties in addition to the improvement of combustion behavior of the nMSW which is one step forward toward the biorefinery feedstock.