Landfill Dumping Research Articles

Biocrude from hydrothermal liquefaction of indigenous municipal solid waste for green energy generation and contribution towards circular economy: A case study of urban Pakistan

In this study, biocrude was successfully produced by the hydrothermal liquefaction of municipal solid waste collected from the landfill site of Lahore, the capital of Punjab, Pakistan, boasting a population of 12 million and an annual waste collection of 10 million tons. The hydrothermal liquefaction process was performed at reaction parameters of 350 °C and 165 bars with 15 min of residence time. The solid waste was found to have 78 % dry matter, 22 % moisture contents, 22.2 % ash, 22.69 MJ/kg higher heating value, 52.062 % C, 8.007 % H, 0.764 % N, and 39.164 % O. Non-catalytic process only produced 10.57 % oil, however when using the catalytic process, the biocrude yield improved to 17.61 %, with 22.61 % energy recovery for biocrude and 12.14 % for solids, when using 2 g dose of K2CO3. The resultant biocrude has a 28.61 MJ/kg higher heating value, having 60.28 % C and 9.28 % H. In contrast, the aqueous phase generated had 4.43 pH, 71.5 g/L TOC, and 1.35 g/L Total Nitrogen. TGA indicated that biocrude contains approximately 80 % of volatile fractions of different fuels. The organic compounds having the six highest peak areas in GC-MS were Ethyl ether 25.74 %, 2-pentanone, 4-hydroxy-4-methyl 9.08 %, 2-propanone, 1,1-dimethoxy 5.62 %, Silane, dimethyl (docosyloxy) butoxy 5.08 %, 1-Hexanol, 2-ethyl 4.53 %, and. Phenol 4.07 %. This work makes the first-ever successful use of indigenous solid waste from a landfill dumping site in Lahore to successfully produce useful biocrude with aims of waste reduction and management, circular economy, and energy recovery.

Geotechnical and microstructural analysis of high-volume fly ash stabilized clayey soil and machine learning application

The weak soil stabilization using solid wastes is one of the most common solutions for improving geotechnical characteristics as well as for problematic waste dumping in landfills. The present experimental study aims to examine the effect of high-volume Class-F fly ash on the geotechnical and microstructural properties of clayey soil by adding them in ranges between 5 % and 50 %. The results show that as the amount of fly ash in clayey soil increases, properties like the specific gravity, plasticity index, permeability, optimum moisture content, maximum dry density and free swelling index improves. Moreover, these geotechnical properties were analyzed to develop machine learning models using three different algorithms, namely K-nearest neighbor regression, random forest, and support vector regression, for obtaining the optimum amount of fly ash contents in weak expansive soils. The predicted and experimental results found to be in close-relation for predicting the geotechnical behavior of modified clayey soil. Furthermore, the performance of the ML models degrades as the number of components reduces, with KNN regression consistently outperforming SVR and RF but suffering significantly with fewer components. The results of the testing set in the case of four components are MSE of 77, R² of 0.896, RMSE of 0.846, MAE of 0.327, and SEE of 0.858, indicating precise and consistent predictions. However, the prediction accuracy considering lesser components shows MSE as 262, R² as 0.648, MAE as 5.606, SEE as 16.707, and GPI as 1.056, confirming the elevated error rates. Overall, it has been concluded that combining comprehensive experimental work and machine learning techniques outperforms in enhancing geotechnical data processing, optimized waste contents in weak soils, improves sustainability in construction, saves resources, reduces the possibility of human mistakes, and increases reliability.

Performance of concrete containing waste demolished concrete powder as a partial substitute for cement

PurposePresent work deals with the partial substitution of cement by waste demolished concrete powder (WDP) for reducing the carbon footprints of concrete.Design/methodology/approachControl specimens and the specimens with 20% WDP as fractional substitute of cement were prepared. The waste powder was thermally activated at 825 °C prior to its use in the mix. The prepared specimens were evaluated in terms of density, workability, mechanical strength, Ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and rebound hammer (RH).FindingsThe results showed that with the substitution, the workability of the mix increased, while the density decreased. A decrement within a 20% limit was found in compressive strength. The UPV and RH results were closely linked to the other results as mentioned above.Research limitations/implicationsThe study deals with only M15 concrete and the substitution level of only 20% as a baseline.Practical implicationsThe concrete containing 20% WDP is lightweight and more workable. Moreover, its strength at 28 days is 14 MPa, only 1 MPa lesser than the characteristic strength.Social implicationsThe WDP can be recycled and the dumping in landfills can be reduced. This is an important effort towards the decarbonation of concrete.Originality/valuePrevious literature indicates that the WDP has been frequently used as a partial replacement of aggregates. However, some traces of secondary hydration were also reported. This work considers the effect of partial substitution of cement by the WDP.

Influence of Land use and Traffic on Road Safety Along Jimeta Bypass

Many roads in some urban areas in developing countries, such as Nigeria, are characterized by a high level of traffic and, because of limited resources, receive inadequate forms of protection and inappropriate maintenance strategies. Some of the roads have become part of a landfill dump embankment, which cause defects that contribute to road accidents. The study sought to investigate the effect of land use and traffic on road safety along the Jimeta Bypass Road. Vehicle enumeration was carried out by manual counting. Road traffic accident data for the analysis was obtained from the Federal Road Safety Commission in Yola. Physical inspection of the pavement section revealed that it was in an unsuitable condition for riding and safety. The findings also revealed that the road pavement had an annual average daily traffic volume of about 1470 vehicles per day, with tricycles having the highest traffic volume and luxurious buses having the lowest traffic volume. Analysis of variance showed that there was no significant variation in traffic volume between periods (morning, afternoon, and evening); traffic only differs between vehicle types. Accident data collected was found to highly correlate with traffic volume, an indicator that the high traffic volume along the Jimeta Bypass Road could be responsible for the occurrence of road traffic crashes along the road. The study findings also indicate there is need to adopt the maintenance culture by Road Authorities and relevant stakeholders so as to address the failure condition at the onset.

Plastic Pollution & Solution

Abstract: Nowadays, plastics are increasingly being used in our daily life activities, including the packaging in different food and brewing companies, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and other production sectors need to pack their end products for efficient and safer product's delivery to the community. Plastics are produced through the biochemical process of polymerization or polycondensation. The post-use of generated plastic waste has many adverse impacts on the environment if not processed and managed in a proper way. This review aims to discuss the lifecycle of plastic products according to their different categories. There are various plastic waste management strategies; plastic waste dumping in landfills is still the most commonly employed strategy. Being non biodegradable, plastic waste dumping in landfills creates several environmental and human health problems. Numerous research studies have been conducted recently to determine safe and ecologically beneficial methods of plastic waste handling. This article performed an analysis of various plastic waste management strategies and their environmental benefits. It has been concluded that among the six plastic waste management techniques (landfills, recycling, pyrolysis to produce RDF and SRF, road construction and concrete production), road construction and concrete production are the two most effective strategies. This is due to significant benefits, such as ease of localization, decreased greenhouse gas emissions, and increased durability and sustainability of manufactured materials, structures, and roadways. Recycling has equal benefits and drawbacks. In comparison, pyrolysis is favorable due to the production of char and fuel, but high energy requirements limit their benefits.

Hormigón verde de alta resistencia con cenizas volantes de carbón

El uso de cenizas volantes en el hormigón puede disminuir la carga de su vertido en vertederos para proteger el medio ambiente y la degradación del suelo. Investigamos las mezclas de hormigón que incorporan varios porcentajes de cenizas volantes y estudiamos las propiedades mecánicas del hormigón verde de alta resistencia (HSG). Se utilizó una relación a/c de 0,32. Se investigaron seis mezclas con porcentajes variables de cenizas volantes (0 %, 4 %, 8 %, 12 %, 16 %, 20 %) con rangos de HRWR (reductor de agua de alto rango) (0 %, 0,4 %, 0,7 %, 1,0 % , 1,3%, 1,6%). La resistencia a la compresión de la mezcla con una dosificación de cenizas volantes del 4 al 12%, mostró resultados satisfactorios. El valor máximo de la resistencia a la tracción dividida fue de 4,9 MPa con una dosis de cenizas volantes del 12 %. La resistencia a la flexión en la mezcla de control se observó a 3,73 MPa en 28 días y hubo un ligero aumento en la tendencia de la resistencia a la flexión. La resistencia a la compresión se logró hasta el 12% del volumen de cenizas volantes durante 14 y 28 días. Se debió a una mayor adherencia entre la ceniza volante y el agregado. Las cenizas volantes son muy adecuadas para usarse en la produción de Hormigón verde de alta resistencia (HSG). Si usamos cenizas volantes en el hormigón, nos puede ayudar a limpiar el medio ambiente de materiales contaminantes.

A critical review on pyrolysis method as sustainable conversion of waste plastics into fuels

Plastic production has increased globally, and many of these plastic items are no longer in use. The plastic wastes end up as garbage, disposed of in landfills, or scattered, posing major health and environmental risks. In terms of sustainability, converting plastic trash into fuels or any other better option, individual monomers, is a far more environmentally friendly waste management option than landfill dumping. Nearly 1.3 billion metric tonnes of plastic are produced annually as businesses strive to meet the demands of consumers. Plastic is made through a process called polymerization, in which hydrocarbons are rearranged into new molecules. These hydrocarbons often have a high molecular mass, and they may also contain other chemicals to boost their performance. Plastic is a useful material because, among other things, it is durable, lasts a long time, is inexpensive, and has many other benefits. Because plastic can take decades to degrade if left alone, effective waste plastic disposal should be a top priority for every-one. Yet, growing industrialization and urbanization have contributed to a discernible rise in fuel demand. Finding renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels is now a critical global priority. Plastics-to-gasoline conversion provides a means to solve both of these problems. By applying intense heat (more than 370 °C) and an oxygen-free environment, pyrolysis thermochemically decomposes organic materials. The byproducts of pyrolysis are carbon black, hydrocarbons, and pyrolysis oil. This review focuses on pyrolysis as it is the most popular and efficient method for turning polymers into fuels in comparison with other methods. This review comprises the knowledge of different types of plastics and their properties. The major discussion was focused on pyrolysis methods for recycling plastics. To have better knowledge competitive recycling method were discussed. The optimization parameter for recycling process, by-products of plastics, advantages and disadvantages of pyrolysis process are discussed to identify the drawbacks and research gaps. The pyrolysis method are potential for addressing waste plastic management and highlights the need for a reliable alternative fuel source.

Comparative Analysis of Aerobic Composting of Fresh Cut Floral Waste

Abstract Increased levels of pesticide applications are used when growing cut flowers in many developing countries where most are grown and where they are less restrictive on pesticide use when compared to regulations in the United States. Therefore, special consideration should be given to cut flower disposal from floral shops that utilize flowers from other countries due to the potential for pesticide leaching into land and waterways. Most retail florists in the industry dispose of their floral waste in municipal dumpsters. While the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has stringent guidelines to prevent the importation of insect and disease pests, there are no regulations regarding residual pesticides or other harmful chemical contamination on imported floral crops. Composting is one technique used as an alternative waste management method to traditional landfill dumping and can produce a valuable commodity for agricultural, horticultural, and related industries. The main objectives of this study were to compare the physicochemical properties of two different compost protocols that incorporated cut flower and foliage waste and to determine whether pesticide residues remained in the finished compost. Analysis of results were based on the U.S. Composting Council's Tests Methods for the Examination of Composting and Compost used by the U.S. Composting Council's Seal of Testing Approval (STA) program. When compared to STA standards, both compost samples pH, total nitrogen, C:N ratio, and bioassay were found to be within normal ranges for compost sold in the horticulture industry. Chemical analysis found the levels of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, zinc all to be well below set industry standards. Additionally, the compost was tested for 23 herbicides and insecticides. Of those, two herbicides (clopyralid and MCPA) and one insecticide (lufenuron) were found in the sample in trace amounts, though well below USDA standards for food crops after the composting process. Results indicated floral waste collected from retail flower shops has the potential to be incorporated into a composting system to create a quality compost suitable for use in the horticulture industry.

Study of solid municipal waste accumulation rates in penitentiary facilities in Perm Krai during the pandemic of 2020

Preventing the release of hazardous substances from waste into the environment is the most important environmental safety objective of municipal waste management. Uncontrolled dumping in landfills has a negative impact on the environment, being a source of harmful chemical and biological substances in the ground and surface waters, atmospheric air and soil, creating a certain threat to the health and life of the population. At present, the environmental problem associated with the collection and disposal of solid municipal waste (MSW) and is relevant not only for civil organisations, but also for institutions of the penitentiary system. The volume of MSW flows needs to be constantly updated, and therefore an average annual waste generation rate needs to be determined. The research described in the article was carried out during four seasons of 2020 at the facilities of the penal and correctional system of Perm Krai, on the example of remand prisons. The methodology for performing calculations based on the current regulatory documents is presented: methodological recommendations on issues related to the determination of MSW accumulation standards, approved by Order No. 524 of the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services of the Russian Federation dated July 28, 2016 and the Russian Government Decree No. 269 dated April 4, 2016 "On determining the accumulation standards for solid municipal waste". As a result of the work, the average daily and average annual volumes and masses of waste generated per person were determined. Fluctuations in waste generation during the four seasons were insignificant.

An Analysis of the Quality of Compost Produced from Vermicomposting Fresh Cut Flower Waste

Abstract Higher levels of pesticide applications are used when growing cut flowers when compared to other crops such as tomatoes, lettuce, and rice, much of the floriculture industry production occurs in developing countries where less environmental regulations may be in place compared to those in the United States. Therefore, special consideration should be given to cut flower disposal from floral shops due to the potential excessive leaching of pesticides into land and waterways. Most retail florists in the industry dispose of their floral waste into municipal dumpsters. There are an estimated 13,200 retail flower shop locations in the United States, comprised of single location and multiple location companies. While the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has stringent guidelines to prevent the importation of pests and plant diseases, there are no regulations on the disposal of spent floral crops that may contain residues of pesticides or other chemicals. Vermicomposting is a method of composting used for pollution abatement while having the added benefit of acting as an alternative waste management method to traditional landfill dumping. The castings produced are a valuable commodity for agricultural, horticultural, and related industries. The main objective of this research was to analyze the quality of compost produced from vermicomposting fresh cut floral waste. Analysis of results was based on the U.S. Composting Council's Tests Methods for the Examination of Composting and Compost used by the U.S. Composting Council's Seal of Testing Approval (STA) program. When compared to STA standards, pH, soluble salts, organic matter, total nitrogen, carbon, carbon-to-nitrogen, bioassay, and respirometry all were found to be within normal ranges for compost sold in the horticulture industry. Chemical analysis found the level of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, zinc all to be well below set industry standards. Additionally, the vermicompost was lab tested for 23 herbicides and insecticides. Of those, one herbicide (clopyralid) and two insecticides (clofentezine and lufenuron) were found in the sample in trace amounts, and well below Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set industry standards for acceptable trace amount in U.S. products. Results indicated floral waste collected from retail flower shops can be incorporated into a vermicomposting system to create a quality compost suitable for use in the horticulture industry.

Study of Composite Bricks from Sawdust and Cement

Abstract: Many timber producing countries generate more than 2 million m3 of sawdust annually. In developing countries, sawdust is often disposed of by open dumping, open burning, or dumping in landfills. The majority of wood sawdust wastes is accumulated from the countries all over the world and causes certain serious environmental problems and health hazards. This poses huge environmental challenges related to air pollution, greenhouse gas emission and destruction of plant and aquatic life. Finding from this experiment that sawdust can be used to make sawdust construction composites with good water absorption and strength characteristics. In this experiment concludes that partially replacing 10%, 20% and 30% of sawdust with sand and cement. Sawdust composites are also attractive for their low thermal conductivity, high sound absorption and good sound insulation characteristics. These findings indicate that increased utilization of sawdust composites in construction will mitigate against potential sawdust environmental pollution, conserve energy and reduce disposal costs. It shows a potential to be used for walls, wooden board substitute, economically alternative to the concrete blocks, ceiling panels, sound barrier panels, etc. Keywords: Sawdust, Sawdust Composites, Thermal Conductivity, Sound Absorption, Sound Insulation etc.

Plastic Waste Management Strategies and Their Environmental Aspects: A Scientometric Analysis and Comprehensive Review.

Plastic consumption increases with the growing population worldwide and results in increased quantities of plastic waste. There are various plastic waste management strategies; however, the present management progress is not sustainable, and plastic waste dumping in landfills is still the most commonly employed strategy. Being nonbiodegradable, plastic waste dumping in landfills creates several environmental and human health problems. Numerous research studies have been conducted recently to determine safe and ecologically beneficial methods of plastic waste handling. This article performed a bibliographic analysis of the available literature on plastic waste management using a computational approach. The highly used keywords, most frequently cited papers and authors, actively participating countries, and sources of publications were analyzed during the bibliographic analysis. In addition, the various plastic waste management strategies and their environmental benefits have been discussed. It has been concluded that among the six plastic waste management techniques (landfills, recycling, pyrolysis, liquefaction, road construction and tar, and concrete production), road construction and tar and concrete production are the two most effective strategies. This is due to significant benefits, such as ease of localization, decreased greenhouse gas emissions, and increased durability and sustainability of manufactured materials, structures, and roadways. Conversely, using landfills is the most undesirable strategy because of the associated environmental and human health concerns. Recycling has equal benefits and drawbacks. In comparison, pyrolysis and liquefaction are favorable due to the production of char and fuel, but high energy requirements limit their benefits. Hence, the use of plastic waste for construction applications is recommended.

Recycling industrial slags in production of fired clay bricks for sustainable manufacturing

Due to the production of industrial slags in massive amounts, there is a high demand for recycling these slags and avoiding their dumping in landfills. This article aims to recycle industrial slags in brick manufacturing and investigates the performance of fired clay bricks incorporating different kinds of industrial slags such as granulated blast furnace slag (GBS), ferrochromium slag (FCS), and steel slag (STS). For this purpose, two different dosages of slags (i.e., 10 and 20 wt % of clay) and two different firing temperatures (i.e., 1000 and 1100 oC) were considered. Various physical, mechanical, and durability tests were performed to evaluate the properties of bricks incorporating industrial slags. Results show that the compressive strength of the bricks incorporating industrial slags are well above the minimum compressive strength limits of bricks as per different building standards. The bricks incorporating industrial slag can be classified as load-bearing bricks for structural applications in accordance with the ASTM C469 standard. An increase in the porosity of bricks is observed with the addition of STS. However, reduced porosity is observed for bricks incorporating FCS and GBS than traditional bricks. Based on the water absorption and efflorescence test results, bricks incorporating industrial slags can be used as severe weather resistant bricks following ASTM C62 standard and slight efflorescence bricks per ASTM C67 standard. The amounts of heavy metals in the leachates of bricks are observed below the specified limits of the Environment Protection Authority. SEM images and EDS analysis of bricks are also supporting the results of this study. Based on the results, utilizing industrial slags in brick manufacturing can help recycle the abundant industrial wastes and develop the fired clay bricks with desired properties.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from solid wastes management in north eastern Nigeria: An integrated solid waste management approach

The solid waste management (SWM) sector is responsible for the emission of about 5% of all global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In developing countries where the sector is less organised, the carbon footprint of the sector is much higher, so also is the potential for reducing these emissions. This study assessed the potential for reducing the GHGs emission from the SWM sector in northeastern Nigeria. Based on literature study, it was found that open dumping in dumpsites and unsanitary landfills is a solid waste disposal method in the region. It was estimated that 350,822.80 tonnes of MSW is disposed of in dumpsites annually, and anaerobically decomposes 403373.25 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) into the atmosphere. However, when an integrated solid waste management (ISWM) system, which comprises composting of organic materials, recycling of paper, glass and metals and incineration of garbage, is employed, a reduction in the region’s SWM carbon footprint of up to 99.5% is attainable. It was also found that composting is the ISWM element with the highest carbon sink potential, this is because of the high organic matter in the region’s wastes. The study suggests public-private partnership so as to be able to reform the SWM sector in the region and make it more sustainable.

Accumulation of airborne microplastics in lichens from a landfill dumping site (Italy)

The aim of this study was to assess if lichens (Flavoparmelia caperata) surrounding a landfill dumping site in Italy accumulated higher amounts of microplastics compared with lichens at more distant sites. Lichen samples were collected at three sites along a transect from the landfill: close (directly facing the landfill), intermediate (200 m), and remote (1500 m). Anthropogenic microparticles (fibres and fragments) were determined visually after wet peroxide digestion of the samples, and microplastics were identified based on a hot needle test; the type of plastic was identified by micro-Raman analysis. The results showed that lichens collected in the vicinity of the landfill accumulated the highest number of anthropogenic microfibres and fragments (147 mp/g dw), and consequently microplastics (79 mp/g dw), suggesting that the impact of landfill emissions is spatially limited. The proportion of fibres and fragments identified as microplastics was 40% across all sites and the most abundant polymer type was polyester or polyethylene terephthalate (68%). These results clearly indicated that lichens can effectively be used to monitor the deposition of microplastics.

The potential of using water purification wastes as fine aggregates in concrete mixes: an initial study

ABSTRACT The large quantities of wastes resulting from water purification process (known as sludge) are increasingly becoming a big concern at some of developing countries, where no proper disposal options are available. The traditional practices of sludge disposal through dumping in landfills have become an ecological, environmental and financial burden. This is due to the daily operation, limited capacity of landfills, and negative impacts on soil, climate, surface and ground water. Hence, the goal of this research is to investigate the possibility of using incinerated sludge produced from water purification plants in construction field, and analyzing its effect on mechanical properties of concrete as one of sludge management options. Sludge was incinerated at a temperature of 800°C for two hours, grinded, sieved and replaced by fine aggregate at percentages of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% in concrete mixes. XRD and XRF tests were performed to identify crystalline phases and chemical composition of the sludge. The effect of using the incinerated sludge on workability, density, compressive and flexural strengths of concrete at curing ages of 7, and 28 days was investigated. The results showed a significant improvement in compressive and flexural strengths for all samples containing sludge for both curing ages in comparison to control samples, while a reduction in workability was observed.

Engineering Characteristics and Potential Increased Utilisation of Sawdust Composites in Construction—A Review

Many timber producing countries generate more than 2 million m3 of sawdust annually. In developing countries, sawdust is often disposed of by open dumping, open burning, or dumping in landfills. This poses huge environmental challenges related to air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and destruction of plant and aquatic life. Findings from this review article reveal that sawdust can be used to make sawdust construction composites with good modulus of elasticity, water absorption and strength characteristics that satisfy international specifications. These composites include particleboards, sawdust concrete blocks or bricks and sawdust concrete. The article concludes that partially replacing 5% to 17% of sand with sawdust, or replacing cement with sawdust ash in proportions of 5% to 15% in concrete mixes can produce structural concrete with compressive strengths greater than 20 MPa. Partially replacing 10% to 30% of sand used in the manufacture blocks and bricks with sawdust can also produce sawdust bricks and blocks with compressive strengths greater than 3 MPa. Sawdust composites are also attractive for their low thermal conductivity, high sound absorption and good sound insulation characteristics. These findings indicate that increased utilisation of sawdust composites in construction will mitigate against potential sawdust environmental pollution, conserve energy and reduce disposal costs.

Structural applicability of steel fibre-recycled aggregate concrete in construction

PurposeThe use of recycled aggregates (RA) has been explored to lead to a more sustainable future. The paper investigates on a sustainable concrete mix incorporating steel fibres (SF) and RA to provide an alternative to traditional natural aggregate concrete for structural applications. This paper aims to explore the feasibility of combining RA and SF in structural applications in terms of strength, cost and industry perspectives.Design/methodology/approachA mixed research approach is established with two phases. Phase 1 aims to identify an optimum material combination that satisfies the structural strength requirements and to identify the costs in its optimum combination. Phase 2 involves qualitative interviews with key industry parties to explore their perspective and identify various enablers and barriers for this material.FindingsThe optimum combination of 30 per cent RA replacement and 0.3 SF volume content has been identified through laboratory testing. It was noted that there would be a direct additional cost because of SF addition. However, when other benefits such as reduction in transportation costs and landfill dumping fees were considered, an overall cost saving could be achieved. Consequently, the key industry practitioners’ perspectives for this material have been gathered through qualitative interviews. Several enablers and barriers were identified through these interviews.Originality/valueEven though, there are various research attempts on improving RA for structural purpose by adding different additives, a holistic study that incorporate cost effects and the industry perspectives was lacking and is addressed in this current study. In particular, industry perspectives lead to refocus research directions and get closer to the realisation of a sustainable construction industry.

Plastic waste management, a matter for the 'community'.

Plastic waste management, a matter for the 'community'.

Unification of Waste Management from Fish and Vegetable Markets Through Anaerobic Co-digestion

A considerable quantity of waste is being generated from fish markets and harbors of coastal regions in India. Presently, there is no systematic and sustainable ways of disposal which leads to unscientific handling and dumping in landfills. Upon considering the bottlenecks associated with the anaerobic digestion of fish waste (FW) as sole substrate, co-digestion with vegetable wastes (VW) could be an effective alternative to mitigate the problem along with simultaneous treatment of two different waste streams. In this study, an attempt has been made to examine the co-digestion efficiency of FW with VW for which three trials viz., T1 (mono-digestion of VW), T2 (mono-digestion of FW) and T3 (co-digestion of VW and FW) were conducted to analyze the biomethane production potential, degree of biodegradability and pH stability. From the obtained results co-digestion was found to yield 463 ± 6.73 L/kg VSfed of biomethane which is 24.13% and 22.32% higher as compared to VW (373 ± 4.94 L/kg VSfed) and FW (378 ± 4.55 L/kg VSfed) respectively. Maximum biodegradability based on organic carbon destruction was found to be 70% in co-digestion followed by mono-digestion of VW (58.8%) and FW (64%). Prevalence of acidification and ammonification in mono-digestion of VW and FW were reflected by physiological pH of 5.4 ± 0.41 and 8.3 ± 0.32 respectively. In co-digestion process pH was observed to be 7.3 ± 0.70 that indicated high stability and thus enhanced the biomethane yield. Co-digestion of these organic wastes could enhance the efficiency of methane production and therefore presents a unified waste management option.