Solid Waste Management Methods Research Articles

Preliminary Design for Solid Waste Incineration for Power Generation in Benin Metropolis, Nigeria

Solid waste management is commonly seen in Nigeria as simply pick up the waste and go dump it in a hole somewhere. Hence the current major solid waste management method in Nigeria is disposal at dumpsite. The solid waste management practice at the dumpsite is simple. The waste disposal trucks drive into the dumpsites through the access roads and dump their waste. Other vehicles that deliver waste to the site simply dump their waste indiscriminately by the road sides. The workers at the dumpsites use shovel to manually push the waste from the road and try to spread them as much as their strength can go. Thereafter, open air incineration without pollution control is carried out on the waste for volume reduction. This is not sustainable as it does not bring financial return at the end point of the waste. Therefore incineration with pollution control and energy recovery that will bring financial returns at the end point of the waste is ineviTable for sustainable solid waste management. In the work reported in this paper a study and preliminary design for incineration with energy recovery has been carried out. A review of solid waste component in Benin metropolis was carried out to determine the proportion of combustible material in the waste streams in the metropolis. Several conceptual designs were developed and one was selected. Detail design of a prototype for 15kW electrical power generation was done. The result obtained showed that about 43% of combustible commercial solid waste and about 16% of combustible domestic solid waste are generated in Benin metropolis. The result also showed that about 72Kg/s of combustible municipal solid waste is required for the generation of about 15kW of electrical power and the exhaust gas can be used for other process systems such as systems for drying agro-produce.

An interval joint-probabilistic programming method for solid waste management: a case study for the city of Tianjin, China

Currently, environmental protection and resources conservation continue to be challenges faced by solid-waste managers in China. These challenges are being further compounded by rapid socioeconomic development and population growth associated with increased waste generation rates and decreased waste disposal capacities. In response to these challenges, an interval joint-probabilistic mixed-integer programming (IJMP) method is developed for supporting long-term planning of waste management activities in the city of Tianjin, which is one of the largest municipalities in the northern part of China. In the IJMP, joint probabilistic constraints are introduced into an interval-parameter mixed-integer programming framework, such that uncertainties presented in terms of interval values and random variables can be reflected. Moreover, a number of violation levels for the waste-management-capacity constraints are examined, which can facilitate in-depth analyses of tradeoffs among economic objective and system-failure risk. The results indicate that reasonable solutions have been generated. They are valuable for supporting the adjustment of the city’s existing waste-management practices and the long-term planning of the city’s waste-management facilities.

Factors Influencing Household Solid Waste Management in Urban Nyeri Municipality

The main objective of this study was to determine factors that influence household solid waste management practices in urban Nyeri Municipality. Descriptive cross- sectional household survey was conducted in June, 2011. Households were randomly selected in all four urban sub-locations of the Municipality; 313 households were selected across formal and informal estates. A questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data. Training of interviewers was done and the instrument was pre-tested. Data was collected from households through interviews and further information was collected through key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Respondents were household heads. The proposal was approved by the Great Lakes University of Kisumu and the National Council for Science and Research. Informed consent from respondents was obtained before interview. Results from the survey showed that 26.2% of households practiced correct methods of household solid waste management. The percentage of households where separation of solid waste was practiced was 24.6%; the 75.4% incorrect practice was associated with carelessness, socialization style and long distances to the nearest garbage chamber. The common correct methods of solid waste management were: use of a self-provided bin for storage, use of garbage chamber, compost pit and kerbside services for household disposal.Key words: Household, solid waste management, household head, settlement, urban.

Domestic scale vermicomposting for solid waste management

Abstract Background Vermicomposting has recently been recognized as one of the most appropriate methods to stabilize organic waste. In terms of a system for waste management, vermicomposting is sustainable, economically viable, and without detrimental effects to human health or to the environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the process of vermicomposting using an indigenous species of earthworms (Eisenia fetida) on a small domestic scale as a system for waste management. Results This study was carried out as an experiment using the following procedure: a plastic container was prepared for vermicomposting; then, a bed was prepared in a ready container with a layer of initial bedding, sieved garden soil, and compostable waste. It was inoculated with Eisenia fetida earthworms. Samples were taken after 30 and 90 days of vermicomposting, and measurements were taken for the following parameters: percentage of organic matter, phosphorus, total carbon, total nitrogen, moisture content, ash, electrical conductivity, and pH. Results for percentage of organic matter, phosphorous, ash, total carbon, total nitrogen, carbon/nitrogen ratio, electrical conductivity, moisture content, and pH of mature compost after 90 days were 42 ± 2.8, 53 ± 0.17, 22 ± 0.170, 1.12 ± 0.003, 20 ± 0.25, 2.8 ± 0.6, 1, 200 ± 200 cSu, 56 ± 5.5%, 8.3 ± 0.2, respectively, and all these parameters except moisture content were compared with the standards. Conclusion According to these results, vermicomposting of municipal biodegradable waste by homeowners can be recommended as the best and most suitable method for solid waste disposal. This determines small-scale domestic vermicomposting as a suitable method for solid waste management. Reducing domestic waste at the source is an effective way to implement the main priorities of a waste management system in terms of its economy and its impact on the environment.

Integrated solid waste management and energy production - a life cycle assessment approach: the case study of the city of Thessaloniki

Innovative strategies are needed to deal with the waste we produce today to prevent it from causing problems for future generations. As waste management issues gain public awareness, concern has risen about the appropriateness of various disposal methods. The objective of this work is the environmental assessment of different municipal solid waste treatment strategies for the city of Thessaloniki, within the methodological frameworks of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the Integrated Solid Waste Management strategy, taking into account social, environmental and economic effects. The waste management methods in this study include: landfill of all waste fractions, recycling of paper, and anaerobic digestion of food waste in a biological treatment plant. The waste fractions considered are the total amount of food, paper and plastic waste produced in Thessaloniki during the period of one year. Environmental impacts are decreased when the solid waste management methods include some kind of recovery from waste. The results of this work indicate that paper recycling and anaerobic digestion of food waste is preferable compared to landfilling. It is also shown that landfilling of food waste utilizing the biocells method is more attractive than anaerobic digestion in a separate plant; nevertheless, energy recovery is about 45% lower.

Solid Waste Management in Developing Countries through Plasma Arc Gasification- An Alternative Approach

Solid Waste management (SWM) is very acute and intricate problem in developing economies like India. Progressing states have meager budget for waste management and major portion of which goes to collection and transportation rather than its treatment .Over a period of time waste management become a serious problem in developing countries. Mountains of hazardous waste have been created on the outskirts of mega cities. These mountains create serious threats to both flora and fauna. Various methods like land filling, incineration and composting have been used for waste management, but none of them fully satisfy the growing need of waste management in major cities. In this work we have compared various methods of Waste management and suggested comparatively better method of plasma arc gasification, in which pyrolysis of solid waste takes place at very high temperature thus ensuring syngases as the output of gasifier. The method not only treats all types of waste, but also produces many useful byproducts and electricity. The set-up ensures closed loop cycle thereby reducing pollution and suits the needs of developing countries and can be potential SWM method in the coming future.

Fuzzy Based Solid Waste Management Method

Fuzzy-based Solid Waste Management involves the application of fuzzy set theory to formulate a solid waste management algorithm by taking into account a large criterion set and an extensive number of alternatives for various levels of uncertainty in Solid Waste Management. Fuzzy method of solid waste management allows consideration of multicriteria to better manage the inherent uncertainties. The fuzzy-based approach involve determination of solid waste management alternatives, selection of basic criteria, assignment of linguistic variables, construction of membership functions, assignment of membership degree values to each criterion, determination of the best criteria combination for alternatives and the choice of the best alternative. The result shows that alternative 2 has highest degree of membership function to the decision function and therefore is the chosen option.

An Interval Mixed-Integer Semi-Infinite Programming Method for Municipal Solid Waste Management

This study proposed an interval mixed-integer semi-infinite programming (IMISIP) method for solid waste management under uncertainty. The uncertainty can be expressed as various constants, intervals, and functional intervals. The method is mainly based on the previous efforts on interval mixed-integer linear programming (IMILP) and semi-infinite programming. The method is applied to a solid-waste management system to illustrate its effectiveness in handling complex inexact programming problems. Two scenarios are considered: one is a case with only expansions of waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities being considered, and the other is associated with potential expansions for both the WTE and the existing landfilling facilities. The results obtained can assist in identifying optimal waste management policies under uncertainties associated with interval and functional-interval parameters. Compared with conventional IMILP methods, the solutions obtained from IMISIP could be “globally” optimal because the dynamic fluctuations of the system inputs could be reflected effectively.

An inexact two-stage mixed integer linear programming method for solid waste management in the City of Regina

In this study, an interval-parameter two-stage mixed integer linear programming (ITMILP) model is developed for supporting long-term planning of waste management activities in the City of Regina. In the ITMILP, both two-stage stochastic programming and interval linear programming are introduced into a general mixed integer linear programming framework. Uncertainties expressed as not only probability density functions but also discrete intervals can be reflected. The model can help tackle the dynamic, interactive and uncertain characteristics of the solid waste management system in the City, and can address issues concerning plans for cost-effective waste diversion and landfill prolongation. Three scenarios are considered based on different waste management policies. The results indicate that reasonable solutions have been generated. They are valuable for supporting the adjustment or justification of the existing waste flow allocation patterns, the long-term capacity planning of the City's waste management system, and the formulation of local policies and regulations regarding waste generation and management.

Tuzluçayır-Mamak Düzensiz Depolama Alanı İçin Peyzaj Onarımının Önemi ve Gereği

Generally, domestic solid waste has been collected and disposed without any treatment in arbitrarily selected areas in Turkey. Municipalities have performed this process. Open landfills are generally located in the periphery of the city in view that economy of accessibility. The open dumping implementations, which are considered as the most primitive and environmentally damaging method of solid waste management, however, should be given up as soon as achievable, for mitigating the negative effects of open dumping implementations to the environment. This paper takes into account the strategic information about the landscape rehabilitation of Tuzlucayir-Mamak (Ankara, Turkey) open domestic waste dump area (landfill).

Life cycle assesment of municipal solid waste management methods: Ankara case study

Different solid waste management system scenarios were developed and compared for the Municipal Solid Waste Management System of Ankara by using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The solid waste management methods considered in the scenarios were collection and transportation of wastes, source reduction, Material Recovery Facility (MRF)/Transfer Stations (TS), incineration, anaerobic digestion and landfilling. The goal of the study was to determine the most environmentally friendly option of MSWM system for Ankara. The functional unit of the study was the amount of solid waste generated in the system area of concern, which are the districts of Ankara. The life cycle inventory analysis was carried out by IWM Model-1. The inputs and outputs of each management stage were defined and the inventory emissions calculated by the model were classified in to impact categories; non-renewable energy sources exhausting potential, final solid waste as hazardous and non-hazardous, global warming, acidification, eutrophication and human toxicity. The impacts were quantified with the weighing factors of each category to develop the environmental profiles of each scenario. In most of the categories, Source Reduction Scenario was found to be the most feasible management method, except the global warming category. The lowest contribution to GWP was calculated for the anaerobic digestion process. In the interpretation and improvement assessment stage, the results were further evaluated and recommendations were made to improve the current solid waste management system of Ankara.

Solid waste policy should be directed by fundamental principles, not ill-founded feelings

This paper first reviews underlying misconceptions about landfill and incinerator safety that lead to public rejection of these solid waste management methods. It then briefly analyzes the widespread application of recycling programs as a more politically attractive approach to dealing with the garbage crisis. Next, state and local solid waste initiatives designed to support recycling are examined. Proposed changes to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act are summarized and critiqued, next. The final section suggests using two basic principles to determine appropriate roles for the varying levels of government. These two fundamental principles are economic and political in nature. To meet the basic objective of solid waste management - to protect public health and welfare while effectively dealing with the volumes of solid waste generated — requires that management methods be cost-effective. Secondly, to allow for geographic and demographic differences around the nation, decision-making should occur at the lowest level of government possible. Applying these principles would reduce the widening web of solid waste regulation and produce public policy that addresses the real issues rather than ill-founded public fears.

Processing and Recovery of Municipal Solid Waste

Solid waste is rapidly becoming a major pollutant. Instead of mere disposal, solid waste may be considered a resource for reclamation or by-product manufacture. Overall systems for processing and recovery of solid waste may include three major component subsystems: size reduction, separation and recovery processes. Available performance and cost characteristics of equipment and systems in all three areas are summarized. Promising systems for solid waste processing and recovery are identified and the need for additional information from research and demonstration projects is stressed. It is concluded that the manufacture of by-products from solid waste may offer more long-term economic potential than material salvage alone, and that while solid waste processing and recovery may never become economic in the classical engineering sense, the social costs associated with disposal-oriented methods of solid waste management may provide a strong motivation for continued development of solid waste recovery techniques.