Municipal Solid Waste In India Research Articles

Enabling sustainable circular economy in Indian municipal solid waste management system: an ISM and fuzzy MICMAC approach

PurposeMismanagement of municipal solid waste (MSW) has led to resource depletion, ecosystem degradation and socio-economic risks, emphasizing the necessity to promote sustainable circular economy (SuCE) practices. This article identifies relevant enablers and unveils their interconnected roles in facilitating a municipal solid waste management (MSWM) system aligned with the principles of SuCE.Design/methodology/approachTo identify pertinent enablers for MSWM systems based on SuCE principles, the study conducted a literature review and engaged experts from waste management sectors and academia to consolidate the final list of enablers. Following this, the study investigated the inter-relationships among these enablers using both Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) integrated and fuzzy Matrix Impact Cross-Reference Multiplication Applied to a Classification (fuzzy MICMAC) with MATLAB.FindingsThe study identified a comprehensive set of 23 enablers and categorized them into four control measures instrumental for the effective integration of SuCE principles in the context of the Indian MSWM system. Notably, the analysis highlighted that “authoritative pressure” and “policy transformation” are the highly influential enablers.Practical implicationsThe study emphasizes actionable implications for stakeholders in the Indian MSWM sector. Policymakers and governmental bodies can enforce “authoritative pressure,” “policy transformation” and “budget allocation”. Meanwhile, managers can focus on “promotion of SuCE awareness”, “formalizing the informal workforce”, “infrastructure modernization”, “stakeholder engagement and alignment”, “segregation strategy”, “disruption preparedness”, and “local-based strategy”.Originality/valueThis study proposed a unique ISM diagraph and cluster of enablers to enhance the novelty of the study.

Investigations into Biomass Utilization: A Renewable Alternative Fuel for Sustainable Energy

Indian municipal solid waste production exceeds 55 million tonnes per year, with a five percent yearly growth. Municipal solid waste has several environmental benefits, making it a promising feedstock for large-scale energy production. For energy utilisation, consider pelletising municipal solid waste with or without a binder. The volume of municipal solid trash created causes deposition, degradation, and maintenance concerns. India is increasing rapidly in population and urbanisation. This has consistently increased municipal solid trash production. The Planning Commission of India reports that 51% of Indian municipal solid trash is organic. Yard debris and food waste from restaurants, hotels and retail stores make up most of it. Since one-third of food is wasted, it's a major concern. One billion and three hundred thousand tonnes of food waste are produced worldwide. Municipal trash is dumped at open dumps in India. Open dumping is the least recommended method of solid waste management because it emits greenhouse gases and produces foul odours, flies, and rats, which spread disease and cause complaints in nearby residential areas. The spilt leachate may also affect nearby ground and surface waterways. Open dumps also need land, which is scarce in densely populated India. This is a major issue in India because landfills are open dumping sites without engineering solutions. Compared to anaerobic digestion and biomass gasification, pelletisation is a better organic waste treatment. Pelletisation is easy if wastes are categorised. After separation, garbage is treated and turned into pellets for burning. This study examines sixteen samples for calorific value, moisture, ash, and CHNS ratio. Energy crops, agricultural trash, forestry waste, and municipal garbage are samples.

Municipal Solid Waste Management System: A Study of Aligarh City, Uttar Pradesh, India

Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) is a significant environmental challenge in Indian cities, including Aligarh. Inadequate handling of municipal solid waste (MSW) poses risks to public health and the environment. Studies indicate that approximately 90% of MSW in India is improperly disposed of in open dumps and landfills, leading to various ecological and health issues. A detailed examination of Aligarh's waste management system was conducted to assess the quantity, characteristics, and sustainable management options for its municipal waste. Findings from the study show that private collectors handle about 430 tons of waste per day in Aligarh, but neither residents nor collectors engage in waste segregation at the source. The combined collection efficiency of A2Z Private Limited and the Aligarh Municipal Corporation is estimated to be around 70%. Due to the high organic content in the waste, its energy potential remains untapped. Currently, about 80% of the collected waste is disposed of in open dumps, as Aligarh lacks a sanitary landfill. This study highlights the current state of municipal solid waste management in Aligarh focusing on the quantity, quality, and management strategies in Aligarh. Methodology: For this study, Aligarh, a medium-sized city with a population of roughly 8.7 lakhs, which is located 130 kilometres from Delhi, India's capital, was chosen. A thorough assessment of the literature was done to create a theoretical framework. Visits to fields were carried out to gather basic data and comprehend the city's SWMS, including interaction During interviews with several municipality employees and executives in charge of SWM and citizens of the city. A procedure was created to examine the sources, calculate the amounts, and ascertain the waste streams' makeup. Findings: Despite their best efforts, the local municipality's limited resources do not allow for the effectiveness of the solid waste management system in Aligarh. On the outskirts of the city, waste is frequently disposed of in open or low-lying regions without using the correct scientific or engineering techniques.

Assessment of pyrolysis potential of Indian municipal solid waste and legacy waste via physicochemical and thermochemical characterization

This study explores the viability of utilizing municipal solid waste (MSW) and legacy waste as a renewable energy source through pyrolysis, akin to solid fuels. The heating value of MSW and legacy waste were found to be 37737.89 and 40432.84 kJ/kg, respectively. Proximate analysis shows that MSW fits within Tanner diagram parameters, eliminating the need for auxiliary fuel in pyrolysis. With 47.6 % and 44.16 % lignin content in MSW and legacy waste were deemed suitable for char production. Thermal degradation resulted in mass losses of 68 % for MSW and 82 % for legacy waste. The kinetic and thermodynamic assessment indicates lower activation energy (Ea) and Gibbs free energy (ΔG) for MSW (5.72 kJ/mol and 170.37 kJ/mol, respectively) compared to fossil fuels, suggesting faster reactions without additional energy requirement. MSW emerges as a promising alternative to fossil fuels, aligning with the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Citizens' perception towards landfill exposure and its associated health effects: a PLS-SEM based modeling approach.

Around 90% of municipal solid waste in India is treated improperly at open dumps and landfills, posing a severe threat to public health. Landfills are an annoyance whose presence causes uncertainty, stress, and dissatisfaction in neighboring residential areas. This research investigates the perceived impact of exposure to landfills on health in terms of environmental quality, general living status, and defensiveness. To meet the current study's objective, "Case of exposed population" to landfill, i.e., 384 participants dwelling near 1km of the dump site in Siliguri municipality, West Bengal, India, were considered using a purposive sample approach. The present study adopted Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach to prove the hypothesis related to the residential perception of landfills and their impact on health. The findings reveal that all three constructs, namely environmental quality (β = .997, t = 19.607, and ρ < 0.001), general life status (β = .116, t = 2.475 and ρ < 0.05), and people's defensive attitude (β = .150, t = 2.526 and ρ < 0.001), significantly affect the health condition of those exposed to a landfill site. The results suggest that by understanding the impact of landfills on resident health, policymakers and bureaucrats can promote reliable and effective measures linked to sustainable solid waste disposal facilities. The administration must create a policy to protect citizens who live near landfills by improving the ambient environment, establishing health management facilities, and raising awareness through public participation.

Enhancement of Composting Methods in Solid Waste Management

The most pressing problem faced by any city center in India nowadays is Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM). Rapid urbanization and converting life have caused the era of massive amounts of garbage and waste within the city regions, so much so, over the last few years, just the managing this Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) has assumed the share of a primary organizational, economic and environmental task. Despite MSWM being a chief task of the local governments, normally accounting for a massive part of the municipal budget - about 20% to 50%, the Urban Local Bodies (ULBS) are not able to offer effective services. Most of the ULBs do now not even have dependable MSW generation estimates. Unfortunate fallout of rapid urbanization without good enough infrastructure backup is that during all Indian cities/cities, disposal of waste is carried out indiscriminately, main to stray animal menace, clogged drains and unfold of diseases. The procedure of collection, transportation, and disposal of MSW is not complete in a maximum of the towns/cities with rubbish thousands final unattended till the severity reaches unmanageable proportions. Also, the high organic content material of Indian MSW, compounded through the recent, and humid tropical weather results in the rapid decomposition of the uncollected waste and is an ever-present health risk. Municipal waste that is improperly disposed of has a severe and dangerous effect on a wide range of areas. Along with waste discarded close to rivers, lakes, and streams, trash dumped in the street or in open areas poses a threat to public health. Delivers contaminated water. When the trash is burned outside instead of being properly disposed of, pollutants are produced and hazardous gases are released into the atmosphere. Throwing no biodegradable items down open drains causes them to enter the sewer system, blocking pipes and harming the infrastructure. The risks associated with the disposal of untreated medical and commercial waste are increased by the release of pathogens and poisonous substances, which represent a serious threat not only to human life but also to that of plants and animals. The effects of trash thrown in the area go beyond just being an eyesore; entire landscapes are destroyed, and certain habitats for flora and fauna are lost. All of these issues are commonplace in India, where tremendous portions of strong waste remain uncollected within the streets, along side primary roads, in empty plots of land, on downhill slopes, and in illegal dumps.

Future Perspective for Utilization of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) in India: A Review

Presently urban areas are reported for supporting 56% of the total world population, accountable for generating significant amount of municipal solid waste (MSW). Seventy percent of which ends into landfills, 19% is recycled and 11% is employed for energy generation. Generation of municipal solid waste in India is increasing day by day. The average per capita generation of waste was about 500 g/day in 2007 and it will increase to 925 g/day by 2047. Municipal solid waste (MSW) is one of the key components of India’s prominent mission ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’. Rising urbanization, faster economic growth and lifestyle changes all contribute to higher waste generation in India. Unscientific treatment, improper collection and low use of technology based solutions for handling MSW lead to hazards like environmental degradation, water pollution, air pollution and soil pollution. The most important step to be used for management of this waste would be minimising its generation but this is not really possible. Then to manage waste sustainably, the waste to wealth route remains a viable solution although in India it is not common practice. Maximum recycling, composting with organic municipal solid waste and waste to energy generation should be utilised for MSW management. This approach of sustainable waste management can solve the problem of land required for waste disposal and resulting pollution problems of air, ground, surface water, soil etc.

Current status, topographical constraints, and implementation strategy of municipal solid waste in India: a review

Municipal solid waste (MSW) is one of the key components of India’s prominent mission “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.” Rising urbanization, faster economic growth, and lifestyle changes all contribute to higher waste generation in India. Unscientific treatment, improper collection, and low use of technology-based solutions for handling MSW lead to hazards like environmental degradation, water pollution, air pollution, and soil pollution. The review paper describes the current status of MSW in different states and union territories as well as reviews the MSW generation, characteristics, and processing methods as practiced in India. It also highlighted government policy and various geographic constraints while rolling out an effective municipal solid waste management (MSWM) system. Furthermore, a comparison of MSW has been described for advanced, developing, and lesser developed countries based on adopted technology, policies, and infrastructure. The study will help decision-makers and scholars formulate more effective strategies for an effective way forward plan for MSWM.

Evaluation of cost benefit analysis of municipal solid waste management systems

The rate of municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in developing countries is continuously growing in proportion to the gross national product. Landfilling, incineration, composting, and waste to energy (WtE) have a brief history as management strategies for MSW in India. Economic evaluation via cost benefit analysis (CBA) of MSW is establishing the most appropriate treatment/disposal strategy and it is often a major concern for solid waste management (SWM) policymakers. Thus, this study aims to analyze the municipal solid waste management (MSWM) activities in India’s capital, Delhi, and the CBA of MSWM systems to identify the major problems and limitations involved. Sixty-sixsamples totaling 6,600 kg were collected and analyzed at random from various locations, including the sources of generation, composting plants, and disposal sites. Storage, collection, transportation, and recycling information were gathered from departments such as Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and self-surveys. The total costs of each MSW option were calculated for cost analysis. The results revealed a high organic moisture content, indicating the possibility of composting and bio-methanation, except for waste from commercial, institutional area and restaurants that can be used to develop Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF). It was also revealed that only about 80% of the garbage generated in Delhi is collected. In terms of treatment and disposal, the MCD has proposed additional facilities such as disposal through sanitary landfills with linings, as well as a system for leachate collection and disposal. Furthermore, construction and demolition waste are used in the construction of various pavement components, such as base coarse, surface coarse, and so on. The total social value added by garbage trade operations in Delhi is expected to be INR 358.7 crores (approximately 46.60 million USD) between 2017 and 2020. Recycling saves the municipal budget about INR 17.6 crores (approximately 2.3 million USD per year).

Energy generation and revenue potential from municipal solid waste using system dynamic approach

The Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generation per capita in developing countries is generally said to grow in proportion to the gross national product. Composting and waste to energy have a brief history as management strategies for MSW in India and as alternatives to landfilling. Analysis of Energy generation and compost potential from waste can minimize the impact of MSW on the environment with the added advantage of providing a local source of energy. The study has been carried out to develop a system dynamic (SD) model to predict the energy generation, treatment, and cost analysis for MSW up to 2030. The predictive model developed in this study showed the generation rate of electrical energy potential augmented from 0 in 2001 to 58,380 MWh in 2007 and 319,875 MWh in 2030. Whereas, the production rate of compost reduced from 77,000 tonnes in 2001 to 45,000 tonnes in 2006 and then improved to 390,000 tonnes in 2030. In addition, the predicted revenue generated from different treatment facilities increased from 0 in 2001 to Rs.335 million (4.36 million USD) in 2007 and Rs.2569 million (33.4 million USD) in 2030. As a result, revenue generated could cover the budgets required for MSW treatment and disposal services in 2030, where the required budget is negative because revenue exceeds expenditures. The developed SD model can improve a municipal solid waste management system for any City.

A brief review on segregation of solid wastes in Indian region

In India, a key environmental challenge is the handling of municipal solid waste (MSW). The amount of MSW being generated in cities and towns has risen as a result of the country's fast urbanization, industrialization, and population growth. The improper disposal of MSW can have a negative impact on the environment, public health, and the socio-economic issues. In this paper, MSW of 9 different states of India was segregated in appropriate manner, such that peer analysis of each and every individual region can be highlighted. A comparison between treated and landfilled of solid waste (SW) among different region has been conducted with the trend analysis of past as well as current scenario of solid waste. Benefits of treated wastes and demerits of landfilling solid waste are comprehensively reviewed. This paper's review provides a detailed analysis for future research and concerning agencies deals with MSW in India.

Valorization of fine fraction from legacy waste as fired bricks: A step towards circular economy

Old landfills and dumpsites, created due to a linear approach towards municipal solid waste (MSW) management, are one of the major environmental hazards, especially in developing countries. Around 50% of the dumped waste can be characterized as fine fraction (FF), making its recovery a vital parameter for achieving a circular economy. This study investigates the application of FF obtained from the Indian MSW dumpsite to replace topsoil used for fired brick production, which is one of the primary construction materials in India. The raw materials (FF and clay) were mixed in different proportions and fired at a temperature of 800–1000 °C. Physicochemical, mechanical and environmental properties were analyzed for fired bricks using standard methods. Results showed that the fired bricks produced from FF had low density and thermal conductivity than control bricks providing advantages over conventional bricks for transportation and energy savings. The compressive strength (CS) of the bricks increased with an increase in temperature and reduced with an increase in FF, suggesting only a certain amount of clay can be replaced. Hence further optimization using response surface modelling was carried out. The optimization results showed that clay could be substituted up to 23% at 1000 °C (CS = 37.5 N/mm2) by FF to meet Indian regulatory limits for CS. Toxicity characteristic leaching procedure test showed that fired bricks produced from FF are safe for application. The study shows that FF can substitute part of clay in fired brick production, which can help to curb topsoil exploitation while achieving a circular economy by bringing dumped FF back to the anthropogenic material cycle.

Recycling of municipal solid waste in India: Empirical findings from some select colonies in Delhi

The growing volume of municipal waste has become a serious challenge for urban local bodies in Indian cities. The non-segregation of waste at the source is one of the main reasons for the low percentage of municipal waste being recycled. Drawing the data from a semi-structured questionnaire-based survey of 100 households and informal interviews with different stakeholders, this study explores the waste segregation and waste minimization behaviour of residents of Delhi and the role of ragpickers in the recycling of waste. The study reveals that the main reasons for the non-segregation of waste are lack of awareness and facilities and a high level of skepticism whether source segregation would solve the problem if waste is not collected and transported separately. The study also shows that although 83% of respondents were aware of different colours of dustbins, only a small percentage of respondents know about or practise their correct usage. We argue that while creating awareness and providing infrastructure facilities are important, it is more effective to recalibrate our policy in such a way that it integrates the informal waste pickers in the recycling process, and incentivizes those who reduce and segregate their waste and discourages the defaulters.

Techno-commercial Assessment of Concurrent Municipal Brown Field Reclamation Procedures: A Pivotal Case study of Jawahar Nagar Dump Site

Techno-commercial Assessment of Concurrent Municipal Brown Field Reclamation Procedures: A Pivotal Case study of Jawahar Nagar Dump Site

Unsegregated Municipal Solid Waste in India - Current Scenario, Challenges and Way Forward

Unsegregated Municipal Solid Waste in India - Current Scenario, Challenges and Way Forward

Assessing solid waste as ‘green energy economy’ in Indiausing renewable energy technologies for sustainable development

During latest time, solid waste production and controlling are main issuesforall worldnations. yet, the conversion technologies are using to createdifferent byproducts like light, heat energy, fertilizer and biogas etc. Energy is animportantmatter for world. Energygain couldshow a factorfor minimization the effect ofurbanWaste onthe atmosphere withmore advantage to provide anenergy source. The waste disposal is morechallenge and highest dependent on liquid fuel has impelled world to continue efforts in forwarding energy formation technologyensuring suitablechanges on one side and energy flexibility on the other side.In India waste generation rate per person is 0.3 - 0.6 kgs/day, which is estimated to increase at 1.33% annually. As per estimates, about 275000 tons of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is generated per day and this figure could be twice as much by 2030. Estimation exist a power for producingapprox. 1500 MW energy from the municipal solid waste in India and this potential is likely to increase further with economic development. The power production from the specified MSW-RDF gasifier and systemmaximization for energy production from fuel with increased ability to promote extremely minimizing the costing of energy use.The opportunity of power production in the effective manner of better and mass composition of solid wastecurrent WTE practices and research trends in India well as world, with anaerobic digestion (AD), gasification, heat-based biofuel combined heat and power (CHP) production, and incineration with the definedapproaching of Indian WTE application.

Techno-Economic and Life Cycle Assessment of Pyrolysis of Unsegregated Urban Municipal Solid Waste in India

This work performs detailed techno-economic and life cycle assessment (LCA) of pyrolysis of unsegregated (mixed) municipal solid waste (MSW) in the Indian context. Experimental results of thermal p...

A Mini Review of Technological Options for Disposal of Municipal Solid Waste in India

Background: It has been seen that 90% of municipal solid waste is disposed off in open dumps and landfill sites, causing problems for the environment, and public health in developing countries. Many technological options can convert waste into various forms of energy. Heat and electricity can be generated and utilized for specific thermodynamic conversion processes and different types of biofuel can also be extracted from the organic municipal solid waste. Objective: This study evaluates the different treatment options available to convert waste into energy, and also concludes its environmental aspect with suggestions, which may be beneficial for encouraging the researchers to work for further improvement in this aspect. Methods: For each technological area, results from the literature review and the different expert opinions were considered to provide an analysis of the treatment technology, identify the internal and external environmental threats and important gaps in treatment technologies for MSW in India. Results: It has been observed from various studies that the pyrolysis/gasification is the suitable option for the treatment of different compositions of solid waste with high energy recovery in India, while bio-methanation is suitable for a decentralized system with a high energy value, and a minimum level of pollution &amp; health hazards. Conclusion: The study and observations show that there are multiple technological options for the treatment of municipal solid waste. Research and development in the MSW sector is not a priority in India, therefore, it has been recognized that expert research advice is required while selecting technology as well as for deciding the tools and techniques to handle this issue.

Effect of energy from waste technologies on the risk profile of public-private partnership waste treatment projects of India

Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) have been increasingly employed in the delivery of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) projects of India. Particular interest has been on the energy from waste (EfW) projects. But many projects have failed. Studies on risk management that cater to the needs of Indian MSW sector on EfW projects is still in a nascent stage for Indian PPP body of knowledge, especially from the perspective of practitioners and policymakers. Accordingly, this study assessed the risks in four EfW technologies namely biomethanation, refuse derived fuel to power, incineration, and pyrolysis-gasification used in MSW management projects of India. The paper identified the risk factors of Indian MSW PPP projects through a comprehensive literature review. Subsequently, a questionnaire survey and structured interviews with Indian stakeholders are carried to capture the risk magnitude and maps the results of the general perception of the risk allocation preference. The findings show that the risk profiles are very different across these four EfW technologies. So, future projects would need to specifically focus those critical risks to procure EfW PPP projects successfully and bring value for money. Governments need to appropriately weigh the risks in EfW projects to resolve how to deal with market and human factors mainly related to the PPP aspects of the public assets and services.

Enhancement of biogas production from organic fraction of municipal solid waste using acid pretreatment

Anaerobic digestion of organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) is a potential and economic technique for harnessing bioenergy from Indian municipal solid waste. Pretreatment before anaerobic digestion has been known to improve biodegradability of substrate and enhance biogas production. In this study, the effectiveness of acid pretreatment in enhancing the hydrolysis of complex organic matter and ensuing biogas generation from OFMSW was studied using one strong and one weak acid. Acid pretreatment (pH 6–pH 1) of OFMSW was carried out using hydrochloric acid (HCl) and acetic acid (CH3COOH) for 24 h before batch anaerobic digestion assays with cow dung as inoculum. Increase in biogas yield ranged between 13.2 and 28.9% as compared to untreated OFMSW after pretreatment with HCl, whereas the same varied between 8.2 and 16% in case of CH3COOH pretreatment. The highest biogas yield (389.4 ml/gVS) with methane content of 68.3% was obtained after pretreatment with HCl at pH 3, whereas for CH3COOH, the highest yield (350.2 ml/gVS) with 67.4% methane was observed after pretreatment at pH 1. OFMSW characteristics after each pretreatment step and their variation during the course of anaerobic digestion were also studied. An economic evaluation of all pretreatment scenarios was performed; out of which, pretreatment of OFMSW with HCl at pH 4–pH 6 yielded positive results in terms of net revenue gains.