Municipal Solid Waste Management Strategies Research Articles

Municipal Solid Waste Characterization and Quantification as A Measure Towards Effective Solid Waste Management in UniMAP

The most common environmental problems in Malaysia is increasing in solid waste generation. Solid waste generation and composition knowledge is compulsory as a benchmark for the decision making in managing municipal solid waste management strategy. The objective of this study was to measure solid waste generation and compare solid waste composition at cafeterias of UniMAP. Three different cafeterias had been chosen as a sampling location. Waste was sorted out into several components such as food waste, plastic, papers, metal, glass, and other types of waste. There is significance difference in data collection between the three locations where the organic waste was the main component in waste composition. Solid waste sampling and laboratory analysis were carried out based on random sampling method by using American Standard Test Method (ASTM) standards for proximate analysis (moisture content, ash content, volatile matter and fixed carbon). Ultimate analysis which is C:N ratio was carried out. Results showed that total municipal solid waste generated during two weeks of collection at School of Manufacturing, Tuanku Tengku Fauziah Residential College (PFI 2) and Tan Sri Aisyah Ghani Residential College (KKTAG) were 459.9 kg (0.1452 kg/p/day), 709.0 kg (0.0292 kg/p/day) and 201.90 kg (0.0163 kg/p/day). Based on this information, a proper waste management can be introduced to treat organic waste such as food waste and paper including inorganic waste efficiently.

Machine Learning Approaches for Municipal Solid Waste Generation Forecasting

Municipal solid waste (MSW) generation forecasting can be considered as the biggest challenge of integrated solid waste management systems, particularly for developing countries where data collection is limited. In this study, three different machine learning algorithms, namely backpropagation neural network (BPNN), support vector regression (SVR), and general regression neural network, were applied for different countries. Comparative evaluation of these different algorithms based on gross domestic product, domestic material consumption, and resource productivity were given through the optimum solution. Moreover, the algorithms were tested for the case of Turkey. The results of this study are expected to represent a general outline for stakeholders of Turkey for improving MSW management strategies all over the country, and these results can be extended to similar developing countries across the world. It can be concluded that BPNN and SVR methods can be applied successfully for the case of Turkey and other countries across the world to predict the MSW generation, whereas BPNN is slightly better. If the input and output variables are identified well, machine learning approaches can give a good projection for waste generation, and this projection can be utilized for different countries. Furthermore, the developing countries with missing data can develop more realistic strategies for MSW management by not relying solely on international databases such as Eurostat to forecast MSW generation.

Life cycle-based, energy-related analysis for waste management strategies: a case study of two impact indicators in Pyongyang.

Municipal solid waste (MSW) is regarded to be an important source of greenhouse gas emissions, which could result in a significant impact on climate change. This study conducted analyses of both cumulative energy demand (CED) and carbon footprint (CF) indicators per reference flow (RF) and identified the relationship between both the indicators, and additionally, it made some recommendations for MSW management strategies in Pyongyang, DPR Korea, based on life cycle thinking. This present study suggested using a hybrid CED indicator and the energy-related CF indicator for the analysis of the existing MSW management system, while applying system expansion for crediting the recycled materials, the energy recovery, and the compost/fertilizer. The result showed that the CED indicator in the MSW management system accounted for - 9,569.8 MJ/RF of primary energy savings in total, corresponding to the avoided emissions of - 1,522.89 kg CO2eq/RF. The recycling and composting of waste presented energy savings due to the recycled materials and the avoided production of mineral fertilizers replaced with the compost, respectively. In addition, the incineration had some potential for energy recovery from waste, and it could result in crediting energy further, while the landfill should be improved in a more sustainable way of making use of the landfill gas and/or replacing the landfill with incineration with energy recovery. The results also indicated that the CED indicator was closely related to the CF indicator, valued as global warming potential, throughout the MSW management options/processes, and both the indicators could serve as an appropriate proxy of the environmental impacts on a life cycle phase.

Investigation of knowledge, attitude, and practice of Tehranian women apropos of reducing, reusing, recycling, and recovery of urban solid waste.

This paper aimed to explore knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of women towards the municipal solid waste (MSW) management in Tehran, Iran, to provide a basis for experts and decision-makers to develop or improve practical waste management strategies. Women's contribution could markedly promote accomplishment of MSW management strategies, which has been neglected in many developing countries. A cross-sectional study was conducted in two stages: first, a random sample of 384 respondent women was selected from the 22 urban districts of Tehran, then 64 of them were randomly selected and trained face-to-face. The second phase was aimed at determining the effectiveness of face-to-face training and its impact on women's performance in waste management. In both stages, data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire containing 21 questions in four categories. Chi square (χ2) and Pearson correlation tests were applied to identify the association among variables. Results indicated that 69.6% and 72.9% of the women had adequate knowledge and attitude, respectively, while only 46.0% performed moderate practice on MSW management. Overall, significant association between education level, occupation, and marital status of the women with KAP towards reduction, reuse, recycling, and recovery of MSW were yielded (p < 0.05). Adequate knowledge and positive attitude did not necessarily lead to the proper practice in this study. However, face-to-face training positively affected women's practice in solid waste recycling and source separation. Conducting training programs and motivation of women by municipalities and decision-makers to elevate women's environmental performance could substantially promote MSW management strategies in developing nations.

Municipal solid waste generation, composition, and management: the global scenario

PurposeDue to the increasing population and prosperity, the generation rate of municipal solid waste (MSW) has increased significantly, resulting in serious problems on public health and the environment. Every single person in the world is affected by the municipal solid waste management (MSWM) issue. MSWM is reaching a critical level in almost all areas of the world and seeking the development of MSW strategies for a sustainable environment. This paper aims to present the existing global status of MSW generation, composition, management and related problems.Design/methodology/approachA total of 59 developed and developing countries have been grouped based on their gross national income to compare the status of various MSWM technologies among them. A total of 19 selection criteria have been discussed to select appropriate MSWM technology(s) for a city/town, which affects their applicability, operational suitability and performance. All risks and challenges arising during the life cycle of the waste to energy (WtE) project have also been discussed. This paper also gives a comparative overview of different globally accepted MSWM technologies and the present market growth of all WtE technologies.FindingsIt was found that most developed countries have effectively implemented the solid waste management (SWM) hierarchy and are now focusing heavily on reducing, reusing and recycling of MSW. On the other hand, SWM has become very serious in low-income and low-middle-income countries because most of the MSW openly dumps and most countries are dependent on inadequate waste infrastructure and the informal sector. There are also some other major challenges related to effective waste policies, availability of funds, appropriate technology selection and adequacy of trained people. This study clears the picture of MSW generation, composition, management strategies and policies at the worldwide context. This manuscript could be valuable for all nations around the world where effective MSWM has not yet been implemented.Originality/valueThis study clears the picture of solid waste generation, composition, management strategies and policies at the worldwide context. This manuscript could be valuable for all nations around the world where effective MSWM has not yet been implemented. In this study, no data was generated. All supporting data were obtained from previously published papers in journals, the outcomes of the international conferences and published reports by government organizations.

Life cycle environmental and energy impact assessment of sustainable urban municipal solid waste collection and transportation strategies

Collection and transportation of municipal solid wastes (MSWs) are essential parts of the sustainable urban municipal solid waste management (MWSM) strategy for municipalities. However, collection and transportation of the MSWs have always been challenging subjects for modelling of integrated MSWM systems by considering environmental and energy parameters. Thus, this study aims to investigate the environmental and energy impacts of urban MSW collection and transportation management systems from the life cycle assessment (LCA) perspective. The LCA approach was applied to the eleven district municipalities of Kayseri province by modelling three alternative MSW collection and transportation scenarios and modelling the current situation of five-metropolitan municipalities. Results showed that construction of transfer stations instead of landfills provide decreased environmental impacts for all impact categories and cumulative energy demand (CED) rates (reduced 44.9 % of the GWP impacts and 51.7 % of the CED scores). Also, it was observed that Scenario 1 consumed lower energy (4.14E + 3 MJ/ton) than other scenarios in terms of the CED results. Hereby, the findings of this work provide a low emission and energy consumption MSWM system modelling guideline and can be applied in municipalities with undeveloped MSWM strategy.

Environmental and economic assessment of sustainable municipal solid waste management strategies in Iran

Waste management in urban areas has always been a major concern for municipalities. The gigantic population growth results in massive waste production, leading to a worrying rise in the level of greenhouse gas emissions, a major global issue. The most common techniques for energy recovery from waste are WTE and landfill gas plants. In this research, four different waste management scenarios have been investigated, and the emitted GHGs are analysed using the IPCC guideline for municipal solid waste (MSW) in Tehran. Furthermore, the total cost of each scenario is calculated. Also, effect of various parameters, such as plant usage, methane recovery factor, and MSW heating value, on the emissions is evaluated. The results depict that among all the investigated alternatives, scenario 3 (in which 50 % of the waste was burned in WTE plant, 30 % landfilled, and 20 % recycled) has the least GHG emissions in the target region. For a more thorough analysis, a cost comparison between the scenarios was performed, indicating that landfilling with recovery is the most economical option. Focusing on various technical, economic, and environmental aspects of waste management, this paper provides a comprehensive framework for a combined plan of action in the waste management sector of Iran.

Assessment of mobility and environmental risks associated with copper, manganese and zinc in soils of a dumping site around a Ramsar site

This study reports the environmental fate and ecological hazard of the three heavy metals (HMs), viz. copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) in soil influenced by municipal solid waste (MSW) dumping. The experimental site is situated in the vicinity of Deepor Beel, a Ramsar site located in Guwahati, India. This study assessed (i) the distribution pattern of Cu, Mn and Zn in six geochemical fractionations; (ii) the mobility, bioavailability and toxicity of Cu, Mn and Zn based on eight contamination and ecological indices, and (iii) the impact of Cu, Mn and Zn on soil quality. Altogether, 18 soil samples were collected and analysed from the study site using stratified random sampling. Pollution indices and multivariate statistics were applied on the data to identify the level and source of analysed HMs. Sequential extraction has revealed that the binding strength of Cu, Mn and Zn had a uniform trend. Mobility and potential bioavailability of studied HMs were in the order Mn > Cu > Zn. Analysed HMs were dominantly associated with non-bioavailable fractions. The observed low values of various contamination factors indicated the lesser contamination load posed by these metals. Conversely, their high enrichment factor and geo-accumulation index values indicated the sources of these metals were anthropogenic. Overall, the pollution and ecological indices registered lower contamination. Yet, it would be prudent to adopt efficient MSW management strategies for eliminating any future risk emanating out of this dumping site and posing threat to nearby Deepor Beel and its associated flora and fauna.

Analysis of the factors that affect the production of municipal solid waste in China

Municipal solid waste (MSW) has received extensive attention due to its large output volume and role in urban mining. Currently the main waste disposal methods in China are sanitary landfill and incineration, but due to technological limitations, MSW causes enormous pressure on the environment and natural resources. Based on panel data of 258 prefecture-level cities in China from 2003 to 2016, this paper adopts an expanded stochastic impact by regression on population, affluence and technology (STIRPAT) model with the difference-in-difference (DID) method to study the impact of waste charging policy and key socio-economic variables on MSW and test the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis. The findings support a reasonable formulation of MSW and urban mining management strategies and policies. The results suggest that the implementation of waste charging policy reduced the generation of MSW, especially in the central region but has not affected the northeastern region. A significant N-shaped curve, U-shaped curve or inverted N-shaped curve exists between MSW generation and economic growth at the national level and in various areas, but no evidence supporting the traditional EKC hypothesis is found. The total amount of MSW will not decrease in a short term. Increased population and urbanization promote the generation of MSW. Increased gas penetration rate has reduced MSW, especially in Central and Western China. The share of tertiary industry has a positive relationship with MSW, especially in the eastern region, but has a negative relationship with it in the northeastern region. According to the results of the empirical analysis, policy suggestions are proposed in accordance with the national situation and regional characteristics.

A critical analysis of the role of energy generation from municipal solid waste (MSW)

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management in Nigeria is a major problem that has reached alarming proportions. The increasing difficulty in managing MSW has become one of the most intractable environmental and health problems. Energy generation from MSW plays both negative and positive roles which can be viewed in an environmental and socio-economic perspective. This paper evaluated the socio-environmental and economic benefits of energy generation from MSW in Nigeria using secondary data and various analytical tools such as content analysis, in-depth analysis, critical review and narrative analysis. Some of the principal findings of this paper are that informal MSW recycling is also a contributor to inadequate energy generation from MSW, WTE technologies such as anaerobic digestion (AD) and combined heat and power (CHP) is a promising and viable MSW management strategy that can be adopted in most villages in rural areas in Nigeria. Energy generation from MSW in Nigeria has not been appropriately promoted due to weak environmental policies, inadequate funding and lack of environmental education. As such the need to review Nigerian waste management policies, creation of environmental, economic awareness and enlightenment campaigns and development of appropriate MSW collection and disposal agency in Nigeria should be provided. This paper concludes that it is essential to reassess all legislations regarding waste management in Nigeria with the aim to promote various WTE technologies most especially anaerobic digestion (AD) and combined heat and power (CHP) as these technologies are most suitable in Nigeria where the emissions of GHGs are rapidly increasing.

Economic analysis of a shared municipal solid waste management facility in a metropolitan region

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management in dense urban areas is a challenge for municipalities, especially in developing countries, which commonly have deficient waste management. For example, the metropolitan region of Goiás State, Brazil, has 19 municipalities that dispose of about 72.5% of total MSW in unlicensed MSW final disposal facilities. Therefore, this study analysed the investment and operating costs, and revenues of a municipal solid waste management facility, projected for 20 years, shared among these 19 municipalities. The economic viability analysis, has shown that, regardless of the management facility type, MSW collection and transport are the most expensive cost components, accounting for about 60% of MSW management operating costs. For an Internal Rate of Return of 0%, anaerobic digestion is 11% more expensive (in total) than using community composting. For 2040 (last year), the monthly MSW management tariffs will vary between 3.5 and 10.8 R$·inhabitant−1·month−1, depending on the municipality. So, as the unit price of biowaste treatments lowers with waste quantities, for the municipalities with large biowaste quantities, anaerobic digestion becomes recommended for its economic attractiveness. This study can serve as a model for other municipalities in Brazil and elsewhere, helping public decision makers to establish a strategy for MSW management.

Status, characterization, and potential utilization of municipal solid waste as renewable energy source: Lahore case study in Pakistan

With rapid increases in population and urbanization, uncontrolled municipal solid waste (MSW) is a threat to public health and environmental safety. In this study, we explore its generation, treatment, and characteristics of physical/chemical composition and assess the potential of MSW as a renewable energy source in Lahore, the second largest city in Pakistan. Based on the average generation rate of MSW (i.e., 0.65 kg/capita/day), the daily production of MSW in this city would reach 7150 tons/day. However, its disposal in a safely engineered way has been restricted due to the lack of: (a) pre-planning, (b) infrastructure, (c) political will, and (d) public awareness. Various samples of MSW considering socio-economic structure were collected. The physical components of MSW in Lahore were found to be in the descending order of biodegradable, nylon plastic bags, textile, diaper, and paper. The inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) technique was used to determine the heavy metal content and leachability of the MSW components to check for the environmental contamination risk. The proximate and ultimate analysis of this MSW was also carried out along with its heating values. The average high heating value of MSW was measured as 14,490 kJ kg−1. Energy recovery potential of 48 MW was assessed further from 2000 tons of MSW/day. The results of this study should be helpful for policy makers to establish a MSW management strategy for the potential renewable energy alternative.

Application of Analytic Hierarchy Process Decision Model for Solid Waste Management Strategy in Yaoundé, Cameroon

Municipal solid waste management is one of the global challenges that the world is facing today as countries make strides towards the Millennium Development Goals. The aim of this paper is to identify the most appropriate municipal solid waste management strategy in Yaoundé. The tool used in this study is the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), one of the multi-criteria decision-making techniques. Based on the synthesis of the decision/policy makers' judgements elicited, the Sustainable Development and Waste Service Quality criteria are identified as the priority objectives that should be applied for the municipal solid waste management strategy in Yaoundé, meanwhile the alternatives Pre-collection and Selective Collection are suitable actions to be integrated into the current municipal solid waste management strategy in Yaoundé.

THE CURRENT STATUS AND STEPS TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT IN THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: A CASE STUDY OF PESHAWAR-PAKISTAN

Aim: This article was meant to review the current status and limitations of treating municipal solid waste (MSW) by the developing countries with a case study from Peshawar-Pakistan. Methodology and Results: The city is divided into 4 towns and used a stratified sampling and survey to inspect MSW management from collection to final disposal. The results show food contributes to 14.3% of the total waste, followed by plastic waste 4%, paper, 2.7%, glass 1.2%, wood 1.1%, and metals/rubber 0.6%. Conclusion, significance, and impact study: About 60% of the wastes at collection points make the air difficult for breathing. There are several treatment options for the sustainable management of MSW, including composting, incineration, gasification, pyrolysis, biological treatment, and recycling. The developed countries had strictly imposed regulations to increase waste recycling and material recovery. In contrast, in the developing countries, the lack of proper legislation, planning, and awareness regarding waste reduction has worsened the MSW related problems. In this article, the essential steps needed in formulating the strategy for sustainable MSW management and assessment in terms of sustainability in the developing countries have been considered.

Energy recovery from municipal solid waste in Nigeria and its economic and environmental implications

AbstractAn assessment of potential biomass resources in Nigeria for the production of methane and power generation is presented in this paper. Nigeria, as an underdeveloped and populous country, needs an uninterrupted source of energy. The country's energy problems have crippled large sectors of the economy. The percentage of people connected to the national grid is 40%. These 40% experience electricity supply failure on average 10–12 hours daily. Energy generation from municipal solid waste (MSW) is an effective MSW management strategy. Yearly waste generation has increased from 6,471 gigagrams (Gg) in 1959 to 26,600 Gg in 2015. This amount is projected to reach 36,250 Gg per year by 2030. Methane emission for 2015 was 491 Gg, and it is projected to reach 669 Gg in 2030. These values translate to 3.48 × 109 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity for 2015, with a projected 4.74 × 109 kWh by 2030. The revenue to be derived from the electricity that is generated could have been US$365.04 × 106 for 2015, and it is estimated that it will reach US$473.82 × 106 by 2030. It was found that methane emissions from MSW increased with time, and capturing this gas for energy production will lead to a sustainable waste management.

Selection of the Best Solid waste Management Yaounde using an Analytical Hierarchy Process

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management is one of the global challenges facing the world today in order to achieve development goals. This paper aims to structure MSW management problems into hierarchy to assist in decision making process in order to select the most appropriate MSW management strategy in Yaounde. The tool used is the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), one of the multi criteria decision making techniques. From the synthesis of the decision/policy makers’ judgements, the criteria “sustainable development” and “waste service quality” are the priority objectives that must be applied to MSW management system in Yaounde; and the alternatives “pre-collection” and “selective collection” are the suitable actions to integrate into the current MSW management system in Yaounde.

Life-cycle assessment of municipal solid-waste management strategies in Tricity region of India

Unscientific disposal of waste is of severe environmental concern like air, water, and soil pollution. This requires immediate attention to minimize the impact of solid waste on the existing environment and health. Generation of waste is directly influenced by economic development. Most of the municipal authorities in the developing countries are facing massive challenges in waste management in an effective and efficient manner. The present study aims to explore the life-cycle assessment methodology to determine the impact of municipal solid-waste management under different scenarios in Tricity regions of Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula. The study analyzes the impacts of different potential waste management alternatives for Tricity area using life-cycle approach (LCA). Four potential scenarios of scientific solid-waste management were analyzed. The impact categories analyzed were global warming, acidification, eutrophication, and human toxicity. Among the proposed alternative scenarios, the scenario with the combination of recycling, composting, and sanitary landfill showed the least environmental impacts. The results show that the significant environmental savings are achieved through the energy recovery in the present waste management scenario. A sensitivity analysis was carried in context of recycling rate with the recycling rate varied from 90 to 10%.

A MULTI-OBJECTIVE OPTIMIZATION MODEL TO SUPPORT THE MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

This study aims to define a municipal Solid Waste Management (SWM) strategy using Multi-objective Optimization Problem (MOP) and ELECTRE method. Four waste treatment technologies were considered: recycling, composting, incineration and landfilling. Firstly, a Multi-objective Linear Programing (MOLP) model was developed. The solutions obtained from this model were ranked using the ELECTRE method. It was considered as case study a hypothetical city of 1,000,000 of inhabitants, presenting the average Brazilian waste per capita generation and composition. The results indicate 21 optimal solutions. The top ranked solution presents a combination of all the technologies considered. This solution presents the following waste allocation: 51.4% composted, 18.4% recycled, 16.7% landfilled and 13.5% incinerated. A sensitivity analysis was carried out by varying waste composition and criterion weights. The waste composition sensitivity was evaluated by substituting the average waste characteristics of Brazil to Europe, Japan and USA ones. The sensitivity analysis indicates that the ranking of solutions was very sensitive to waste composition changes and low sensitive to the variation of criterion preferences. Thus, although the MOP model presented is a simple approach for SWM when compared with other literature models, it shows to be efficient. The proposed model is able to decide between the trades-off related with the material allocation.

Evaluation of waste management options using rapid impact assessment matrix and Iranian Leopold matrix in Birjand, Iran

Population growth and the corresponding production of more waste as well as considering the lack of appropriate municipal solid waste management strategies in recent years have confronted the city of Birjand with huge waste disposal problem. This study evaluated different waste management options in Birjand, including open dumping, sanitary landfill, composting and recycling. Environmental impact assessment of these options was performed using two methods: rapid impact assessment matrix and Iranian Leopold matrix (modified Leopold matrix). The rapid impact assessment matrix method provides fast and accurate ways of analysis and reanalysis of specified components. Iranian Leopold matrix chiefly is used for the reorganization of the project impacts in both the building and operation stages. Composting option, with final scores of − 0.5 and − 2.34, respectively, in rapid impact assessment matrix and Iranian Leopold Matrix, had the least negative environmental impact. Also, as a result of both methods, open dumping had the most negative environmental impact. The result of sustainability determination for four alternatives showed that the composting, with S-Value equal 0.01 and − 0.162, respectively, in rapid impact assessment matrix and Iranian Leopold matrix, is more sustainable than the other options. Therefore, composting option was introduced as first priority and the most logical strategy for municipal solid waste management in Birjand. Unfortunately, open dumping is currently the most common method of waste management in this city.

The state of municipal solid waste management in Israel.

Regulation is a key tool for implementing municipal solid waste (MSW) management strategies and plans. While local authorities in Israel are responsible for the storage, collection, and disposal of MSW, Israel's Ministry of Environmental Protection (MoEP) is responsible for the formulation and implementation of waste management policies and legislation. For the past 12 years, about 80% of the MSW in Israel has been landfilled and recycling rates have not increased, despite regulations. This paper presents the state of MSW management in Israel in light of the MoEP's strategic goal of landfilling reduction, the regulations and legislation designed and implemented for achieving this goal, and the ensuing results. Among other things, the results indicate the importance of monitoring and assessing policy and regulations to examine whether regulation is in fact effective and whether it keeps track of its own targets and goals or not. It is also concluded that even when there is an extensive regulation that includes a wide range of laws, economic penalties and financial incentives (such as landfill levy and financing of MSW separation at source arrangements), this does not guarantee proper treatment or even an improvement in waste management. The key to success is first and foremost a suitable infrastructure that will enable achievement of the desired results.