Municipal Solid Waste Management System Research Articles

Unlocking the potential of municipal solid waste: Emergy accounting applied in a novel biorefinery

The rampant municipal solid waste (MSW) generation caused mainly by people's lifestyle has required technological solutions to deal with this global issue. This paper assess an innovative and integrated biorefinery (2IB) to manage MSW. The 2IB is rooted in the circular economy concept, and it differs from any other currently existing technological route in managing MSW due to its integrated processes that receives both inorganic and organic fractions at the same time, besides unveiling an innovative aspect related to thermoplastic production. Due to its scientific-based advantages, the emergy accounting (withy ‘m’) is considered as method to quantify the 2IB environmental performance, comparing the results with alternatives MSW management facilities. Results show that 2IB has similar performance for the three traditional emergy indicators (m-EYR of 1.17, m-ELR of 5.73 and m-ESI of 0.20) compared to incineration and landfilling, indicating low yield, moderate load on the environment, and unsustainable. On the other hand, the emergy return indicator (ERI of 20.33) indicates higher performance for the 2IB, in which for each solar emjoule (sej) – the measure unit of emergy – invested it generates a return of about 20 sej that becomes available as benefits for societal development. From an emergy perspective, results support that 2IB should be considered as a powerful technological alternative to manage MSW. This study contributes from a theoretical perspective with discussions on the emergy accounting procedures applied on systems located at far right side of energy hierarchy, while contributing from a practical perspective by providing technical information about the 2IB that supports decision makers towards more sustainable MSW management systems.

Designing a sustainable municipal solid waste management system over multiple periods using extended exergy accounting method – a case study of Shanghai

Waste-to-energy technologies can significantly alter urban metabolism and sustainability. This article proposes a multicriteria analysis framework based on the extended exergy accounting method to assess and plan a sustainable municipal solid waste management system from urban metabolism perspective. This framework includes three components. Firstly, an accounting model that integrates material, energy, social, economic, and environmental criteria was developed to identify the contribution of municipal solid waste management system to urban sustainability and to decide whether it is sustainable. Then, a multiperiod municipal solid waste management system planning model was developed to provide the optimal strategy for waste-to-energy facilities deployment and municipal solid waste allocation for different periods. Finally, multidimensional indicators were proposed for a sustainability comparative analysis in overdeployment, pressure on urban ecosystem and urban resource conversion efficiency. The proposed method was applied to the case study of household solid waste management in Shanghai and two scenarios were considered. Our comparison showed that the hybrid scenario (in which various waste recycling technologies were applied together) theoretically performs significantly more sustainable than the incineration scenario in terms of material investment, emissions, economic performance, resource depletion, and recovery. Sensitivity analysis of three parameters—the maximum deployment number of each unit waste-to-energy facility ([Formula: see text]), the minimum utilization rate ([Formula: see text]), and the capacity budget ([Formula: see text])—were carried out. The proposed hybrid method was found to be sensitive to [Formula: see text], but less sensitive to [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. Lessons learnt can be used to plan similar waste-to-energy strategies in other countries.

Sustainable waste management and waste-to-energy in the context of a circular economy through various waste management technologies.

Inappropriate waste management is a considerable ecological risk, leading to detrimental effects on the soil, air, and water quality. It is imperative to address these concerns promptly to minimize the repercussions of solid waste on public health and the ecosystem. It is evident that the level of economic growth directly impacts waste generation. This study intends to use the life cycle assessment (LCA) technique to evaluate the environmental impacts of four alternative municipal solid waste (MSW) management scenarios in Peshawar City, Pakistan. The goal is to discover an option that is both sustainable and minimizes environmental damage. The study examined the system boundaries encompassing the collection and transportation of MSW, along with its processing and final disposal, employing composting, anaerobic digestion (AD), material recovery facilities (MRF), and landfill methods. Comprehensive field studies and an in-depth literature review provided the data regarding Peshawar's existing MSW management system and the proposed scenarios, all of which was inventoried in the OpenLCA 1.10.3 database. Following data collection, the CML-IA technique was employed to analyze the data, measuring the environmental footprint in terms of climate change potential, human toxicity, acidification potential, photochemical oxidation, and eutrophication. A sensitivity analysis was also performed to identify the influence of varying recycling rates on the environmental strain correlated with the proposed scenarios. The analysis results indicated that scenario S2, which combined composting, landfilling, and MRF, exhibited the least environmental impact compared to the other considered scenarios. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis reflected an inverse correlation between alterations in the recycling rate and the total environmental impact. To counter the environmental problems arising from waste generation, it is essential to incorporate principles of the circular economy into the MSW management approach.

A review on the evaluation models and impact factors of greenhouse gas emissions from municipal solid waste management processes.

The total amount of global municipal solid waste (MSW) will reach 3.5 billion tons by 2050, thereby bringing tremendous environmental pressure, especially global warming. Large amounts of greenhouse gases (GHGs) have been released during MSW management (MSWM). Accounting for GHG emissions is a prerequisite for providing recommendations on appropriate treatment options to mitigate emissions from MSWM systems. There are many methods involved in estimating emissions. This paper summarizes the computing models commonly used in each process of the integrated MSWM system and emphasizes the influence of parameters and other factors. Compared with other disposal methods, landfilling has the highest emissions, commonly estimated using first-order decay (FOD) methods. Emission reduction can be realized through waste to energy (WtE) and resource recovery measures. IPCC is commonly used for calculating direct emissions, while LCA-based models can calculate emissions including upstream and downstream processes, whose results depend on assumptions and system boundaries. The estimation results of models vary greatly and are difficult to compare with each other. Besides, large gaps exist between the default emission factors (EFs) provided by models and those F measured in specific facilities. These findings provide a systematic view for a bettering understanding of MSW emissions as well as the estimating methods and also reveal the key points that need be developed in the future.

Assessment of municipal solid waste management systems of Sri Lanka and Japan in terms of knowledge sharing: a comparative study

Assessment of municipal solid waste management systems of Sri Lanka and Japan in terms of knowledge sharing: a comparative study

Recyclable plastic waste segregation with deep learning based hand-eye coordination

Plastic waste management is a critical concern in municipal solid waste management systems worldwide. Despite the efforts of waste management personnel to segregate waste manually, the existing challenges persist. In municipal waste facilities, individuals responsible for waste segregation face numerous obstacles. Consequently, a significant amount of plastic waste ends up in landfills, exacerbating the plastic waste problem. To overcome these challenges, this research focuses on developing an automated system capable of categorizing plastic waste based on its visual characteristics. The trained model exhibits high precision in identifying various types of plastic waste, including PET, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP, and PS. Specifically, the model achieves an Average Precision of 0.917 and an Average Recall of 0.801. Moreover, the model maintains a good balance between precision and recall. In real-time operation, an overhead camera locates the positions of both the waste items and the gripper. By calculating the positional difference between the waste and the gripper, the system achieves a higher level of segregation accuracy, resembling human-like hand-eye coordination. The proposed system offers a solution to the challenges faced in MSW facilities, where the timely segregation of waste is crucial. By automating the plastic waste categorization process, the system can significantly improve waste management practices, leading to a more sustainable approach to plastic waste disposal and recycling.

Assessment of waste management scenarios toward marine plastic debris mitigation and cost reduction

The increase in solid waste volume and change in composition due to urban development cause negative effects on the marine ecological environment. The aim of this study was to assess the amount of plastic waste leaking into the environment from the municipal solid waste (MSW) management system and propose mitigation measures towards sustainable development in Hue city, Viet Nam. The method of modelling MSW management system applying Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and simulating models through scenarios were used to propose strategic solutions to improve and develop the system. As a result, the implementation of segregation at source and improvement of the current collection system are urgently needed. Integrated treatment system including material recovery facility combined with transfer station, incineration, centralized and decentralized composting treatment can reduce the landfilled amount to 5% and the quantity of mismanaged plastic waste infiltrating the ocean has undergone a substantial reduction of several hundred-fold.

Overview of municipal solid waste management in sub-tropical climatic region of North Eastern India.

Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) is perceived as a global issue regardless of the place of waste generation. The amount of unmanaged waste is increasing rapidly, along with its impact on the environment and human health. In hilly areas, specifically the North Eastern Region (NER) states of India, due to the unique topography coupled with socio-economic factors, there are inadequate waste management practices marked by insufficient infrastructure, minimal research studies, and limited data availability. This paper comprehensively reviews the existing status of MSWM practices and waste treatment technologies, identifies the challenges, and discusses the prospective approaches for MSWM in NER states of India. NER, is characterized by its hilly terrain and has the most diverse demographic profile in the country. The study highlights the notable increase in waste generation in the urban population in NER. The total amount of waste generated in NER is about 2907 tons per day, with a collection rate of 86.96%, treatment at 31.09%, and landfilling at 33.67%. The biodegradable fraction makes up the majority of waste composition (more than 50%) in NER, followed by recyclables and inert. The existing MSWM consists of waste collection, transportation, and disposal with limited source segregation and treatment. All the states of NER practice open dumping and burning as the primary waste treatment and disposal system. The study discusses the challenges and prospects to ensure effective MSWM in NER. This review is a region-specific study that considers cultural diversity, topography, and socio-economic dynamics. The outcome of this review will be helpful to the researchers and policymakers in making appropriate waste management plans and improve the MSWM system in NER.

Scenario analysis of the eco-efficiency for municipal solid waste management: A case study of 211 cities in western China

Mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is vital for creating sustainable municipal solid waste management systems (MSWMS). In this study, we constructed an MSWMS considering recycling and carried out GHG emission accounting for MSWMS in western China from 2012 to 2021 based on the IPCC mass balance (MB) method. Then, we modeled the emission reduction potentials and economic benefits under different scenarios for 211 prefectural and county-level cities. We formed an eco-efficiency analysis framework that can be used to explore the sustainable development mode. Results revealed that: (1) Emissions from the western region's municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal exhibit an inverted “U” pattern, increasing at an annual rate of about 1.3 % since 2012, peaking in 2019, and then decreasing at rates of 14.4 % and 10.6 %. (2) The GHG emissions show a spatial pattern of decreasing evolution from east to west and south to north, and the provincial-municipal level shows different trends. (3) The SB3 scenario (optimization of landfill gas power generation technology) was the most ecologically efficient in 43 % of the western cities, followed by SB4 (33 %) and SA3 (24 %). (4) The development of integrated urban domestic waste management strategies by the three-level scenarios derived from this study will help local governments achieve the goal of sustainable urban development. Clarifying the differences in GHG emissions and eco-efficiency among cities will help provide policy recommendations for regions with similar characteristics to explore technically applicable, economically affordable implementation paths for city management according to local conditions.

Analysis of using Internet of Things devices to manage the collection and transportation of municipal solid waste

The article analyzes the influence of M2M objects, the Internet of Things, robotics, and machine intelligence and vision systems on the municipal solid waste management system. It is demonstrated that goal-oriented, sustainable activity and development imply ensuring harmony in the homeostatic phase space of possible events. However, the life of society in the digital space is based on an increasingly expanding and often unexplored range of non-target manifestations of the development and application of information and telecommunication systems and technologies for working with digital data, carried out, among other things, with the support of government agencies.

PROSPECTS OF WASTE TO ENERGY FROM CONTROLLED LANDFILL SYSTEM IN CIREBON, WEST JAVA

This research aimed to examine the potential of waste from controlled landfills a raw material for a Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plant. The research employed the qualitative method with direct observation. Data were analyzed descriptively. The results showed that the composition of waste in Cirebon was mostly dominated by household food waste (52.41%), followed by plastic (15.58%) and paper (8.05%). Based on the amount of existing waste and the projected amount in Cirebon City and Cirebon Regency, the waste can potentially be used as raw material for WtE plant. The energy generated from this waste can be sold to PLN, creating a positive utilization of the waste. It is projected that Cirebon City will produce 1319 m3/day of waste, and Cirebon Regency will produce 4767.65 m3/day (1161.26 tons/day) in 2023. Therefore, further research is needed to develop appropriate, efficient, and environmentally friendly technology for the municipal solid waste management system in Cirebon.

Wasteaware adaptation to the context of a Latin American country: evaluation of the municipal solid waste management in Cali, Colombia

According to the World Bank report, Colombia generated 5.6% (13 million tons per year) of municipal solid waste in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2016. About 30% of this waste came from the three main cities of the country, Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali. Evaluation of the performance of municipal solid waste management systems is important for reducing environmental and public health impacts in cities. Wasteaware benchmark indicators have been used worldwide for monitoring those systems. The results of the adaptation of this methodology to the Context of a Latin American Country are presented in this research. The solid waste comprehensive management policy and regulatory framework in Colombia were considered. As a case study, the adaptation of Wasteaware was implemented using the data from the Cali solid waste management system for 2019. The results of the evaluation for Cali indicate that system presents a high overall performance (91%). Cali achieved the highest performance when compared to other Latin American cities. The implementation of this management instrument in Colombian cities will provide sufficient and relevant information regarding the municipal solid waste management systems. It is expected that this initiative will be replicated in other cities in Latin America.

Optimization Models for Long-Term Planning of Municipal Solid Waste Management Systems: A Review with An Emphasis on Mass Balances

The vast majority of decision-making approaches used for long-term planning of municipal solid waste management systems (LPMSWMS) are ground on scenario-based structures. However, the scenario-based structures may overlook many real-world possibilities because of their restricted mass balances. This study is the first attempt to review the current state of optimization models, which are used as a decision-making approach for LPMSWMS, by focusing on the mass balances. In line with this purpose, 146 peer-reviewed articles were examined based on a new literature evaluation scheme. According to the findings, it can be stated that a significant majority of the articles offer non-deterministic optimization models dealing with the uncertain nature of the LPMSWMS problems. Considering all optimization models examined in the study, most of the model formulations have linear mathematical forms in terms of objective and constraint functions. However, it is quite interesting that none of the models produced solutions for a management system alternative with an integrated (non-restricted) mass balance. Accordingly, it is very questionable whether the results obtained from the current models have the power to give the most suitable solution for an up-to-date management system. As a result of the review, it is highly recommended that the optimization models to be conducted for the LPMSWMS in the future should search for new mathematical approaches considering the integrated mass balances under certainty and/or uncertainty.

An assessment of municipal solid waste management system in Oshogbo, Osun State Nigeria: Challenges and prospects

The study empirically assessed the challenges and prospects of municipal solid waste management system in Oshogbo, Osun State, Nigeria. The study specifically looked into the current - status, the performance of municipal solid waste social control system of the city, and the households solid waste social control practice. Primary data were used and sourced through a well-design survey questionnaire, field observation, reviewing published and unpublished documents, and on spot access. Descriptive statistics was used for the data analysis. The main factors aggravating the present poor state of municipal solid waste social control of Oshogbo were revealed in the study. The results further showed that Osun state waste management agency is not leaving up to its responsibility and delay in collection of wastes, the activity of municipal solid waste social control of the town is majorly executed by micro and macro scale enterprises with very limited contribution of the agency saddled with such responsibilities. Besides this, there is no involvement of non- governmental organization and private sectors as the government of the day portrayed it. Inadequate solid waste social control pattern of the households. The first inadequacy of households is poor handling of short-lived storage material of various houses. That is, trash disposal around the waste container. Likewise, they are uncovering in the rain, light and heat, they do not take cognizance of sustainable solid social control actions for instance, reprocessing, reclaim and composting. Except, for the prohibited solid waste disposal. In addition, they are less motivated to clean their immediate environment. Thus, the study recommends that government waste management agency in conjunction with non-governmental organization should commence training on waste social control practices, with focus on women as agent of change in a community, while the institutions should leave up to their responsibilities.

Integrated MSW management system in the Russian Federation: problems of interpretation and formation

The object of the study is the formation of an integrated MSW management system within the framework of the national project "Ecology" and the federal project "Integrated Solid Municipal Waste management System". The subject of the study is organizational, methodological, legal, financial, economic, industrial and technological problems that make it difficult at the federal and regional levels to achieve the annual and final planned indicators of these projects in 2024. The purpose of the work is a general description of the integrated MSW management system being created, as well as to identify the main problems of its formation in the new financial and economic environment reality. The author considers the planned target indicators of the federal project and their correlation with the indicators achieved in 2019-2022. Special attention is paid to the three-fold decrease in the initial planned indicator for recycling, which occurred due to insufficient development of the MSW recycling infrastructure, and the threat of non-fulfillment of the utilization indicator in 2024, which persists even after that. The methodological basis of research is an integrated approach that allowed the use of methods of systematic, comparative, factorial and economic-statistical analysis, content analysis, and also synthesis. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the disclosure of an integrated system as a set of methods for handling MSW, located among themselves in a certain hierarchy of applications, the last of which is waste disposal, and the smaller its scale and the damage caused to the environment, the greater the level of consistency the system demonstrates. Neutralization and energy utilization do not fully solve the problem, since they leave a lot of harmful combustion products. Recycling is much more environmentally friendly, the degree of development of which should be considered as the second important criterion for the development of an integrated waste management system. The reduction by the curators of the MSW management reform of the initially stated recycling targets for 2024 by three times is actually an official recognition of the global underdevelopment of the domestic recycling and processing industry and the lack of real state participation in its formation and development.

Optimizing Segregated Waste Collection Routes as a Decision-Making Problem in the Municipal Solid Waste Management System in Small Town

Routing vehicles is a generic decision-making problem of strategic management in any business serving customers in distributed locations with a limited fleet including municipal solid waste collection. This paper introduces an approach tailored for optimizing waste collection routes in small towns and rural areas where dead-end streets are typical in the road network. Leveraging the Traveling Salesperson Problem (TSP), the approach employs optimal route determination taking advantage of the specific character of a road network with many dead-end streets. The service area for waste collection was aggregated, so the graph representing the map results in a relatively small data instance. This facilitated the application of the exact method, i.e. Mixed-Integer Programming using the OpenSolver tool in Excel. Conducted in collaboration with a municipal agency in southeastern Poland, this study outlines a comprehensive methodology, emphasizing the reduction of complex dead-end streets into singular nodes within the graph for effective route optimization. A comprehensive methodology is outlined alongside the solutions attained. Computational experiments focused on minimizing total travel distance during waste collection operations, demonstrating the methodology's success. Beyond efficiency gains, optimized routes hold potential for significant environmental impact reduction. The reduced travel distances result in decreased fuel consumption and emissions, aligning with sustainability goals. Developing an Excel-based decision support tool for municipal solid waste management is a significant contribution, particularly for decision-makers less familiar with Operations Research. The tool's compatibility within the spreadsheet environment streamlines waste management processes for municipal units, enhancing decision-making efficiency in optimizing waste collection routes.

GHG Emissions in the Current and Future MSW Management System in Zvornik, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Each and every step in the process of municipal solid waste (MSW) management generates the greenhouse gases (GHG). Therefore, it is imperative to focus on MSW from the source to the final waste disposal in order to decrease the negative impact on the environment. This study aims to calculate the GHG emissions at the present moment (Status Quo) for waste management as well as on the improved MSW management that should be implemented in this local community by 2027 (Scenario 2027). To visualize waste streams in these two scenarios, the STAN 2.5 software was used, and for the calculation of GHG emissions in the City of Zvornik, the IWM-2 software was used. The MSW management Status Quo is basically characterized by the collection communal of waste and its deposition on the landfill without a degasification system and landfill gas treatment. The guidelines and recommendations for MSW management improvement, Scenario 2027 propose the establishment of separate collections of secondary raw materials and biodegradable waste, and improved collection and treatment of landfill gas at the landfill site. The implementation of these measures would result in a reduction of approximately 40% in GHG emissions compared to the Status Quo. The most significant impact would be realized in the environment due to the collection and treatment of landfill.

Resource potential of municipal solid waste in Odesa Region

Despite the widespread use of the term "municipal solid waste" (MSW), the main regulatory and legislative documents of Ukraine use the term "household waste". International practice also does not have a clear definition of the "municipal solid waste" concept, however, there are a number of related terms. Municipal solid waste is defined as a waste that is generated in the course of human activity, accumulated in residential buildings and social institutions and considered as unsuitable for further use at places of its generation. As for the related terms used in foreign and national practice, the term “household waste”, i.e. waste generated directly by households, is more appropriate. Municipal solid waste is a heterogeneous mixture that has a complex waste composition and its quantitative and qualitative characteristics are not constant and depend on characteristics of a certain country, region, city or town where it was generated, season and other factors. Growing volumes of municipal solid waste is one of the components of growing anthropogenic load that poses a threat to environmental safety of the country's regions and public health and negatively affects the state of our environment. The main methods of such solid waste management in Ukraine include landfilling, incineration, recycling and recovery. Out of the total annual waste volume generated on the post-Soviet territories, 93% are taken to landfills or dumpsites, 4% – incinerated, and only about 3% – recycled.
 Therefore, creation and implementation of an effective system of solid waste management is an important task for ensuring environmental safety and sustainable development of the country's regions. Moreover, solid waste is a significant reserve for obtaining secondary material resources. According to the circular economy concept, almost all components of solid waste should be reused for production of new items. This will minimize negative impact on the environment and allow rational use of natural resources. The article analyses the current state of municipal solid waste management system in Odesa Region and assesses resource value of such waste. Secondary raw materials worth of almost UAH 1.4 million can be produced annually from the total flow of municipal solid waste in Odesa Region. And this figure does not take into account liquidity of food and other waste. After establishing an effective food and other organic waste management system, such amount may be significantly increased. Separation of resource-value components from the total solid waste flow and their subsequent use will help to reduce technogenic load on the environmental natural components and improve the overall environmental situation in Odesa Region.

Impact of collection from indigenous lands on the municipal solid waste management system: A case study in the Amazon

In the Amazon, solid waste collection is generally restricted to urban areas, excluding indigenous lands and rural areas. The objective of this research was to analyse the impact of collecting waste generated from indigenous lands on the municipal solid waste (MSW) management system, through life cycle assessment (LCA). A case study in the Humaitá city, state of Amazonas, Brazil, was based on life cycle inventory data, obtained from literature and field surveys, such as the waste gravimetry. The LCA followed the model proposed by ISO 14040 and 14044 and estimated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for three MSW management scenarios. The first, called Base Scenario (SB), corresponded to that practiced in Humaitá: collection of MSW from the urban area, logistic, and disposal in landfill. The second scenario (S1) corresponded to SB and the collection of waste generated on indigenous lands in that municipality. The third scenario (S2) corresponded to S1, excluding organic waste, which would be destined for composting on indigenous lands. The base scenario totalled an emission of 1,539 t CO2eq.year-1. Collecting solid waste from indigenous lands would increase these GHG emissions by 5.2% (S1) and 0.9% (S2) in relation to SB. The decentralized management of organic waste through composting associated with the separation and storage of dry waste would reduce the burning of waste in indigenous areas, their environmental vulnerability and promote the inclusion of these peoples.

Social-economic assessment of integrated waste pickers in municipal solid waste management system: A case of Tianjin in China

Currently, China's municipal solid waste (MSW) management system has been changing from mixed collection and treatment system into separated collection and treatment system. Therefore, the source separated ability of MSW, the relevant policies of MSW classification and the MSW management system are still in the stage of exploration and improvement. This study chooses to integrate waste pickers (WPs) from the informal sector into the MSW management system, so that they can conduct secondary sorting of waste as a supplement to source separation. However, the existing research does not provide a method that allows the evaluation of integrated WPs from a dynamic and long-term perspective. In this paper, the system dynamics model of MSW management is improved to provide the ability to analyze the long-term evolution of social economic benefits of integrating WPs for secondary sorting. Taking Tianjin as an example, the scenario analysis is carried out. The results show that, on the basis of the existing mixed management mode, integrating WPs for secondary sorting (80% separated rate) can reduce the waste management cost per ton by 55 yuan in 2030. Under the current situation in Tianjin where the source separation rate of food waste is 20% and the source separation rate of recyclable waste is 60%, integrating WPs can reduce the social economic cost of Tianjin's urban MSW management system by 422.45 million yuan per year from 2022 to 2030. In addition, the results show that even if the source separated rate of food and recyclable waste increases, there is still room for 20%–80% increase in wages based on giving WPs a salary higher than the national per capita disposable income in 2022. This study provides a basis for integrating WPs into Tianjin MSW management system, as well as methods and quantitative tools to integrate WPs for cities in developing countries.