Municipal Solid Waste Treatment Facilities Research Articles

The Urban-Industrial metabolism: contribution of waste recycling to the circular economy objectives within the construction sector

The construction and buildings sector is facing an urgent need to reduce GHG emissions and ensure efficient resource utilization while minimizing waste in order to comply with climate change policies and circular economy initiatives. Alkali-activated materials, as an alternative binder to CO2-intensive conventional cement, show potential in utilizing waste streams from urban environments in their production technology, thereby reducing CO2 emissions. This study examines two waste streams generated in Switzerland: incineration ashes from municipal solid waste treatment facilities and mineral wool waste from building stock renovation and demolition activities. Geospatial analysis is combined with LCA methods to assess optimal scenarios for waste recycling, utilizing a multi-objective optimization framework based on mixed integer linear programming. The objectives are to minimize the environmental impacts and costs associated with alternative supply chain networks, thereby identifying optimal locations for waste pre-treatment and concrete manufacturing. The proposed scenarios demonstrate reductions of 56% in global warming potential and 29% in costs when compared to the business-as-usual scenario of conventional cement concrete use and waste landfilling. Results show that recycling of urban waste streams in alternative concrete can reduce GHG emissions of industry and heavy transportation sectors by 0.46 mt. CO2 eq. by year 2030, equivalent to 23% and 4% of the Swiss carbon budget reduction targets for these sectors.

Admissibility Grid to Support the Decision for the Preferential Routing of Portuguese Endogenous Waste Biomass for the Production of Biogas, Advanced Biofuels, Electricity and Heat

A methodology was developed to assess the allocation of different types of endogenous waste biomass to eight technologies for producing electricity, heat, biogas and advanced biofuels. It was based on the identification of key physicochemical parameters for each conversion process and the definition of limit values for each parameter, applied to two different matrices of waste biomass. This enabled the creation of one Admissibility Grid with target values per type of waste biomass and conversion technology, applicable to a decision process in the routing to energy production. The construction of the grid was based on the evaluation of 24 types of waste biomass, corresponding to 48 sets of samples tested, for which a detailed physicochemical characterization and an admissibility assessment were made. The samples were collected from Municipal Solid Waste treatment facilities, sewage sludges, agro-industrial companies, poultry farms, and pulp and paper industries. The conversion technologies and energy products considered were (trans)esterification to fatty acid methyl esters, anaerobic digestion to methane, fermentation to bioethanol, dark fermentation to biohydrogen, combustion to electricity and heat, gasification to syngas, and pyrolysis and hydrothermal liquefaction to bio-oils. The validation of the Admissibility Grid was based on the determination of conversion rates and product yields over 23 case studies that were selected according to the best combinations of waste biomass type versus technological solution and energy product.

Geographic information system and system dynamics combination technique for municipal solid waste treatment station site selection.

The rapid growth of municipal solid waste put pressure on the end treatment facilities, and the site selection of MSW treatment facilities needs to be carefully conducted. This study aims to develop a Standard Operational Procedures (SOP) for municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment station site selection based on GIS and system dynamics combination. System dynamics was used to establish a forecasting model for MSW simulation followed by the spatial analysis method to generate a geographic information system. The MSW simulation in Xiamen city using the system dynamics model proved that the model was with high prediction accuracy. An SOP for GIS-based MSW treatment station site selection was developed. The site selection for MSW comprehensive treatment in Xiamen using GIS and system dynamics screened the locations of the comprehensive solid waste treatment stations in Xiamen and eliminated unsuitable lands using the mapping function of the geographic information system, thus validating the SOP.

Kinetic insights on wet peroxide oxidation of caffeine using EDTA-functionalized low-cost catalysts prepared from compost generated in municipal solid waste treatment facilities

Nowadays, sorted organic fraction of municipal solid waste is typically treated by anaerobic digestion processes, resulting therein a solid stream, further processed to obtain compost, whose production is higher than the existing demand as fertilizer. The current work proposes an alternative strategy for the recovering of compost through the production of low-cost catalysts by calcination (1073 K) and sulfuric acid treatments, followed by sequential functionalization with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA). Activity and stability of the catalysts are assessed in the wet peroxide oxidation of synthetic wastewater effluents contaminated with caffeine, a model micro-pollutant, achieving its complete removal after 6 h at 353–383 K and catalyst loads of 0.5–2.5 g L−1. The increase of the catalytic activity of the materials upon functionalization with TEOS and EDTA is demonstrated and a kinetic modeling of caffeine degradation and hydrogen peroxide consumption with the best catalyst is assessed by pseudo-first power-law rate equations.

An Environmental Justice Assessment of the Waste Treatment Facilities in Shanghai: Incorporating Counterfactual Decomposition into the Hedonic Price Model

Environmental justice (EJ) has become an increasingly significant issue for environmental management and has thus attracted increasing government and public attention. Although some studies have used techniques of proximity based on geographical information systems to assess EJ, their research is limited to individual or household data. Unlike the conventional hedonic price model (HPM) examining the effects of environmental features on housing rent, this article incorporates counterfactual decomposition into the HPM to estimate the environmental pressure on different groups by comparing the externality effects of municipal solid waste treatment facilities (MSWTFs) on two separate groups of people. To explore whether and, if so, the extent to which, vulnerable groups of people are restricted to disproportionate impacts of hazardous environmental facilities, this research uses Shanghai as the study area to highlight specific locations and exemplify the environmental injustice between the rich and the poor. The results, which represent the relationship between environmental quality and property prices, indicate that environmental quality is a robust predictor of housing rent. Simultaneously, the results suggest that some people conform better to environmental pressure than do others. Thus, the environmental impact of MSWTFs on different populations should be considered, and compensation policies should be implemented for disadvantaged groups.

Antibiotics in wastewater from multiple sources and surface water of the Yangtze River in Chongqing in China.

Antibiotic contamination attracts growing concerns because of their deleterious effects on the ecosystem and human health. In this study, 43 antibiotics in wastewater from a variety of sources and water of the Yangtze River in Chongqing City in western China were measured. Thirty compounds were detected, and their concentrations were highest in leachates from the municipal solid waste treatment facilities (landfills and incineration plants) with total concentrations of 3584-57,106ng/L. The total concentrations in influents of municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were comparable (401-7994ng/L versus 640-8945ng/L). The concentrations in raw sewage from swine farms (with a total of 10,219-39,195ng/L) and poultry farms (1419-36,027ng/L) were noticeably higher than those from other farms (54.0-5516ng/L). Fluoroquinolones were the dominant antibiotics contributing over 50% in all the sources, and sulfonamides and imidazole fungicides contributed 3.2-34%, whereas tetracyclines and macrolides had minor contributions. The overall antibiotic removal rates were highest in solid waste treatment facilities (88% on average), comparable between municipal and industrial WWTPs (61%), and lowest in animal farms (39%). The mass loads to the investigated municipal WWTPs via influent wastewater ranged from 7.80 to 1531kg/year (53.2-2482μg/day per capital). The influent mass loads to the industrial WWTPs and farms were 3.7-50kg/year and 0.9-5437g/year, respectively. We estimated that the mass inventories of antibiotics from these sources to the environment via effluent discharges were approximately 2044kg for municipal WWTPs, 61kg for industrial WWTPs, and 34kg for animal farms in the whole city. Antibiotic concentrations in the Yangtze River water were substantially low (< 492ng/L, with a mean of 57.8ng/L) suggesting dissipation during the movement.

Environmental and economic performance of an integrated municipal solid waste treatment: A Chinese case study

The application of integrated municipal solid waste (MSW) management has become increasingly common for the mitigation of the ever-growing MSW stream. However, despite their popularity across the globe, little is known about the performance of integrated MSW management (MSWM) plants. This study quantitively investigates the environmental and economic performance of an integrated MSW treatment center in the city of Horqin Left Rear Banner, Inner Mongolia Province, China, using a combined life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) methodology. Results indicate that the integrated MSWM plant is sustainable in both environmental and economic aspects, as the life cycle environmental impacts and economic costs can be offset by substituting virgin products with recycled counterparts. Amongst the included treatments, MSW separation, brick making and plastic recycling are the greatest contributors to the total environmental burdens and economic expenses. LCC results demonstrate that the equipment cost, tax and other asset costs are the greatest contributors to the total costs of the plant. Sensitivity analysis confirms that the increasing source separation ratio results in the reduction of environmental burdens and economic expenses via the usage of biogas and photovoltaic power. Furthermore, we offer recommendations for the promotion of the environmental and economic sustainability of integrated MSW treatment facilities.

Quantification of greenhouse gas emissions from different municipal solid waste treatment methods - case study in Ha Noi, Vietnam

This study focuses on defining the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from treatment of municipal solid waste (MSW) in Ha Noi city. Firstly, the MSW samplings at Nam Son and Xuan Son landfills were collected to identify the components. Based on the statistical data on the amount and ratio of MSW collected, the volume of MSW treated by different technologies was estimated. Then, the GHG emissions were quantified by applying the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2006 model. The annual GHG released from MSW in Ha Noi in 2017 was 1.1 million tons of CO2e from landfilling, 16.3 thousand tons of CO2e from incineration, and 76,100 tons of CO2e from composting. The GHG emission level from landfills is the highest (327 kg of CO2e per ton of treated waste), followed by composting (189 kg of CO2e per ton), and incineration (115 kg of CO2e per ton). The GHG emissions from landfills comprised nearly 90% of GHG emissions from MSW disposal in Ha Noi. The results also revealed that if there are no measures to recover landfill gas for energy generation, the GHG generated from MSW treatment facilities will also contribute significantly to the greenhouse effect and climate change impact. These research results also supply the basis information for decision-makers to select the appropriate MSW treatment technologies for Ha Noi in the context of increasing population pressure and environmental pollution.

Social Impact of Odor Induced by Municipal Solid Waste Treatment Facilities in Ho Chi Minh City

Landfills are mostly used to manage solid waste in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Due to inappropriate administration, there have been numerous issues over the years relating to odor and leachate. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of odor stemming from Da Phuoc landfill site on surrounding areas. A questionnaire survey was administered through face-to-face interviews with 409 residents living in the affected areas. The findings of this study indicate that the odor perception of residents significantly influences their attitudes towards waste disposal sites. The results show that odor affects not only the region around municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment facilities but regions more than 7 km away as well. The data indicates that the odor emanating from the MSW disposal site negatively affects the daily life of many residents. This study is an effort to finding a solution to reduce the impact of odor generated from the landfill site on nearby residential areas.

Mechanical biological treatment of municipal solid waste: Energy efficiency, environmental impact and economic feasibility analysis

Abstract Municipal solid waste (MSW) is treated mainly via landfill and incineration in most countries. As the effectiveness of source-point waste classification always cannot be guaranteed especially in developing countries, the introduction of mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) systems is a possible solution, for MBT can separate the biodegradable fraction and recover recyclables from mixed waste streams. Using life cycle assessment, scenario analysis and other methods, the energy, environmental and economic performance of MBT and other mainstream MSW treatment technologies are analyzed and compared. The results showed that raw MSW landfill was the worst management option. Incineration had higher energy efficiency (20.5% energy recovery), but the large amounts of chemicals consumption for fly ash and exhaust treatment were also issues leading to relatively higher life cycle environmental impacts. MBT had the highest energy efficiency when connected with biogas purification systems (38.5% energy recovery), and could significantly avoid pollution than the other two technologies. Moreover, MBT was well-adapted to changing MSW composition, making it a promising supplementary to MSW source separation. However, MBT had weak economic performance and required an economic support policy. Our findings show that product revenue needs to be increased, and infrastructure sharing between MSW treatment facilities should also be encouraged.

중국의 폐기물 관리 시스템 현황

In this study, to understand the current status of solid waste management in China, the author presented generation and treatment status of municipal solid waste in China, and the composition of municipal solid waste in the Southern China. Also following important definition and control measures for solid waste management in China were reviewed. (1) The definition of solid waste, (2) Solid waste identification guide, (3) Leaching test for the determination of hazardous waste, (4) Standard for pollution control on the landfill site of municipal solid waste, (5) Municipal solid waste landfill harmless evaluation criteria, and (6) Twelve Five national municipal solid waste treatment facilities construction plan.

Economic feasibility of energy recovery from solid waste in the light of Brazil׳s waste policy: The case of Rio de Janeiro

Abstract Energetic waste disposal has tremendous potential for generating alternative (renewable and non-conventional) energy from municipal solid waste (MSW), reducing greenhouse gas emissions, creating socio-economic and environmental benefits, and achieving a sustainable expansion of the energy sector. However, in spite of these tremendous benefits, the Brazilian MSW disposal market remains dominated by landfilling. In total, energetic MSW treatment plants in Brazil are expected to achieve an installed capacity of 12,400 MW by 2020 and 17,550 MW by 2030 respectively. Investments into wind, small-scale hydro, and biomass plants will exceed R$ 69 billions between 2011 and 2020. This paper aims to assess the implications of Brazil׳s National Policy on Solid Waste (PNRS) on the economic feasibility of different energetic MSW treatment facilities. Therefore, the PNRS is comprehensively analysed, particularly those areas that outline the decision-making criteria for future investments. These criteria are then applied to the specific case of Rio de Janeiro, first by examining the municipality׳s current state of MSW management and second by examining 20 hypothetical future investment projects into three different energetic MSW treatment technologies. The case study delivers crucial information about the economic feasibility of the considered technologies by addressing specific provisions in the Brazilian legal framework and by applying relevant country-specific financial incentives, designed to encourage investments into renewable energies.

Residents’ concerns and attitudes toward a municipal solid waste landfill: integrating a questionnaire survey and GIS techniques

The ever-growing industry of municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal appeals to the growing need for disposal facilities, and MSW treatment facilities are increasingly an environmental and public health concern. Residents living near MSW management facilities are confronted with various risk perceptions, especially odour. In this study, in an effort to assist responsible decision-makers in better planning and managing such a project, a structured questionnaire was designed and distributed to assess the nearby residents' concerns and attitudes surrounding the Laogang Landfill in Shanghai. Geographic information system techniques and relevance analysis were employed to conduct the spatial analysis of physical perceptions, especially odour annoyance. The findings of the research indicate that a significant percentage of the responding sample was aware of the negative impacts of landfills on the environment and public health, and residents in close proximity preferred to live farther from the landfill. The results from the spatial analysis demonstrated a definite degree of correlation between odour annoyance and distance to the facility and proved that the benefits of the socially disadvantaged have been neglected. The research findings also direct attention to the important role of public participation, information disclosure, transparency in management, and mutual communication to avoid conflicts and build social trust.

Characterization and determination of the odorous charge in the indoor air of a waste treatment facility through the evaluation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using TD–GC/MS

Municipal solid waste treatment facilities are generally faced with odorous nuisance problems. Characterizing and determining the odorous charge of indoor air through odour units (OU) is an advantageous approach to evaluate indoor air quality and discomfort. The assessment of the OU can be done through the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) concentrations and the knowledge of their odour thresholds. The evaluation of the presented methodology was done in a mechanical–biological waste treatment plant with a processing capacity of 245.000tonsyear−1 of municipal residues. The sampling was carried out in five indoor selected locations of the plant (Platform of Rotating Biostabilizers, Shipping warehouse, Composting tunnels, Digest centrifugals, and Humid pre-treatment) during the month of July 2011. VOC and volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) were sampled using multi-sorbent bed (Carbotrap, Carbopack X, Carboxen 569) and Tenax TA tubes, respectively, with SKC AirCheck 2000 pumps. The analysis was performed by automatic thermal desorption (ATD) coupled with a capillary gas chromatography (GC)/mass spectrometry detector (MSD). One hundred and thirty chemical compounds were determined qualitatively in all the studied points (mainly alkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, aldehydes, esters, and terpenes), from which 86 were quantified due to their odorous characteristics as well as their potentiality of having negative health effects. The application of the present methodology in a municipal solid waste treatment facility has proven to be useful in order to determine which type of VOC contribute substantially to the indoor air odorous charge, and thus it can be a helpful method to prevent the generation of these compounds during the treatment process, as well as to find a solution in order to suppress them.

Possible solutions for sludge dewatering in China

In China, over 1.43×107 tons of dewatered sewage sludge, with 80% water content, were generated from wastewater treatment plants in 2007. About 60% of the COD removed during the wastewater treatment process becomes concentrated as sludge. Traditional disposal methods used by municipal solid waste treatment facilities, such as landfills, composting, or incineration, are unsuitable for sludge disposal because of its high water content. Disposal of sludge has therefore become a major focus of current environmental protection policies. The present status of sludge treatment and disposal methodology is introduced in this paper. Decreasing the energy consumption of sludge dewatering from 80% to 50% has been a key issue for safe and economic sludge disposal. In an analysis of sludge water distribution, thermal drying and hydrothermal conditioning processes are compared. Although thermal drying could result in an almost dry sludge, the energy consumption needed for this process is extremely high. In comparison, hydrothermal technology could achieve dewatered sewage sludge with a 50%–60% water content, which is suitable for composting, incineration, or landfill. The energy consumption of hydrothermal technology is lower than that required for thermal drying.

Implication of heavy metals distribution for a municipal solid waste management system — a case study in Shanghai

Heavy metal contamination in municipal solid waste (MSW) is of increasing concern. The occurrence and distribution of heavy metals in MSW and their implications for the integrated MSW management system in mega-cities have been investigated by means of material flow analysis based on a case study of Shanghai in China. A good statistical basis was provided through a one-year monitoring program on the mass and metals composition of the waste from three MSW treatment facilities. The results showed that the main heavy metals in the MSW were Zn, Cr, Cu, and Pb (on average > 100 mg kg − 1 ), followed by Ni, Cd, and Hg. The MSW contained higher levels of Cu and Ni in metals, Cr and Pb in plastics, and Pb and Zn in the inorganic fractions. Regardless of the sources, the statistically similar heavy metal contents in the organic fractions indicated that effective blending and diffusion of heavy metals had taken place throughout the MSW collection, transfer, transportation, and storage, leading to cross-contamination of the waste fractions. PU (composed of putrescible waste and miscellaneous indistinguishable particles) contributed the majority of the heavy metals to the MSW, followed by plastics, as a result of the predominance in the overall composition of PU and plastics rather than from differences in their heavy metal contents. Therefore, manual or mechanical separation of some significantly heavy metal-rich fractions alone is not sufficient to reduce the heavy metal contents in the MSW. Source separation of organic waste and the diversion of tailored inorganic waste such as hazardous components, construction and demolition waste, etc., are proposed to control the heavy metal contamination in MSW. For the mixed MSW management system, physicochemical fractionation to exclude particles containing high levels of heavy metals can be conducted.

A pilot ecological engineering project for municipal solid waste reduction, disinfection, regeneration and industrialization in Guanghan City, China

A pilot ecological engineering project for municipal solid waste (MSW) recycling in Guanghan City of China is introduced. It aims to reduce, disinfect, regenerate, industrialize and systematize MSW through combining hardware (technological innovation for MSW treatment facilities), software (institutional reform to divert the government responsibility to citizen–enterprise–government sharing responsibility) and mindware (inducing ecologically compatible behavior). The MSW recycling machinery, disinfecting techniques, integrated composting techniques, and organic and inorganic complex fertilizers, and the integrated management of MSW recycling developed in this project have significant ecological and economic benefits.