Potential Of Municipal Solid Waste 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.

Resource utilization potential of municipal solid waste affects the sustainable development goals progress in China

In the past decades, municipal solid waste (MSW) has generally been recognized as a substance that poses risks to human health and the ecosystem. With the emergence of the sustainable idea, MSW began to be recognized as a renewable resource and technological methods were used to make MSW as a resource utilization potential (RUP) source. SDGs realization relies on MSW's sustainable management. However, how the MSW's RUP affects to SDGs and how the two are coupled still needs to be explored. In this study, we took China, the largest MSW producer in developing countries, as an example. First, we selected 17 SDG indicators (including 83 nested indicators) and assessed China's SDG progress from 2005 to 2021 based on the SDG weighting calculation method. Regression analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) were then used to explore the direct and indirect impacts of MSW's RUP on the SDGs. Finally, a counterfactual analysis was used to determine the regional heterogeneity of the impact of MSW's RUP on SDGs. The results show that China made greater progress in its SDG scores overall between 2005 and 2021, with particularly strong progress in SDG1 (poverty eradication) and SDG3 (healthy living). The MSW's RUP contributes positively to SDGs 1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 17 (economy, health, water, industry, community, and global partnerships). The response of SDGs 2, 7, and 16 (zero hunger, energy, and justice) to MSW's RUP showed a threshold when the MSW's RUP value was 0.3 GJ. The MSW's RUP has a negative impact on SDG13 and SDG15 (climate change and ecosystems). Regional heterogeneity exists in the relationship between MSW's RUPs and the SDGs, therefore the promotion of MSW's RUPs is targeted to different provinces. The MSW's RUP provides significant potential for improvement in energy production and material production, and adherence to managing MSW using a sustainable mindset will contribute to the goal of carbon neutrality by 2060.

Assessment of the energy potential of municipal solid waste: A case study of Mussaka dumpsite, Buea Cameroon

A country's economic growth and urbanization often lead to environmental degradation due to the amount of waste generated. Proximate analysis was done. The objective of this study is to evaluate the energy potential of the municipal solid waste (MSW) in Buea municipality through landfill gas-to-energy and incineration technology. Methane emissions from the Mussaka dumpsite for two decades using the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) default method (DM) and Landfill Gas Emission Model (LandGEM V3.03) models were estimated. The Buea municipality's 2022 combustible MSW generated 40,593.69 tons with a low heating value of 7.37 MJ/kg, potentially producing 20.5 GWh of energy. LandGEM and IPCC DM models predicted total methane emissions during the period 2010–2030 as 21.33Gg and 54.77Gg, with annual energy potentials ranging from 0 to 5.10 GWh and 2.91 to 15.31 GWh respectively. This study provides crucial information for waste management investors and policymakers.

The potential of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) layers as Anthropocene strata

The potential of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) layers as Anthropocene strata

Socio-economic benefits and policy implications of generating sustainable energy from municipal solid waste in Pakistan

The facet of sustainability in power generation carries immense importance since the environmental and social aspects of power generation have often been sacrificed for economic gains. It is imperative to develop novel methods that serve the dual purposes of implicating sustainability and catering to the ever-increasing energy demand. This study assesses the potential of municipal solid waste (MSW) to energy production through waste to energy (WTE) technologies and the potential contribution of WTE facilities to meet the peak energy demands of Pakistan. In the current study, two WTE development scenarios, Mass Burn with recyclable materials and Mass Burn without recyclable materials for two cities, Islamabad and Peshawar were considered. The analysis revealed that Mass Burn with recyclable materials has the potential of producing 205 MW and 180 MW of electricity for the selected cities respectively, with positive social, economic, and environmental impact. It was observed that the energy generation from waste helps in the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as compared to landfills which were 65% for Islamabad and 54% for Peshawar and also helps in the development of a supply chain system with economic and social benefits.

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.

Gasification potential of municipal solid waste in Iran: Application of life cycle assessment, risk analysis, and machine learning

This paper focuses on a comprehensive solution for dry municipal solid waste (MSW) management with describes the scenario of the gasification process. For this purpose, the potential of implementing the MSW gasification process in Southeast Asia (Iran) with three agents of air, steam, and air-steam is investigated. In order to manage the MSW gasification process as accurately as possible in the study area, a thermodynamic, exergy, economic, environmental, carbon footprint, water footprint, ecological emergy, and risk assessment for the three mentioned gasification agents were carried out in the most populated cities of Iran. In the capital of Iran (Tehran) with the largest population and as a result of largest MSW production, the potential of the gasification process has been investigated at different times (10 consecutive years and 12 months of a year). Finally, by combining artificial neural networks and genetic programming, comprehensive relationships have been established to predict the thermodynamic conditions of gasification with an air-steam agent. The general results of the survey indicate that gasification with air agents has good potential for most regions. The use of the steam agent has created worse economic, environmental, and risk conditions than the other two agents. Investigating the potential of the gasification process in Tehran shows that this city has a good potential to implement this process compared to other cities in Iran, and the most suitable location for establishing the gasification process is the 4th region of this city.

Ordu İlinde Kentsel Katı Atık Yönetimi ve Sıfır Atık Stratejisinin Değerlendirilmesi

Zero waste management is a broad concept that covers all areas that produce waste such as public institutions and organizations, local governments, industrial facilities, hospitals, educational institutions, tourism facilities and workplaces. In this study, the amount, composition, management and transition process to zero waste management system of municipal solid waste in Ordu were investigated. In Ordu, a coastal city of the Eastern Black Sea region, municpal solid waste is collected by the dual collection method and disposed of in a sanitary landfill. Approximately 69% of the municipal solid waste composition consists of organic waste and 7% consists of hazardous and non-recyclable waste. The recycling potential of municipal solid waste in the province is 24%. The zero waste approach has reduced the amount of solid waste going to landfills, increased the amount of waste going to recycling and facilitated energy recovery from non-recyclable waste in Ordu.

Briquette Potential of Municipal Solid Waste and Agro-Waste as Clean Energy Source and Waste Management: The Case of Boditi Area, Ethiopia

Briquette Potential of Municipal Solid Waste and Agro-Waste as Clean Energy Source and Waste Management: The Case of Boditi Area, Ethiopia

Proximate analysis of waste-to-energy potential of municipal solid waste for sustainable renewable energy generation

Over-dependence on virgin resources has been a major topic of social and political debates as the world's population and urbanization continue to rise. The high rate of rural–urban migration and changes in standard of living habits give rise to rapid economic activities that have an enormous impact on the gradual increase in waste generation and continued demand for electricity in urban centres. The solutions to these concerns can be achieved through efficient waste management options by waste resource utilization for energy and nutrient recovery and reduced solid waste pollution footprint. This research examined the viability of present and projected municipal solid waste streams to generate green energy through field surveys by physical characterization of the waste composition, projected waste quantity based on available population and waste data for the period 2000 – 2014, modelled methane gas generated by IPCC method, and the energy value was determined respectively. The findings indicated a high organic content of 54.1% of MSW and a per capita waste generation rate of 0.49–0.57 kg/capita/day. The waste was projected to increase from 353717.41 to 2,223497 tonnes between 2014 and 2035 at a population growth rate of 9.15%. This accounted for methane gas generated estimated to be 9.85Gg/year with an energy value of 15 MW/day in 2014 and projected to increase to 33.4 MW/day by 2035. The energy value estimated represented an increase from 6.14% to 212.74% of the allocated power supply from the national grid within the projected period. However, it is worth noting that, there are some limitations associated with the research due in part to inadequate field data which was supplemented by default model values as recommended by IPCC, although within an acceptable uncertainty band of result sensitivity. Therefore, the WTE management option can serve as a pathway for green energy integration for sustainable development.

Estimation of short-term settlements of MSW landfill materials using shear wave velocity

Limited availability of simple yet adequately validated tools for estimating the deformation potential of municipal solid waste (MSW) material poses difficulty in planning and managing landfill operations. Estimation of settlement of MSW landfills has remained a challenge because of heterogeneity and time-varying mechanical behavior of MSW materials and difficulty of extracting representative samples and reconstituting them for laboratory testing. An empirical correlation is proposed here for estimating the short-term settlement of landfill materials. The relationship was developed by calibrating laboratory data from axial (1D) compression and consolidated drained triaxial tests against field-measured shear wave velocities from five landfill sites with varied waste compositions. The correlation was validated against three full scale load tests; one obtained in this research and two reported by others, and a field compaction study from a fourth landfill. Although the proposed correlation was more accurate than an alternative developed earlier, overall it underestimated settlements by about 12%. The proposed relationship could therefore provide a conservative guidance in MSW landfill design and operation.

Development of lower heating value prediction models and estimation of energy recovery potential of municipal solid waste and RDF incineration

Due to heterogeneity in municipal solid waste (MSW) characteristics and composition, the already available heating value estimation methods cannot be accurately applied for the cities of developing countries. In this study, both linear and non-linear approaches have been used for the development of lower heating value (LHV) prediction models. The models have been developed based on the physical composition, proximate analysis, and ultimate analysis of both mixed MSW and combustible components (food waste, yard waste, plastic, paper & cardboard, textile & rubber) separately. In total, six multiple linear regression (MLR) models and six artificial neural network (ANN) models have been developed. All of them can be used for the timely decision making as per the availability of data and requirements with a sufficient level of accuracy. The physical composition based LHV prediction models (both MLR and ANN) showed highest prediction performance. The models developed using combustible components showed slightly better prediction capabilities than mixed MSW based models. Further, in this study, an appropriate refuse-derived fuel (RDF) mix has been determined based on the ease of recovery of the individual waste components from the mixed MSW stream. Finally, the energy recovery potential from mass-burn incineration and RDF incineration has been evaluated. The energy recovery potential of proposed RDF (combination of plastic, paper & cardboard, textile & rubber and yard waste) and mixed MSW was found to be 1310 kWh/tonne and 837 kWh/tonne of dry weight respectively.

Energy production potential of municipal solid waste and statistical modeling: the case of Yirgalem Town, Ethiopia

Energy production potential of municipal solid waste and statistical modeling: the case of Yirgalem Town, Ethiopia

Assessment of the Energetical and Biological Characteristics of Municipal Solid Waste from One of the Largest Landfills in Kazakhstan

Solid waste management is one of the main problems in large cities. The determination of the quantitative and qualitative composition of municipal solid waste is necessary for proper planning in the processing of such waste. This article presents the results of studies of the morphological composition, physico-chemical parameters and energetical potential of municipal solid waste (MSW) from the landfill of the city of Shymkent. Waste samples were taken from 10 different points of the landfill. The volume–mass parameters of the samples and their average density were determined. The combined waste samples mainly consisted of food waste, paper and cardboard, polymers and plastic, glass, metal, textiles, wood, leather, bones and rubber. Most of the waste, more than 30%, contains plastic products. The moisture of the combustible fraction of the samples is low and varies from 0.3% to 2.3%. The average ash content of the combustible fraction of the samples was determined and its average value is 18.4%. The yield of the volatile substances was determined and the average value per dry state is 78.7%. To determine the energetical potential of municipal solid waste, the gross calorific value was determined and the net calorific value was calculated, the average value of which is 24.15 MJ/kg. This shows the possibility of using solid waste as an energy source.

Evaluation of methane generation rate and energy recovery potential of municipal solid waste using anaerobic digestion and landfilling: A case study of Dhanbad, India.

In this study, two most common biological waste to energy conversion techniques have been analysed and compared on the basis of methane generation and energy recovery potential. The biogas generation potential has been estimated using anaerobic co-digestion experiment. The main substrate used for this study was food waste, while cow dung and anaerobic digester sludge were used as co-digestion substrates. Food waste was used because of its maximum composition (36% of total wastes) in the study area (Dhanbad city, India) with high biogas generation potential. Cow dung acted as a natural buffer, while anaerobic digester sludge was a source of active inoculum. Based on the maximum biogas yield of 402 mL g-1 VS and annual food waste generation rate in the study area, the energy recovery potential using anaerobic digestion was estimated to be 6.59 × 106 kWh year-1. Presently, the wastes in the mixed form are being dumped on a large abandoned land with an approximate area of 93 ha in the outskirts of Dhanbad city in an uncontrolled manner. The annual landfill gas generation from the existing landfill has been estimated using Landfill Gas Emissions Model (LandGEM) based on the waste characteristics, anticipated landfill life and other region-specific parameters of the present study area. The maximum electrical energy recovery potential of 44.62 × 105 kWh from landfill gas has been estimated for the year 2041. Although, the results are based on the waste generation and characteristics of Dhanbad city, the comparison methodology can be applied to other cities.

Characterization and energy potential of municipal solid waste in Osogbo metropolis

The emission of methane from dumpsites remains a significant source of global environmental pollution concern. This study investigated the physical composition and volume of municipal solid waste at the central dumpsite, Egbedi, Osogbo metropolis. The volume of landfill gas and concentration of methane gas that will be produced via anaerobic digestion over a specified period towards the possibility of energy recovery were also estimated. Results from the characterization of the municipal solid waste revealed that organic materials constitute the highest fraction (35.71 %). The energy content of the organic material was determined to be 21,582.8 kJ/kg. The methane generation potential from 2017 to 2025 was estimated to be around 41,125 tonnes by employing the method proposed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Methane gas emitted can be harvested and utilized as a renewable source of energy thereby mitigating pollution environmental occasioned by the release of methane into the atmosphere from dumpsites most especially from developing countries towards ensuring a sustainable city. • Waste management is a challenge in developing world. • Municipal solid wastes in developing countries have a high organic component. • Methane from landfill gas is a significant contributor to global warming.

Development of a Software System for Selecting Steam Power Plant to Convert Municipal Solid Waste to Energy

A software system that enhances the selection of appropriate power plant capacity that will convert combustible municipal solid waste (MSW) into energy was developed. The aggregate of waste to be converted was determined and the corresponding heating value was established. The capacities of steam power plants’ components required for the conversion were determined, using thermodynamic mathematical models. An algorithm based on models used to determine the energy potential, the power potential of MSW, the capacities of the components of the steam power plant, were translated into computer soft code using Java programming language; saturated steam and superheated steam tables, together with the thermodynamic properties of the power plant required were incorporated into the soft code. About 584 tons of MSW having a heating value of 20 MJ/kg was the quantity of waste experimented for energy generation. This information was input into the software as data and was processed. Then, the software was able to predict 3245.54 MWh energy potential for the quantity of waste, and electrical power potential of 40.54 MW. The capacities of the steam power plant components that were predicted include 100.35 MW of boiler power, 40.54 MW of turbine power, and 59.80 MW of condenser power. The methodology adopted will make it easy for the managers in the waste-to-energy sector to appropriately select the suitable capacity of the required steam power plant that can convert any quantify of MSW at any geographical location, without going through the engineering calculation and stress or rigor involved in the plant capacity design. Moreover, the accuracy obtained for the software is greater than 99%.

Pyrolysis of Solid Waste for Bio-Oil and Char Production in Refugees’ Camp: A Case Study

The current research focuses on assessing the potential of municipal solid waste (MSW) conversion into biofuel using pyrolysis process. The MSW samples were taken from Zaatari Syrian Refugee Camp. The physical and chemical characteristics of MSW were studied using proximate and elemental analysis. The results showed that moisture content of MSW is 32.3%, volatile matter (VM) is 67.99%, fixed carbon (FC) content is 5.46%, and ash content is 24.33%. The chemical analysis was conducted using CHNS analyzer and found that the percentage of elements contents: 46% Carbon (C) content, 12% Hydrogen (H2), 2% Nitrogen (N2), 44% Oxygen (O2), and higher heat value (HHV) is 26.14 MJ/kg. The MSW pyrolysis was conducted using tubular fluidized bed reactor (FBR) under inert gas (Nitrogen) at 500 °C with 20 °C/min heating rate and using average particles size 5–10 mm. The products of MSW pyrolysis reaction were: pyrolytic liquid, solid char, and gaseous mixture. The pyrolytic oil and residual char were analyzed using Elemental Analyzer and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The results of FTIR showed that oil product has considerable amounts of alkenes, alkanes, and carbonyl groups due to high organic compounds contents in MSW. The elemental analysis results showed that oil product content consists of 55% C, 37% O2, and the HHV is 20.8 MJ/kg. The elemental analysis of biochar showed that biochar content consists of 47% C, 49% O2, and HHV is 11.5 MJ/kg. Further research is recommended to study the effects of parameters as reactor types and operating conditions to assess the feasibility of MSW pyrolysis, in addition to the environmental impact study which is necessary to identify and predict the relevant environmental effects of this process.

Assessment of the energy recovery potential of municipal solid waste under future scenarios

Rules on separate collection and recycling of municipal solid waste (MSW) can have a significant impact on the waste-to-energy (WTE) industry. Understanding the future energy recovery potential of MSW is therefore paramount to establish the role of WTE technologies in waste management plans. In this study we applied material flow analysis (MFA) to systematically quantify the energy recovery potential of MSW under plausible scenarios for 2030. These scenarios describe structural changes that are expected to affect the energy recovery potential, such as the increase in the separate collection rates and the implementation of more efficient material recovery facilities (MRFs). The assessment was performed for Madrid, Spain, as a case study. The results reveal that the gross energy recovery potential of MSW, i.e. the maximum amount of energy that could be obtained, is likely to decrease in the future mainly due to a higher diversion of plastic, paper, and cardboard to recycling. The gross energy recovery potential of the MSW generated in Madrid by 2030 ranges from 4,963 to 6,984 TJ year−1 according to the scenarios defined in this study. This means a decrease of 34 – 7% compared with 2017. However, the waste streams susceptible to energy recovery –organic waste streams and MRFs’ rejects– account for 48 – 60% of the MSW generated under the 2030 scenarios. Furthermore, the electricity generation potential could increase between 8 and 55% by 2030 with respect to 2017 if more efficient incineration and/or gasification facilities are implemented. All in all, our findings clearly suggest that recycling targets do not necessarily compromise energy recovery.

Research Regarding the Energy Recovery from Municipal Solid Waste in Maramures County Using Incineration

This paper presents a part of the study referring to exploring Energy Recovery from Municipal Solid Waste in Maramures County. In order to analyze the possibility of energetic recovery of municipal solid waste (MSW), data referring to the management system of MSW from Maramures county were cumulated and processed in a first stage in order to estimate the quantity of municipal solid waste and its composition, which might be recovered energetically. In the next stage, samples of municipal solid waste were collected from landfills, which were submitted to specific processing and analyses. The experimental data were processed and in the end the energy potential of municipal solid waste from Maramures county was found. This study will help stakeholders and those involved in waste management to assess the possibility of energy recovery. The analysis of the study concluded that municipal solid waste in Maramures County is a potential source of renewable energy.