Selective Waste Collection Research Articles

Problems with solid waste collection in Kaliningrad region and development perspectives

Many reports and projects were devoted to the problem of waste collection and utilization inthe Kaliningrad Region during the last 15 years. One article on this topic was published in themanuscript of EcoTech-1999 [I].However, it must be accepted that this problem is so deep and complicated that now we havecome to the next stage of solution. Presently, an effective system for household solid wastecollection and utilization is absent in the region. There is no correct information aboutgravimetric values of waste delivered to landfills. Practically all 160 landfills do not meetRussian and international requirements, selective waste collection is not organized not morethan 5% of all wastes are used as secondary raw materials.

Planejamento de programas de reciclagem de resíduos de construção e demolição no Brasil: uma análise multivariada

Este trabalho desenvolve um modelo, baseado em técnicas exploratórias de dados e de estatística multivariada, que permite identificar as variáveis mais relevantes associadas ao sucesso da implementação de programas de reciclagem de resíduos de construção e demolição (RCD) nos municípios brasileiros. Os resultados da pesquisa mostraram que existem diferenças marcantes entre as cidades que implantaram programas de reciclagem de RCD e aquelas que não implantaram. As variáveis mais significativas encontradas foram: percentual de funcionários de nível médio que trabalham na prefeitura, renda média anual do município, percentual de domicílios com água, existência de programas de coleta seletiva de lixo, programas de incentivo para geração de trabalho e renda e existência de áreas de recepção de entulhos, a maioria relacionadas à gestão municipal.

Factors that affect the quality of the bio-waste fraction of selectively collected solid waste in Catalonia

The present study determines the composition of the bio-waste fraction of waste and establishes correlations between the quality of this fraction and socio-economic/demographic variables. According to the Catalan Waste Agency [ Agència de Residus de Catalunya (2004). Statistical data. Available from: <www.arc-cat.net>], the quantities of glass, paper/cardboard, light packaging and biodegradable material (those components of municipal waste that can be recovered, and have a separate collection) that were selectively collected in 2004 represent 25.6% by weight of the total municipal waste generated. There is a large spread of values from different cities. It is important to bear in mind that this percentage was calculated using the total weights of all of the materials present in the different bins used for selective solid waste collection, without taking account of the fact that many of these bins contain a certain amount of other, undesirable waste. In order to be able to determine the actual quantities that are recovered, it is necessary to establish the quality of the waste collected. To establish the quality of the waste collected, 350 samples were analysed, corresponding to the bins for the bio-waste fraction of solid waste in 193 different cities in Catalonia. Seven levels of quality were established for the study, depending on the amount of undesirable waste present. The results show certain correlations between the socio-economic/demographic factors studied and the percentage of undesirable waste present in the samples. The correlations presented here are not intended to be predictive, but rather indicative of a tendency, which should help us gain a better understanding of the behaviour of the society studied with respect to the separation of solid household waste at origin.

Some comparative factors regarding recycling collection systems in regions of the USA and Europe

This paper analyses whether differences in selective waste collection systems used commonly in Europe and America influence people's recycling habits and their opinions about the service they are offered. We study certain characteristics of the collection systems used in two specific areas—the Principality of Asturias (Northern Spain) and El Paso county (USA)—with very different practices. It likewise considers the extent to which such differences influence the recycling habits of the public at large, as well as their perceptions of the waste collection services. In order to carry out the research and to compare the influence of the above-mentioned factors in each case, personal interviews were held in the street in the two areas under study (1066 and 1068 interviews, respectively). Asturians needed less time to dispose of waste and separate items, being one of the reasons why this group has developed the habit of selective separation to a greater degree than El Pasoans.

Determination of the Stability of MSW Compost Using a Respirometric Technique

This paper reports a fully automatic respirometric technique with low maintenance costs that allows the routine determination of the specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR), as well as the cumulative oxygen demand at 20 h, (OD20). The procedure involves the measurement of the dissolved oxygen concentration in an aqueous suspension of compost that is supplied with various nutrients, none of which contains organic carbon. The proposed method was used to monitor composting in a compost pile consisting of 65% organic matter obtained by selective collection of municipal solid waste (MSW), 30% sewage sludge and 5% plant trimming residues. Based on the results, the maximum SOUR value reached, (SOURmax), decreases gradually with time, to values near 1 mgO2/gVS.h after 130 days; indicating that the final product is stable. Linear correlations between OD20 and the absorbances at 465 and 665 nm of aqueous extracts of compost, and its soluble chemical organic demand (CODsol), and soluble organic carbon (TOCsol) are significant at the p ≤ 0.01 level. However, the use of such variables instead of respirometric data requires prior experimentation with the type of waste to be composted in order to identify the absolute values at which biological activity ceases.