Waste Fires Research Articles

Bankruptcy Analysis of Polish Waste Management Companies

The waste management system should be constantly monitored to ensure rational waste management, limit the possibility of contamination of surface and groundwater, reduce the risk of waste fires and illegal storage. Unfortunately, in many cases this system remains without constant supervision, and subsequent waste management enterprises remain bankrupt, are closed or are subject to bankruptcy proceedings. Main aim of this paper is the construction of the author's model of financial bankruptcy prediction dedicated to the specificity of waste management companies activity. That discriminatory model will allow entities dealing with waste management to be given early warning of the risk of bankruptcy and for them to take corrective actions that will allow them to continue their very important activities aimed at protecting the natural environment. Based on the backward stepwise regression procedure on a group of 136 bankrupt and 136 still operating enterprises from the analyzed sector of economy, a discriminatory model was proposed. It was able to accurately predict the bankruptcy/continuation of business activity of over 76% of the analyzed waste management enterprises. The effectiveness of the predictions of the original model is much higher than the predictions calculated using other, popular discriminatory models. Obtained research results indicate that the proposed models should be constantly developed for waste management companies, not only for economic reasons, but above all for environmental reasons.

Air quality impacts of landfill fires: A case study from the Brahmapuram Municipal Solid Waste Treatment Plant in Kochi, India

The occurrence of waste fires in unscientifically managed landfill sites has become a pressing environmental issue in the urban centers of developing economies. In the present work, an investigation was carried out to evaluate the air quality implications of three major fire events that occurred at the Brahmapuram Municipal Solid Waste Treatment Plant (BMSWTP) in Kochi, India. Initially, Landsat-based surface temperature monitoring was conducted to identify the thermal hotspots within the landfill. The emissions of different pollutants during waste fires were quantified and compared between satellite-based ex-situ and field-based in-situ methods. The dispersion patterns of PM2.5 particles released during the fires were visualised using the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) particle dispersion model. The Landfill Gas Emissions Model (LandGEM) was employed to quantify the greenhouse gases (GHGs) released during waste storage, which was then compared with the GHGs emissions during waste fires. In-situ emission estimates showed that the combustion of waste at BMSWTP led to the release of 909.3 MT of PM10, 938.8 MT of PM2.5, 5832.9 MT of CO, 43.6 MT of SOx, 284.2 MT of NOx, 138,941.9 MT of CO2, 426.8 MT of CH4, and 2665.1 MT of VOC. However, a noticeable disparity was observed between the in-situ and ex-situ emission estimates, wherein the latter underestimated the actual emissions. Most of the emitted PM2.5 particles propagated oceanward under the influence of prevailing winds, covering the densely populated areas of Kochi municipal corporation. The amount of CH4 and CO2 emitted during the waste fires was on par with the emissions from 159 days of waste storage for CH4 and 51.8 years of waste storage for CO2, with a cumulative global warming potential of 147.9 Gg CO2-e.

Air quality impacts of a large waste fire in Stockholm, Sweden

Fires in waste facilities are a common occurrence. Since many waste facilities are located adjacent to densely populated areas, these fires could potentially expose large populations to the emitted pollutants. However, at the moment there are only few field studies investigating the impact of waste fire emissions on air quality since the unpredictable nature of these events makes them challenging to capture.This study investigated the impact of a large and persistent un-prescribed fire in a waste storage facility in Stockholm county, Sweden, on the local air quality of two residential areas in close proximity to the fire. In-situ measurements of particulate matter, black carbon and nitrogen oxide concentrations were conducted both during open burning and after the fire was fully covered. In addition, filter samples were collected for offline analysis of organic composition, metal content and toxicity.Strongly increased concentrations of PM10, PM2.5 and black carbon were found during the open burning period, especially when the wind was coming from the direction of the fire. In addition, elevated concentrations of particulate heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were observed in the air during the open burning period. These results show that waste fires can have a strong impact on the air quality of nearby residential areas.

A Comprehensive Study of the Impact of Waste Fires on the Environment and Health

The escalating crisis of environmental degradation, with waste fires acting as a potent accelerant, has reached a critical juncture that demands immediate attention. This crisis disproportionately affects developing and low-income nations, where unregulated disposal and incineration in open areas have become rampant. These open waste fires serve as hotbeds for many environmental hazards ranging from air and water pollution to soil degradation. In addition, they contribute to the growing threat of marine litter and are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating global climate change. Beyond their environmental toll, waste fires present an immediate and long-term threat to human health, causing respiratory problems and skin conditions and potentially leading to more serious health outcomes, such as cancer. Their impacts are multidimensional, affecting not only the environment but also pose severe health risks to communities, especially those near waste-burning sites. In this technologically advanced era, the application of artificial intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and deep learning technologies has the potential to revolutionize waste fire management. These technologies can significantly improve the accuracy of identifying, monitoring, and ultimately mitigating waste fires, making them indispensable tools in the fight against this complex issue. This article offers a comprehensive and in-depth examination of the historical evolution of waste fires, with the aim of shedding light on the critical factors that contribute to their occurrence. We explore the scientific mechanisms by which waste fires lead to environmental pollution and public health crises, providing a holistic understanding of their far-reaching impacts. We present an overview of significant research initiatives, policy interventions, and technological solutions that have been proposed or implemented by authoritative bodies around the world. By synthesizing existing research and offering new insights, this paper aims to facilitate a deeper understanding of the intricacies of waste fires and spur innovative solutions for their sustainable management and eventual eradication. Therefore, this article focuses on environmental and human health problems while outlining the comprehensive approach and potential contributions to solving this critical issue.

The Safety Situation of Municipal Solid Waste Landfills in Hungary from a Disaster Management Perspective (Part 2)

Today, nearly seventy municipal solid waste landfills in Hungary fully comply with European Union directives. Experience has shown that some sites have not yet been recultivated and that there are several illegal landfills. Waste fires are a special area within disaster management that have not yet been legally regulated nor intervention procedures have been established. In the second half of the series of articles I will present the safety risks and fire intervention difficulties that arise specifically in connection with the landfill sites.

A Study and Analysis on Waste Fires in India and Their Corresponding Impacts on Environment and Human Health

Waste fires are one of the biggest problems in India that cause various problems to the environment and human health. This article thoroughly investigates the negative impacts of waste fires on the environment, public health, and the economy and emphasizes the need for sustainable waste management practices, investment in waste management infrastructure, and stricter fire safety regulations by taking India as a study base. Education and waste management awareness programs are also important tools for promoting behavior change and achieving cost savings. The implications of waste management policies and practices in India and other developing countries are also discussed, including the need to promote sustainable waste management practices, enhance fire safety measures, encourage public participation, and strengthen regulatory frameworks. Overall, this research highlights the importance of addressing waste fires and promoting sustainable waste management practices for achieving a safer, healthier, and more sustainable society. The possible solution for the issue of waste management and waste fires in India has been discussed widely in this article to provide an overview for appropriate management of waste materials.

Assessment of the impact of waste fires on air quality and atmospheric aerosol optical depth: A case study in Poland

In this study the impact on air quality and on atmospheric aerosol optical depth (AOD) of selected waste fires in Poland in the last few years was assessed using measurement results derived from the public air quality monitoring (AQM) system and satellite observations of the MODIS sensor. Additional meteorological data from nearest ground stations as well as results of HYSPLIT forward and backward modeling and high-resolution satellite imagery were used to initially identify locations potentially exposed to smoke from the fires and hours of exposure. The concentrations of selected air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, NOx, CO, and C6H6) were treated as characteristic substances of waste fires. Depending on the location of a given AQM station in relation to the place of waste fire and the prevailing meteorological conditions, a more or less significant air concentration peaks (lasting at least several hours) of the analyzed substances were observed. The study showed that the fumes from large waste fires spread over a long distance, so that the increase in air pollutant concentrations can be also recorded at AQM stations located further away (approx. 200–300 km) from the fire site. In the layer of the atmosphere where the smoke is transported, its influence on the AOD data from satellite observations was also visible.

Automated Disassembly of Lithium Batteries; Methods, Challenges, and a Roadmap

Many factors contribute to complexity of e-waste management, notably hazard of volatile batteries. Batteries including Lithium-Ion (LIBs) and Lithium Polymers (LiPo) store large amounts of energy contributing to high number of battery fires. Batteries with volatile chemistries, damaged, or swollen can spontaneously combust due to electrolytic leakages while proximity to other batteries can initiate a chain reaction. Since upstream lifecycle of batteries is resource intensive, recycling offers potential for reducing their environmental impacts. To reduce waste fires risks, used batteries must be separated. Battery fires are frequent due to disturbance in transport to Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), commonly igniting adjacent waste post arrival at MRFs. This paper explores methods that can be used to design a framework for identification/separation of batteries by their properties upon their arrival to MRFs, with minimal human interaction to decrease the risk of damage to infrastructure and human injury.

The Safety Situation of Municipal Solid Waste Landfills in Hungary from a Disaster Management Perspective

Today, nearly seventy municipal solid waste landfills in Hungary fully comply with European Union directives. Experience has shown that some sites have not yet been recultivated and that there are several illegal landfills. Waste fires are a special area within disaster management that have not yet been legally regulated nor intervention procedures have been established. In the first part of the series of articles I will present the key aspects that should be taken into account when defining a possible legal regulation. In addition, I plan to evaluate the prevention and response measures to hazards that are specific to landfills.

Waste Fires in Poland and Some of their Environmental Implications: A Ten-Year Perspective

Waste Fires in Poland and Some of their Environmental Implications: A Ten-Year Perspective

The Influence of a Fire at an Illegal Landfill in Southern Poland on the Formation of Toxic Compounds and Their Impact on the Natural Environment.

Landfill fires pose a real threat to the environment as they cause the migration of pollutants to the atmosphere and water sources. A greater risk is observed in the case of wild landfills, which do not have adequate isolation from the ground. The aim of this article is to present the results of studies on the toxicity of waste from a fire in a landfill in Trzebinia (southern Poland). Both soil and waste samples were investigated. The samples were analyzed using the GC-MS method and the leachates using ICP-OES. A total of 32 samples of incinerated waste and soil were collected. The organic compounds included naphthalene, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, acenaphthene, acenaphthylene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo (c) phenanthrene, benzo (a) anthracene, chrysene, benzo (ghi) fluoranthene, benzo (b + k) fluoranthene, benzo (a) fluoranthene, benzo (c) fluoranthene, benzo (a) pyrene, benzo (e) pyrene, perylene, indeno[1,2,3-cd] pyrene, benzo (ghi) perylene, and dibenzo (a + h) anthracene. Among the inorganic parameters, sulfates, chlorides, arsenic, boron, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc were taken into account. Phenanthrene reached values exceeding 33 mg/L. Fluoranthene dominated in most of the samples. Sulfates and chlorides were present in the samples in concentrations exceeding 400 and 50 mg/L, respectively. Compounds contained in burnt waste may have a negative impact on soil and water health safety. Therefore, it is important to conduct research and counteract the negative effects of waste fires.

AIR QUALITY INFLUENCE OF SELECTED POLLUTANTS EMITTED FROM A FIRE OF 300 MG OF MUNICIPAL WASTE ON AMBIENT AIR QUALITY: AN EXAMPLE OF MODELLING WITH HYSPLIT

Reducing the amount of waste disposed of in landfills requires treatment in specialised facilities. Potential threats that can arise both in waste processing and in its storage comprise a fire hazard. Waste fires hold a significant share of the total number of the largest fires in Poland. Fires in landfills and their treatment facilities are related to air quality since during a fire a large number of various pollutants is emitted into the atmosphere in a relatively short time. The paper discusses the impact of a fire taking place at a waste treatment facility on air quality, in which 300 Mg of municipal waste was burnt. Using the HYSPLIT package, the atmospheric dispersion of 23 selected organic and inorganic pollutants was determined and then analysed in GIS software. The concentrations were compared with reference values specified in relevant legal regulations. Of the 23 substances analyzed, the concentration levels were exceeded only for 6 substances at a distance of more than half a kilometre from the fire: benzo(a)pyrene, benzene, styrene, acetaldehyde, PM10, and NO2. The substance with the greatest range as regards the reference concentration levels was benzo(a)pyrene, a compound with a proven carcinogenic effect, which indicates the importance of reducing landfill fires in the context of public health.

Endometriosis and Environmental Violence

Abstract This toxic autobiography seeks to open the conversation around the intersecting injustices marking the epistemological, material, political, and porous entanglements between endometriosis, the bodily inflammatory chronic condition the author is affected by, and the toxic waste fires raging in the territory known as the Land of Fires, between the provinces of Naples and Caserta, in southern Italy. Thinking with the sprouting intersection of environmental humanities and disability justice, while rooted in a critical environmental justice and transfeminist standpoint, the article uncovers the toxic embodiment where bodies and places are enmeshed. Although a growing body of literature acknowledges the role of chemical buildup and endocrine-disrupting toxins in the occurrence of endometriosis, the author delineates the epistemic injustices that keep this relationship silent in mainstream medical discourses. Through the blend of environmental memoir, embodied knowledge, activist campaigns, and medical literature, the article exposes the accumulation of environmental, medical, ableist, misogynist, and capitalist slow violence that living with endometriosis brings about. While emerging from the materiality of experiencing trauma and pain, the article reclaims the emancipatory possibilities that can be articulated. From the politicization of an “invisible” illness standpoint, the article proposes a toxic autobiography in which transfeminist, environmental, and disability justice politics are collectively affirmed through situated ecopolitics of response-ability that accounts for interdependence and self-determination of marginal bodies and territories.

Atık Yangınlarının ve İtfaiye İstasyonlarının Mekânsal Erişilebilirliğinin İncelenmesi, Izmir, Türkiye

Failure to respond in time to fires causes great disasters. Since the loss of life and property can be significantly reduced with rapid response to fire incidents, fire services should be managed properly. Geographic Information System (GIS) is very effective in determining fire management policies of fire services thanks to its spatial analysis capability. This study focused on waste fires, which constitute the majority of fires. The fires that occurred in Izmir between 2018 and 2021 were analyzed using GIS. First, spatiotemporal analysis of fire incidents was investigated. Fire density maps were created with the Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation method by analyzing all fires and waste fires separately. The spatial accessibility of fire stations to neighborhoods was determined by location-allocation analysis. The minimum time required for all neighborhoods to receive service in the study area has been determined as 62 minutes. The accessibility of fire stations to neighborhoods was analyzed for time intervals of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 62 minutes. The results were used to evaluate performance of each fire station based on the amount of population they served.

Climate change and public health – past, present, future

"The evolution of the planet's climate is multifactorial influenced and has a dynamic over time. Many scientists have approached this controversial field, and each relies on objective but divergent statistics. Geographers have established that planet Earth is in a period of slight slow cooling, not at the level of the four prehistoric ice ages, but only at the level of the Little Ice Age from the Middle Ages which probably caused the great migration of peoples from Asia to Europe. This slow cooling is only slowed down and may even be partially reversed by anthropogenic activities. The industry produces large amounts of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels and other greenhouse gases. Animals produce carbon dioxide through respiration and digestion, some also methane. The waste degradation, fires, volcanic eruptions, swamps, and thawing of permafrost release carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Climate change exit and has always existed, but there is no scientific evidence for global warming or for climate risks other than those we already know. Public health is already facing danger, directly and indirectly, for multiple reasons, to which „climate change” is added. "

Safety at waste and recycling industry: Detection and mitigation of waste fire accidents

In this study, NASA’s VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) fire hotspots and data of the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), collected between 2012 and 2018, was integrated to characterize waste fire incidents that were detected by VIIRS and reported to MSB (DaR), detected by VIIRS but not reported to MSB (DbNR) and that are reported to MSB but not detected by VIIRS (RbND). Results show that the average number of open waste fire incidents per million capita per year (AFIPMC) in Sweden, for the period 2012–2018, ranges from 2.4 to 4.7. Although a weak correlation exists (r = 0.44, P = 0.1563, one tailed) between years and number of fire incidents (MSB + VIIRS fires), a continuous increase in number of fire incidents was recorded between 2014 and 2018. It is concluded that the use of satellite data of fire anomalies, in-combination with the use of incident reports, will help in formalizing more reliable and comprehensive waste fire statistics. Another focus area of the article is to consolidate the recommendations and routines for safe storage of waste and biofuels and to present the lessons that can be learnt from past fire incidents. The article also discusses the technical, political, economic, social, and practical aspects of waste fires and provide a baseline for future research and experimentation.

Fires in the Waste Management Sector in Romania. Frequency, Causes and Spatial Distribution

"Fires in the waste management sector in Romania. Frequency, causes and spatial distribution. Large waste fires are severe hazards to the human health and to the environment due to the sudden release of pollutants they imply. In this study we take a first step towards a better understanding of this phenomenon in Romania by creating and analyzing a waste fire database. Starting from a public data set regarding firefighting interventions in the waste management sector between 2016 and 2020, we have identified three main types of fires – fires at the municipal waste collection points, surface waste fires and fires at waste recycling facilities. We further calculated the frequency of these fires, identified their causes, and their spatial distribution. Keywords: waste fires, health, hazard, persistent organic pollutants, fire causes. "

Devising the technology for localizing environmental pollution during fires at spontaneous landfills and testing it in the laboratory

This paper reports an analysis of current issues related to storing solid household waste, and, specifically, the problem of environmental pollution when unsorted solid household waste (SHW) is ignited. A technology has been developed to improve environmental safety and ensure a reduction in the anthropogenic load on the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere in the event of fires at the sites of solid waste storage. The operation of the proposed equipment, taking into consideration all the provided operating modes and additional options, is energy-saving and automated (or semi-automatic), which makes it especially relevant under modern conditions. The technology significantly improves the efficiency of the processes to eliminate the ignition of SHW and localize their environmental consequences for the territories adjacent to landfills. Laboratory tests were carried out, which proved the effectiveness of practical application for the designed equipment of a new environmentally active adsorption mixture for the purpose of cleaning the waste filtrate, as well as its use for the formation of an anti-filtration screen in the mound of SHW. Experiments have shown that the tested sample of the aqueous suspension of the proposed environmentally active mixture adsorbs calcium (by 92 %), overall iron (by 91 %), overall phosphorus (by 75 %), zinc (by 31 %), and ammonium (by 19 %). This leads to a decrease in the overall toxicity of the solution and indicates the possibility of improving the environmental safety of waste fires when operating the proposed technical solution by purifying the filtrate released during fires in landfills. The reported results, specifically, the technology for localizing the environmental consequences of uncontrolled waste ignition could be used in the process of modernizing the technical support for sanitary treatment schemes in urban areas.

A Sensor-Based Drone for Pollutants Detection in Eco-Friendly Cities: Hardware Design and Data Analysis Application

The increase in produced waste is a symptom of inefficient resources usage, which should be better exploited as a resource for energy and materials. The air pollution generated by waste causes impacts felt by a large part of the population living in and around the main urban areas. This paper presents a mobile sensor node for monitoring air and noise pollution; indeed, the developed system is installed on an RC drone, quickly monitoring large areas. It relies on a Raspberry Pi Zero W board and a wide set of sensors (i.e., NO2, CO, NH3, CO2, VOCs, PM2.5, and PM10) to sample the environmental parameter at regular time intervals. A proper classification algorithm was developed to quantify the traffic level from the noise level (NL) acquired by the onboard microphone. Additionally, the drone is equipped with a camera and implements a visual recognition algorithm (Fast R-CNN) to detect waste fires and mark them by a GPS receiver. Furthermore, the firmware for managing the sensing unit operation was developed, as well as the power supply section. In particular, the node’s consumption was analysed in two use cases, and the battery capacity needed to power the designed device was sized. The onfield tests demonstrated the proper operation of the developed monitoring system. Finally, a cloud application was developed to remotely monitor the information acquired by the sensor-based drone and upload them on a remote database.

Isotopic signatures of methane emissions from tropical fires, agriculture and wetlands: the MOYA and ZWAMPS flights.

We report methane isotopologue data from aircraft and ground measurements in Africa and South America. Aircraft campaigns sampled strong methane fluxes over tropical papyrus wetlands in the Nile, Congo and Zambezi basins, herbaceous wetlands in Bolivian southern Amazonia, and over fires in African woodland, cropland and savannah grassland. Measured methane δ13CCH4 isotopic signatures were in the range −55 to −49‰ for emissions from equatorial Nile wetlands and agricultural areas, but widely −60 ± 1‰ from Upper Congo and Zambezi wetlands. Very similar δ13CCH4 signatures were measured over the Amazonian wetlands of NE Bolivia (around −59‰) and the overall δ13CCH4 signature from outer tropical wetlands in the southern Upper Congo and Upper Amazon drainage plotted together was −59 ± 2‰. These results were more negative than expected. For African cattle, δ13CCH4 values were around −60 to −50‰. Isotopic ratios in methane emitted by tropical fires depended on the C3 : C4 ratio of the biomass fuel. In smoke from tropical C3 dry forest fires in Senegal, δ13CCH4 values were around −28‰. By contrast, African C4 tropical grass fire δ13CCH4 values were −16 to −12‰. Methane from urban landfills in Zambia and Zimbabwe, which have frequent waste fires, had δ13CCH4 around −37 to −36‰. These new isotopic values help improve isotopic constraints on global methane budget models because atmospheric δ13CCH4 values predicted by global atmospheric models are highly sensitive to the δ13CCH4 isotopic signatures applied to tropical wetland emissions. Field and aircraft campaigns also observed widespread regional smoke pollution over Africa, in both the wet and dry seasons, and large urban pollution plumes. The work highlights the need to understand tropical greenhouse gas emissions in order to meet the goals of the UNFCCC Paris Agreement, and to help reduce air pollution over wide regions of Africa.This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Rising methane: is warming feeding warming? (part 2)'.