Solid waste composition and the properties of biodegradable fractions in Izmir City, Turkey: an investigation on the influencing factors

Morphological composition of bio-waste collected selectively in towns and villages during autumn and winter

It is generally believed that bio-waste is a suitable substrate for valorizations through fermentation with biogas production. An increasing number of municipalities in Poland implement selective collection of bio-waste. Limited qualitative and quantitative data are available on the composition of household bio-waste, including the contaminant content. This paper presents the adopted research method and the analysis results of the composition of household bio-waste segregated at source from 4 rural and 4 urban communes, from districts with single-family and multi-family housing. Household bio-waste is mostly food waste (43.9 to 56.0%), with a smaller percentage of garden waste (27.4 to 46.3%). According to data from other countries, in Poland, "fruit and vegetable" waste constitutes the main part of household bio-waste (from 40.0 to 53.8%). The share of "contaminants" is relatively high. The most contaminated waste is that collected in containers in city districts with multi-family housing (16.6%). The share of contaminants in bio-waste collected in bags (rural areas and cities with single-family housing exceeded 10.0%).Implications: This article presents the results of an empirical analysis of the morphological composition, occurring contaminants and seasonal fluctuations in the stream of biodegradable waste delivered to the mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) installation in Marszow (Poland, Lubuskie province). This installation serves the area of 22 municipalities with more than 200.000 residents. Nearly 98% of households and housing estates are covered by regular waste collection. The study covered 12 streams of bio-waste delivered to the installation, divided into rural and urban areas with single-family and multi-family housing during the 2 seasons of autumn and winter.The importance of the conducted research is emphasized by the fact that the analysis of the morphological composition of bio-waste generated in households is rare, which is probably due to its labor- and time-consuming nature.The data obtained are a source of valuable information for both national and local governments, as well as can help meet the ambitious targets set for EU member states in terms of preparing for reuse and recycling of municipal waste, which are unlikely to be achieved without proper management of bio-waste.Another important argument is to reduce food waste in line with the sustainable development goal of reducing food waste by 50% by 2030.

Odour Nuisance at Municipal Waste Biogas Plants and the Effect of Feedstock Modification on the Circular Economy—A Review

The increase in the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated, among other places, in households is a result of the growing population, economic development, as well as the urbanisation of areas with accompanying insufficiently effective measures to minimise waste generation. There are many methods for treating municipal waste, with the common goal of minimising environmental degradation and maximising resource recovery. Biodegradable waste, including selectively collected biowaste (BW), also plays an essential role in the concept of the circular economy (CE), which maximises the proportion of waste that can be returned to the system through organic recycling and energy recovery. Methane fermentation is a waste treatment process that is an excellent fit for the CE, both technically, economically, and environmentally. This study aims to analyse and evaluate the problem of odour nuisance in municipal waste biogas plants (MWBPs) and the impact of the feedstock (organic fraction of MSW-OFMSW and BW) on this nuisance in the context of CE assumptions. A literature review on the subject was carried out, including the results of our own studies, showing the odour nuisance and emissions from MWBPs processing both mixed MSW and selectively collected BW. The odour nuisance of MWBPs varies greatly. Odour problems should be considered regarding particular stages of the technological line. They are especially seen at the stages of waste storage, fermentation preparation, and digestate dewatering. At examined Polish MWBPs cod ranged from 4 to 78 ou/m3 for fermentation preparation and from 8 to 448 ou/m3 for digestate dewatering. The conclusions drawn from the literature review indicate both the difficulties and benefits that can be expected with the change in the operation of MWBPs because of the implementation of CE principles.

Bioprocessing of waste biomass for sustainable product development and minimizing environmental impact

Growing concerns around the generation of biomass waste have triggered conversation around sustainable utilization of these seemingly waste materials as feedstock towards energy generation and production of chemicals and other value-added products. Thus, biotechniques such as utilization of microbes and enzymes derived thereof have become important avenues for green pretreatment and conversion of biomass wastes. Although the products of these bioconversions are greener at an overall level, their consumption and utilization still impact the environment. Hence it is important to understand the overall impact from cradle to grave through lifecycle assessment (LCA) techniques and find avenues of process optimization and better utilization of all the materials and products involved. Another factor to consider is overall cost optimization to make the process economically feasible, profitable and increase industrial adoption. This review brings forward these critical aspects to provide better understanding for the advancement of bioeconomy.

Study of chemical wastes in the Iranian petroleum industry and feasibility of hazardous waste disposal

Oil production activities have expanded and the use of chemicals in industry has increased and generated various types of wastes. The main objective of this paper Proposes to determine the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of chemical waste in the Iranian Petroleum industry. It is conducted in accordance with international laws and regulations such as RCRA and Basel. There is currently no disposal method for these substances, but the results show that more than 73% of the chemical waste can dispose through sanitary landfill. For the case study, more than 160 hazardous chemical substances were investigated. Due to the nearness of these warehouses to the residential area of Ahvaz downtown, the risk of these materials is higher and should be addressed quickly as possible.

Renewable energy from solid waste: life cycle analysis and social welfare

In this study, municipal solid waste (MSW) composition in distinct world locations is compared and a case study is assessed. Three waste-to-energy (WtE) techniques are employed within the framework of an industrial partnership. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and a brief social contextualization including the production of renewable energy from the waste generated worldwide were held to attain a holistic view and attract the interest of multiple stakeholders. Incineration depicted a sustainable profile with improved results for global warming potential and terrestrial ecotoxicity potential. Regular gasification revealed the best results for eutrophication, acidification, marine aquatic ecotoxicity and human toxicity potential. Two-stage plasma gasification showed negative values for all impact categories i.e. achieving environmental credits. The estimate of the electricity produced from the waste generated per capita showed a fair coverage of the electrical demand in distinct world areas. To the best of the authors' knowledge, there are no reports connecting the electricity use, the waste production and the renewable energy achieved from WtE for different world regions. Therefore, this study supports the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable alternatives, reducing greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining the comfort and commodities suitable for a comfortable quality of life.

Anaerobic Digestion Performance: Separate Collected vs. Mechanical Segregated Organic Fractions of Municipal Solid Waste as Feedstock

The replacement of fossil fuel with renewable energy sources seems as though it will be crucial in the future. On the other hand, waste generation increases year by year. Thus, waste-to-energy technologies fit in with the actual trends, such as the circular economy. The crucial type of generated waste is municipal solid waste, which is in the research area. Regarding the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW), anaerobic digestion (AD) allows the recovery of biogas and energy. Furthermore, if it is supported by source segregation, it should allow the recovery of material as fertilizer. The AD process performance (biogas yield and stability) comparison of source-segregated OFMSW (ss-OFMWS) and mechanically sorted OFMSW (ms-OFMSW) as feedstocks was performed in full-scale conditions. The daily biogas volume and methane content were measured to assess AD efficiency. To verify the process stability, the volatile fatty acid (VFA) content, pH value, acidity, alkalinity, and dry matter were determined. The obtained biogas yield per ton was slightly higher in the case of ss-OFMSW (111.1 m3/ton), compared to ms-OFMSW (105.3 m3/ton), together with a higher methane concentration: 58–60% and 51–53%, respectively, and followed by a higher electricity production capacity of almost 700 MWh for ss-OFMSW digestion. The obtained VFA concentrations, at levels around 1.1 g/kg, pH values (slightly above 8.0), acidity, and alkalinity indicate the possibilities of the digester feeding and no-risk exploitation of either as feedstock.

Municipal solid waste generation, composition, and management: the global scenario

Purpose

Due to the increasing population and prosperity, the generation rate of municipal solid waste (MSW) has increased significantly, resulting in serious problems on public health and the environment. Every single person in the world is affected by the municipal solid waste management (MSWM) issue. MSWM is reaching a critical level in almost all areas of the world and seeking the development of MSW strategies for a sustainable environment. This paper aims to present the existing global status of MSW generation, composition, management and related problems.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 59 developed and developing countries have been grouped based on their gross national income to compare the status of various MSWM technologies among them. A total of 19 selection criteria have been discussed to select appropriate MSWM technology(s) for a city/town, which affects their applicability, operational suitability and performance. All risks and challenges arising during the life cycle of the waste to energy (WtE) project have also been discussed. This paper also gives a comparative overview of different globally accepted MSWM technologies and the present market growth of all WtE technologies.

Findings

It was found that most developed countries have effectively implemented the solid waste management (SWM) hierarchy and are now focusing heavily on reducing, reusing and recycling of MSW. On the other hand, SWM has become very serious in low-income and low-middle-income countries because most of the MSW openly dumps and most countries are dependent on inadequate waste infrastructure and the informal sector. There are also some other major challenges related to effective waste policies, availability of funds, appropriate technology selection and adequacy of trained people. This study clears the picture of MSW generation, composition, management strategies and policies at the worldwide context. This manuscript could be valuable for all nations around the world where effective MSWM has not yet been implemented.

Originality/value

This study clears the picture of solid waste generation, composition, management strategies and policies at the worldwide context. This manuscript could be valuable for all nations around the world where effective MSWM has not yet been implemented. In this study, no data was generated. All supporting data were obtained from previously published papers in journals, the outcomes of the international conferences and published reports by government organizations.