ECW 445

SOLID WASTE
MANAGEMENT
LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this chapter, students should be able

:

1. To identify various types of solid waste and

their sources
2. To explain the physical and chemical
composition of wastes
3. To discuss the elements involved in the solid
waste management
 WHAT IS SOLID WASTE?

SOLID WASTES ARE ALL THE WASTE ARISING FROM HUMAN

AND ANIMAL ACTIVITIES THAT ARE NORMALLY SOLID AND
THAT ARE DISCARDED AS USELESS OR UNWANTED.
 SOLID WASTE IN MALAYSIA

• An ever - expanding population and high rates of economic development

in Malaysia resulted in the generation of vast amount of waste.
• Malaysia Population: 32.4 million (2018); Male (51.1%); Female (48.9%).
• 25,000 t/d or 25 mill. kg/d (2012) (Average:0.85 kg/p/d-1.5 kg/p/d)
• Kuala Lumpur 2,325 t/d (> 1.56 kg/p/d) (2000) – can fill up 88 floors of
KLCC in 9 days!
• Johor Bahru 2,000 tons/day (1995)
• Recycling Activity : 2-5 percent
 PLASTIC WASTE

• Approximately 6300 Mt of plastic waste have been produced by 2015, of which

• 9% was recycled, 12% incinerated while the bulk - 79% - ended up in landfills or the
natural environment.
• The amount of plastic waste generated per year is growing and is projected to reach
a cumulative amount of 25,000Mt by 2050, compared to 6,300Mt in 2015.
• Plastic waste is also choking our oceans. An estimated 8.75 million metric tons of
plastic ends up in our oceans every year.
• This number is expected to keep growing if no measures are taken to reduce it.
Plastic waste makes up 90% of all marine debris.
• In seven years’ time, 30 bags filled with plastics would be found on every meter of
coastline in the world, according to http://plastic-pollution.org/
• By 2050, 99% of all seabirds would be affected by plastics in their guts.
 “ THE RECYCLING
MYTH”

• High-income countries tend to have waste management systems in place in varying

degrees. In many households, waste is neatly separated into recyclables and non-
recyclables.
• Most citizens from these countries are unaware that most of the so-called recyclables
are being shipped abroad.
• Worldwide, only 9% of plastic waste is actually being recycled, according to a variety of
sources.
• While consumers in European countries, the US, Australia and New Zealand live under
the impression of contributing to a sustainable circle of recycling, local communities in
middle and low-income countries bear the brunt of plastic waste being burned and
dumped in their neighbourhoods.
• This broken system is what Greenpeace calls the “recycling myth”.
 CATEGORIES OF SOLID
WASTE
1. Municipal wastes – also called urban solid waste, is a
waste type that includes predominantly household waste
(domestic waste) with sometimes the addition of
commercial wastes collected by a municipality within a
given area.
2. Industrial wastes – those wastes arising from
industrial activities.
3. Hazardous wastes – wastes that pose a substantial
danger immediately or over a period of time to human,
plant or animal life.
MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE
INDUSTRIAL WASTE

▪ The major generators of industrial solid wastes

are the thermal power plants producing coal ash;
▪ The integrated Iron and Steel mills producing
blast furnace slag and steel melting slag;
▪ Pulp and paper industries producing lime and
fertilizer.
▪ sugar industries generating press mud etc;
INDUSTRIAL WASTE

STEEL SLAG PRESS MUD

HAZARDOUS WASTE

▪ Put simply, a hazardous waste is waste

that poses substantial or potential threats to
public health or the environment and
generally exhibits one or more of these
characteristics:
▪ Ignitable (flammable), oxidizing, corrosive,
toxic, radioactive
HAZARDOUS WASTE
 MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE
COMPOSITION
• Normal composition by weight
• 50% combustible
Waste Composition Percentage (%)

Organic material 40

Paper 25

Plastic 15

Wood 10

Metal 4

Textiles 3

Others 2
 COMPOSITION OF URBAN SOLID
WASTE IN SELECTED ASIAN COUNTRY
(%)

Country Organic Paper Plastic Glass Metal Other

Waste

China 35.8 3.7 3.8 2.0 0.3 54.3

Hong Kong 37.2 21.6 15.7 3.9 3.9 17.6

Indonesia 70.2 10.9 8.7 1.7 1.8 6.2

Japan 17 40 20 10 6 7

Laos 54.3 3.3 7.8 8.5 3.8 22.5

Malaysia 43.2 23.7 11.2 3.2 4.2 14.5

Myanmar 80 4 2 0 0 14

Philippine 41.6 19.5 13.8 2.5 4.8 6.6

Singapore 44.4 28.3 11.8 4.1 4.8 6.6

South Korea 31 27 6 5 7 23

Thailand 48.6 14.6 13.9 5.1 3.6 14.2

 SOLID WASTE COMPOSITION FOR
SELECTED URBAN AREA (%)

Waste Petaling Kuala Lumpur Shah Alam Bangi

Composition Jaya
Garbage 36.5 45.7 47.8 40

Plastic 16.4 9 14 15

Bottle / glass 3.1 3.9 4.3 4

Paper 27 29.9 20.6 18

Metal 3.9 5.1 6.9 4

Fabric 3.1 2.1 2.4 6

Miscellaneous 10 4.3 4 9
PROPERTIES OF SOLID WASTE

Physical Composition
1. Identification of the individual components that make up
municipal solid wastes (MSW).
2. Analysis of particle size.
3. Moisture content.
4. Density of solid waste.
 PHYSICAL COMPOSITION OF MSW
1. INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT
Identification of component that typically make most of MSW
 PHYSICAL COMPOSITION OF MSW
2.MOISTURE CONTENT
Percentage of wet mass of the material.
 PHYSICAL COMPOSITION OF MSW
2.MOISTURE CONTENT
• To obtain the dry mass, the solid – waste material is dried in an oven at
77oC for 24 h.
• This temperature and time is used to dehydrate the material completely
and to limit the vaporization of volatile materials.
• Typical data on the moisture content for the solid waste components are
given in the table.
 PHYSICAL COMPOSITION OF MSW
2.MOISTURE CONTENT
Component Moisture, %
Range Typical

Food Waste 50 – 80 70
Paper 4 – 10 6
Cardboard 4–8 5
Plastics 1–4 2
Textile 6 – 15 10
Rubber 1–4 2
Leathers 8 – 12 10
Garden Trimming 30 – 80 60
Wood 15 – 40 20
Misc Organics 10 – 60 25
Glass 1–4 2
Tin Cans 2–4 2
Dirt,Ashes 6 - 12 8
 PHYSICAL COMPOSITION OF MSW
3. PARTICLE SIZE
• The size of the component materials in solid wastes is important for recovery
of material especially with the mechanical equipment such as trammel screens
and magnetic separator.

• Size can be defined by several formula Sc = l

l+w
Sc = size of components (mm)
Sc =
2
l = length l + w+h
w = width
Sc =
3
Sc = (l  w)1 / 2
h = height

Sc = (l  w  h )1 / 3
 PHYSICAL COMPOSITION OF MSW
4.DENSITY
Density (kg/m3)
Components
Densities of solid waste vary Range Typical
markedly with geographical Food Waste 120 – 480 290
location, season of the year Paper 30 – 130 85

and length of time in storage. Cardboard 30 – 80 50

Plastics 30 – 130 65
Textile 30 – 100 65
Rubber 90 – 200 130
Leathers 90 – 260 160
Garden Trimming 60 – 225 105
Wood 120 – 320 240
Misc Organics 90 – 360 240
Glass 160 – 480 195
Tin Cans 45 – 160 90
Dirt,Ashes 320 – 960 480
 MISMANAGING OF THE SOLID WASTE
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN?
Continued pollution of our environment will, if uncontrolled , be difficult
to rectify in the future.
What are the effects?
 SOIL CONTAMINATION

• Contaminants in the soil can hurt plants when they grow in

contaminated soil and take up the pollutants through their roots.
• Contaminants in the soil can also adversely impact the health of
animals and humans.
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT (SWM)

1. Waste generation
2. On-site handling, storage, and
processing
3. Collection
4. Transfer and transport
5. Processing and recovery
6. Disposal
▪ It is estimated about 17,000 of waste generated per day in Peninsular
Malaysia in 2002; expected to reach 30,000 tones per day in 2020;
▪ Estimated about 45% of the waste is made up of food waste, 24% of plastic,
7% is paper, 6% of iron and glass and others made of the rest.
• Estimation of Solid Waste Quantities:
• Load Count (estimated volume & each load of wastes delivered to
landfill, use of average density data)
• Mass-Volume Analysis: similar but the mass of each load is recorded.
 WASTE GENERATION

◦ Calculation on waste per capita (kg/person/day)

◦ Example
❖ Municipal (0.75 – 2.5)
❖ Industrial (0.4 - 1.6)
❖ Demolition (0.05 - 0.4)
❖ Other municipal (0.05 - 0.03)
◦ Commercial/ industrial (kg/employee or tones/tonne of raw product)
◦ Malaysia (0.4 - 1.9) –rural/urban (Johor Bharu 1.0 - 1.4)
◦ Estimation of Solid Waste Quantities:
❖ Load Count
❖ Mass-Volume Analysis
❖ Material Balance Analysis
 ESTIMATION OF SOLID WASTE

◦ Load Count Analysis

❖ The number of individual load and the corresponding waste
characteristic are noted over a specific time period.

◦ Mass – volume analysis

❖ The weight and number of each load was recorded over specific
time period.
❖ Example one truck (20 m3) can load 3 times in a day with
correspondent to 1,200 people. Each load give 500 kg, 485 kg and
630 kg of weight.

◦ Material Balance Analysis

❖ Accumulation = inflow – outflow – generation
 ESTIMATION OF WASTE DENSITY
FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF VEHICLES

• Compactor truck = 500 kg/m3

• Pick up Truck = 225 kg/m3
• Private/Individual cars = 150 kg/m3
 EXAMPLE

Based on the landfill data observed in 1 week given in Table below, calculate the waste generation rate
per week for a resident area consists of 500 homes. Assume that one house equals to 3 person.

Type of vehicles Number of Loads Average of volume (m3)

Compactor Truck 5 20
Pick up Truck 2 5

 Compactor truck = 500 kg/m3

 Pick up Truck = 225 kg/m3
 Private/Individual cars = 150 kg/m3

Waste generation rate = Total weight (kg)

(kg/capita.day) Density (kg/m^3) x Person x Day
Answer

Type of vehicles Number of Loads Average of *Density (kg/m3) Total (kg)

volume (m3)
Compactor Truck 5 20 500 50,000
Pick up Truck 2 5 225 2,250
Total kg/week 52,250

*Density based on Type of vehicles

Assumption one house equals to 3 person, thus generation rate:

52,250 𝑘𝑔/𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑘
=
500 × 3 × 7𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠
= 4.976 𝑘𝑔 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑎 . 𝑑𝑎𝑦
 SOLID WASTE
GENERATION
Cities 1970 1980 1990 2000 Generation Rate
tonnes / tonnes / tonnes / tonnes / (kg / capita / day)
day day day day
Kuala Lumpur 98.8 310.5 586.8 2257 1.62

Johor Bahru 41.1 99.5 174.8 550 1.29

Kuala 8.7 61.8 121.0 250 0.89

Terengganu
Kota Bahru 9.1 56.5 102.9 220 0.80
 SOLID WASTE
MANAGEMENT
2. WASTE HANDLING & STORAGE

▪ The handling and separation of solid wastes at the source

before they are collected is a critical step in the management
of residential solid waste.
▪ Handling refers to the activities associated with managing solid
wastes until they are placed in the containers used for their
storage (before collection to dumpsite/recycling centers).
 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
2. WASTE HANDLING & STORAGE

1. Residential area
▪ Residential dwellings and building types can be classified in various
ways, a classification based on the number of stories is adequate for
the purpose discussing the handling .
▪ Three (3) classifications most often used:
i. low rise under four stories,
ii. medium rise – from four to seven stories,
iii. high rise – over seven stories.
 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
2. WASTE HANDLING & STORAGE

2. High rise residential

• Methods of handling solid wastes involve one or more of the
following:
i. wastes are picked up by building maintenance personnel from
the various floors and taken to the basement or service area
ii. wastes usually bagged, are placed by the tenants in specially
designed vertical chutes, with opening located on each floor.
iii. wastes taken to the basement by tenants
 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
2. WASTE HANDLING & STORAGE

3. Commercial area;
▪ In most office and commercial buildings, solid wastes that
accumulated in individual offices or work locations are collected
in relatively large containers mounted on rollers.
▪ The handling and separation of non- industrial solid wastes at
industrial facilities is the same as for commercial facilities
What are the purposes of waste
separation at source?
 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
2. WASTE HANDLING & STORAGE

▪ Storage of solid at site before being collected by dumping truck.

▪ Factors that must be considered in the onsite storage of solid wastes
include;
1. The effects of storage on the waste components
2. The type of container to be used
3. The container location
4. Public health and aesthetics
 Solid waste management
2. Waste handling & storage
Factor no 1: the effects of storage .
▪ An important consideration in the onsite storage of waste
are the effects of storage itself on the characteristics of
the wastes being stored.
▪ These effects of storing wastes include;
i. microbial decomposition
ii. the absorption of fluids
iii. the contamination of waste components
 Solid waste management
2. Waste handling & storage
Microbial decomposition
▪ Food and other wastes placed in onsite storage
containers will almost immediately start to
undergo microbiological decomposition
▪ Flies can start to breed and odorous compounds
can develop.
 Solid waste management
2. Waste handling & storage
Absorption of fluids
▪ Because the components that comprise solid wastes have differing
initial moisture contents, re-equilibration takes place as wastes are
stored onsite in containers.
▪ Where mixed wastes are stored together, paper absorb moisture
from food wastes and fresh garden trimmings.
▪ The degree of absorption that takes place depends on the length of
time the wastes are stored until collection.
▪ If wastes are followed to sit for more than a week in enclosed
containers, the moisture will become distributed throughout the
wastes.
▪ If watertight container lids are not used, wastes can also absorb
water from rainfall that enters partially covered containers.
 Solid waste management
2. Waste handling & storage
Contamination of waste components
▪ Serious effect is the contamination occurs.
▪ The major waste components may be contaminated by small amounts
of wastes such as motor oils, household cleaners and paints,
 Solid waste management
2. Waste handling & storage
Factor no 2 :Types of Containers
Depend on:
▪ characteristics of SW to be collected, e.g. large
storage containers for domestic SW
(flats/apartment); large containers on a roller
(Commercial/Industrial)
▪ Collection frequency
▪ Space available for the placement of containers
 Solid waste management
2. Waste handling & storage
Factor no 3 :Container Locations
▪ side/rear of house, alleys
▪ special enclosures (apartment/condos)
▪ Basement (apts. in foreign countries)/ newer complexes

Factor no 4: Public Health & Aesthetics

▪ relates to on-time collection to avoid the spread of
diseases by vectors, etc.
▪ must be pleasing to the eye (containers must be clean,
shielded from public’s view).
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
2. WASTE HANDLING & STORAGE

Apartments LOW RISE RESIDENTIAL

ON-SITE STORAGE BIN

 Solid waste management
3. Collection of SW
▪ 60-80 percent of total SWM costs.
▪ Major problems:
➢ Poor building layouts - e.g. squatters
➢ Road congestion - time cost, leachate, transport
costs.
➢ Old containers used (leaky/ damaged)
➢ Absence of systematic methods (especially at
apartments, markets with large wst. volume).
 Solid waste management
3. Collection of SW
Types of collection systems
1. Hauled Container System (HCS)
• Container is hauled to disposal sites, emptied,
and returned to original location or some other
location
• Suitable for areas w/ higher waste generation
2. Stationary Container System (SCS)
• the container used to store waste remain at
the point of generation; except when moved to
curb or other location to be emptied.
• Used for residential/commercial sites.
 HAUL CONTAINER SYSTEM

Drive to next container, dbc

Pick up loaded container
Deposit loaded container
Container n
Location 1 2

Truck to
Truck from
Dispatch station,
Dispatch station, t1
Haul, h t2

Transfer station, processing station, or disposal

Site (contents emptied), s
 STATIONARY CONTAINER SYSTEM

Drive to next pickup Load contents from container(s) at pickup

location location into collection vehicle, uc
Pickup
Location
1 2 n

Empty collection Vehicles from

Dispatch station, t1
Drive loaded collection
Vehicle To disposal site
Drive empty collection
To beginning of next collection
Route or return to dispatch station.

Transfer station, processing station, or

disposal Site, s
4. TRANSFER AND TRANSPORT
OF SOLID WASTE
SOLID WASTE
HAULING TRUCK KATHMANDU, NEPAL.
 Solid waste management
4. Transfer and Transport of solid waste
▪ The functional element of transfer and transport
refers to the means, facilities, and appearances
used to effect the transfer of wastes from;

▪ small collection vehicles larger vehicles

processing centers/disposal sites.
 Solid waste management
4. Transfer and Transport of solid waste
Factors to consider in selection of vehicle;
▪ Waste quantities
▪ Truck body or container capacity
▪ Location of container
▪ Physical characteristics of the collection routes
▪ Residential, commercial or industrial: HCS for large buildings (e.g. apt., industries,
etc.)
▪ Safety and comfort - to minimize danger to crews.
 Solid waste management
4. Transfer and Transport of solid waste
▪ Transfer station- more common as the distance of
landfill sites becomes greater
▪ Advantages;
✓ better haul roads for collection vehicles
✓ traffic control
✓ fewer truck on the sanitary landfill haul routes
✓ improved landfill operating efficiency
✓ Lower overall haul cost
✓ Material separation/recovery facilities/recycling
Solid waste management
5. Processing and Treatment of SW
Recycle, Separation and Materials Recovery Facility
(MRF)
▪ MRF – a facility for separating commingled
recyclables by manual or mechanical means.
▪ Some MRFs are designed to separate
recyclables from mixed MSW.
▪ MRFs then bale and market the recovered
materials.
Solid waste management
5. Processing and Treatment of SW
 Solid waste management
6. Disposal of SW
The only viable method for the long term handling.
Should only be carried out after;
1. solid wastes that are collected and are of no further use;
2. the residual matter remaining after solid wastes have
been processed;
3. the residual matter remaining after the recovery of
conversion products and or energy has been
accomplished,
 Solid waste management
6. Disposal of SW
▪ Land filling is the method of disposal used most commonly for
municipal wastes, land farming and deep well injection have been
used for industrial wastes.

▪ Why can’t we expand/increase Landfill Sites to dispose Municipal

Solid Wastes ?
i. Land is NOT limitless
ii. Landfill can produce pollution
▪ Modern landfills are well-engineered facilities that are located, designed, operated, and monitored
to ensure compliance with federal regulations.

▪ Solid waste landfills must be designed to protect the environment from contaminants which may be
present in the solid waste stream.
Solid waste management
6. Disposal of SW

▪ The landfill siting plan — which prevents the siting of

landfills in environmentally sensitive areas
▪ On-site environmental monitoring systems —which
monitor for any sign of groundwater contamination
and for landfill gas — provide additional safeguards.
▪ In addition, many new landfills collect potentially
harmful landfill gas emissions and convert the gas into
energy.
Solid waste management
7. Incinerator

▪ Burning (MSW) can generate energy while reducing the

amount of waste by up to 90 percent in volume and 75
percent in weight.
▪ To reduce waste volume, local governments or private
operators can implement a controlled burning process called
combustion or incineration.
▪ In addition to reducing volume, combustors, when properly
equipped, can convert water into steam to fuel heating systems
or generate electricity.
Solid waste management
7. Incinerator

▪ Over one-fifth of the U.S. MSW incinerators use

refuse derived fuel (RDF).
▪ In contrast to mass burning — where the
municipal solid waste is introduced "as is" into
the combustion chamber, RDF facilities are
equipped to recover recyclables (e.g., metals, cans,
glass) first, then shred the combustible fraction
into fluff for incineration.
Solid waste management
7. Incinerator

▪ Burning waste at extremely high temperatures also

destroys chemical compounds and disease-causing
bacteria.
▪ Regular testing ensures that residual ash is non-
hazardous before being landfilled.
▪ About ten percent of the total ash formed in the
combustion process is used for beneficial use such as
daily cover in landfills and road construction.
THERMAL TREATMENT OF MSW
THERMAL TREATMENT OF MSW

Schematic of typical mass-burn municipal waste combustion facility

with energy production facilities
THERMAL TREATMENT OF MSW

Issues in the implementation of incineration facilities

1. Location
2. Management of emissions
3. Public health
4. Economics
 INTEGRATED SOLID WASTE
MANAGEMENT
To assess the management possibilities it is
important to consider ;
AVOID

1. Choose green process

2. Selection more on the environmental material
3. Verified the final waste from the product
REDUCTION

1. Reducing the amount of materials used in the

manufacture of a product.
2. Reducing the amount of materials used for packaging and
marketing of consumer goods.
3. Increasing the useful life of a product (e.g. doubling the
useful life of tires).
REUSED AND RECYCLING

• Using of materials for another purpose.

• paper bags for storage of wastes, newspapers to
start fires, tin cans, etc.
• Furniture
• Cloth
• Glass
• Car
TREAT AND PROCESS

• Waste can be chemically or physically treated prior to

disposal to improve their properties
• Treatment can reduce the toxicity of waste, remove further
useful components and improve waste properties for
disposal
• Example ash to be used as concrete material
INCINERATION

• Combustible waste burn at 900 – 10000C

• Leave ash and non-combustible behind
• Can reduce waste volume by 75-95% but usually
50%reduction to fuel burning for electric power
• Air pollutant concern
• Acid rain
• Global warming
DUMPS INTO LANDFILL

• Still used world wide

• New open dump banned in USA
• Typical site in abandoned quarries, low areas and hillside
• Some allowed to burn
• Nuisance
• Pollutant of air, surface and ground
 SOLID & HAZARDOUS
WASTE LEGISLATION
1. The Environmental Quality Act (EQA) of 1974
(Act 127) :
➢ The EQA - federal law (gives the mandate and regulatory power to the DOE),
clear regulations so as to control the dumping of wastes.
i. Sec.24 (3) –
➢ Offence to establish refuse dump, garbage tip, soil and rock disposal site,
sludge disposal site or repository for solid or liquid waste which is
obnoxious or offensive to human beings or pollute underground water or
soil etc.
➢ Penalty max. RM 100,000 and/or 5 years jail (raised in 1996 (amendment)
from RM 10,000 and 2 yrs).
ii. Sec. 29 – Prohibit discharge of waste in Malaysian waters. Penalty of max.RM
500,000 and/or 5 yrs. (from RM10,000 and/2 yrs jail before 1996)
SOLID & HAZARDOUS
WASTE LEGISLATION
2. EQA, Scheduled Waste, 1989
• Notification of waste generation
• Treat and reduce waste
• Proper inventory, handling, labeling, disposal
• Categories of scheduled waste
• Proper training of waste disposal contractors;
consignment notes, emergency response plans

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (PRESCRIBED

CARRIER)(SCHEDULED WASTES) ORDER
2005
3. EQA, Chlorofluorocarbon, 1993.
4. Customs Order.
5. Transport Act.
6. Local Government Act, 1976:
➢ Prohibits deposit of filth, nuisance upon stream, channel, public drain or
other water course (Sec.69)- RM2,000 and/or 1 yr, jail and RM 500/day if
continues after conviction;
➢ Prohibit trade refuse to pollute stream (Sec 70) – Max. RM5,000 and/or
2 yrs, RM 500/day.
CONCLUSION

▪ MSW—more commonly known as trash or garbage—

consists of everyday items.
▪ Current disposals site is expected to be closed in 2
years time.
▪ Cleaner and healthier communities can be achieved by
understanding and practicing the “3Rs” of solid waste
management – reduce, reuse, recycle; activities
includes source reduction, composting, combustion
etc.
ANSWER = 34.49 kg/m3
THANK YOU