SOLID WASTE

MANAGEMENT
 DEFINITION
 Solid wastes comprise all the wastes arising from
human and animal activities that are normally solid
and that are discarded as useless or unwanted.

 Solid waste management may be defined as the

discipline associated with the control of generation,
storage, collection, transfer and transport,
processing and disposal of wastes in a manner that
is in accord with the best principles of public health,
economics, engineering, conservations.
 Functional elements of Solid Waste
Management System
Waste generation

Waste handling,separation
Storage and processing at the source

Collection

Segregation & Processing &

Transfer and transport Transformation of solid
waste

Disposal
Factors Contributing to Increasing
Amounts of MSW
 Increasing populations
 Changing lifestyles
 Disposable materials*
 Excessive packaging*

* = two largest contributors to waste volume

Increasing Populations
Changing Lifestyles
Disposable Materials: Diapers
Excessive Packaging
 Small towns 100g/p/day
 Medium towns 300-400g/p/day
 Large towns 500g/p/day

 In general varies between 0.3-0.6 kg/p/day

 TYPES OF SOLID WASTES

 Based on the source of generation

 Residential wastes
• Commercial wastes
• Institutional wastes
• Construction and demolition wastes
• Municipal services
• Treatment plant wastes
• Industrial wastes
• Agricultural wastes
 TYPES OF SOLID WASTES
 Domestic/household wastes (including kitchen refuse), wastes
from commercial units and markets that are related to items
sold, e.g. foodstuffs, vegetable choppings, cloth cuttings and
sweepings from streets and shops, institutional refuse and
wastes from public places and that generated by hawkers;
 Medical or clinical waste from medical institutions. These can
be classified into the following types; general waste, sharp
objects such as used needles, blades and scissors; syringes,
pathological wastes, including contaminated bandages,
dressings, linens, dead tissues, organs etc; and radioactive
wastes;
 Industrial wastes generated by industrial processes, and some
of which is hazardous;
 Debris from construction, excavation and/or demolition sites.
 TYPES OF SOLID WASTES

 Based on the contents of the waste

 Rubbish
 Food waste

 Ashes

 Dead animals

 Treatment plant waste

 Industrial waste

 Mining waste
 Classification of MSW
 Based on decomposability
• Non-decomposible
• Decomposible waste

 Based on combustibility
• Combustible waste
• Non-combustible waste
 Classification of MSW
 MSW can be classified into "dry and "wet" materials, on the
basis of their moisture content.
 The unpleasant odors and liquids associated with "garbage" are
due to the putrescible organic components of food and plant
wastes in the ‘wet stream’. These materials are less than 30%
of the total MSW.
 From the perspective of energy recovery, the non-recyclable
‘dry fraction’ can be divided into combustible materials, such
as paper, plastics and wood; and non-combustible or "inert"
materials, are metals and glasses.
 Options for handling the "wet" fraction: combustion, aerobic -
anaerobic bioconversion and land filling.
 Classification of MSW

 Biodegradable waste (mainly organic wastes such as peelings

of potatoes, bananas, saw dust and water hyacinth dumped
within the municipal environs, etc), and these constitute the
bulk of the wastes generated;

 Non-biodegradable waste, e.g. polythene bags (buvera), plastic

products, pesticide residues, process wastes, highly flammable
and volatile substances, furniture, abandoned vehicles, used
tyres; industrial wastes including metal scrap and medical
wastes such as used needles, plastic and glass bottles and
syringes.
 Characteristics of Municipal Solid Waste
Generated by Metro Cities
Characteristics ( Percent by wt. )
Sl. Metro city Paper Textile Leather Plastic Metal Glass Ash, Compo
No. Fine stable
earth & matter
others

1 Mumbai 10.0 3.6 0.2 2.0 - 0.2 44.0 40.0

2 Delhi 6.6 4.0 0.6 1.5 2.5 1.2 51.5 31.78

3 Hyderabad 7.0 1.7 - 1.3 - - 50.0 40.0

4 Jaipur 6.0 2.0 - 1.0 - 2.0 47.0 42.0

5 Kanpur 5.0 1.0 5.0 1.5 - - 52.5 40.0

6 Chennai 10.0 5.0 5.0 3.0 - - 33.0 44.0

7 Visakhapatna 3.0 2.0 - 5.0 - 5.0 50.0 35.0

m
Composition of Waste
 Characteristics of the waste
 Physical
 Composition
 Density
 Moisture content
 CHARACTERSTICS OF THE WASTE

Physical properties of MSW (These properties are

important to estimate volume or weight of waste
for transportation, disposal, or processing)

 Specific weight or unit weight

 moisture content
 Particle size and size Distribution
 Field capacity
 Permeability or hydraulic conductivity
 CHARACTERSTICS OF THE WASTE

Chemical properties of MSW

 Proximate analysis
 Fusing point of ash
 Ultimate analysis (major element )
 Energy content
 Leaching properties (applicable to Haz waste
fraction in MSW waste)
 CHARACTERSTICS OF THE WASTE

 Biodegradable fraction is important for estimation gas

generation potential of waste or odor potential

 Majority of odors from decomposition of waste are

due to conversation of sulfur into H2S, NH3 methyl
Mercaptan .and/or aminobutryic acid.

Does methane has an odor??

 Various functional elements of municipal solid
waste management system
Storage
 Movable bins - Type I: Bins with lid (5-20 litre), Type II: Bins of
50 litre capacity, Type III: Bins of capacity from 50-200 litres,
Type IV: M.S. Bins (4.5 cum)
 Fixed bins - Masonry bins of 3.6 cum capacity (Type V),
Dustbins/Dalaos
Collection
 (H/H (house to house) collection system, Community bin system

Transportation
 Hand cart (Type I), Hand cart with six containers (Type II),
Trycycle, Animal cart, Tipper trucks, Dumper placer, Bulk refuse
carrier
Waste Transfer Stations (Relay Centre Facility)
 Transfer station of same level type, Transfer station of split level
type
 Collection system
 Low rise buildings
 Curb or Alley
 Setout-setback
 Backyard carry
 CURB SET OUT: Place your cart in the
street with its wheels up against the curb
and the front of the cart facing the street.
 ALLEY SET OUT: Place your cart in the
alley with the front of your cart facing towards
the alley and at least 4 feet from any
obstructions, including your garage, dumpsters
or cars. Do not block access to your neighbors'
driveway, gate or garage.
 High rise buildings—
 Crew can collect waste
 Waste taken to service area by tenants
 Tenants putting the waste in chute

Garbage chute works in the

same way as a chimney; with
odours and harmful airborne
microorganisms being sucked
up the chute (hot air rising), to
be inhaled by residents as they
open the chute doors to
dispose of their waste.
 Types of Collection system
 Haul container
system (HCS)

 Stationary
container system
(SCS)
 NEED OF TRANSPOTATION
SYSTEM
 Illegal dumps
 Disposal site too far
 Small capacity collection truck
 Low density area
 More waste to large distance
 Transportation system
 Motor vehicle
 Railways
 Hydraulic
 Pneumatic
 Compressed air/vacuum
 MSW = Pollution or Resource?

“Ecosystems dispose of wastes and replenish

nutrients by recycling all elements”
 PROCESSING OF WASTES
 Segregation
 To reduce the volume and quantity

 Compaction

 Shredding

 Biomethanation
 Processing facility of municipal solid waste
Source reduction
 Reduce the amount and toxicity of trash you discard

 Reusing items by repairing them, donating them to charity and

community groups, or selling them also reduces waste
 Recycling to turn materials that would otherwise become waste into
valuable resources
Composting
 It is nature's way of recycling organic wastes into new soil used in
vegetable and flower gardens, landscaping, and many other
applications
Energy recovery by incineration/pyrolysis
 In addition to minimizing volume, combustors, when properly
equipped, can convert water into steam to fuel heating systems or
generate electricity. A variety of pollution control technologies
reduce the toxic materials emitted in combustion smoke.
 TRANSFORMATION OF SOLID WASTE

Why transform solid waste??

 Efficient storage ,handling and transport

 Reduce disposal cost

 Stabilize waste

 Destroy toxic element (chemical or biological

entities)
 Generate electrical energy

 Re-use
 TRANSFORMATION OF SOLID WASTE

 Physical method
 Chemical method
 Biological method
PHYSICAL TRANSFORMATION

1.Component separation or sorting

 Done mechanically or manually ,at source or at a transfer

station
 Key process to recover recyclable and remove hazardous

waste component

2. Mechanical volume reduction or densification

 Reduce storage, transport and disposal cost

 Waste collection vehicles are equipped with compaction

mechanisms
PHYSICAL TRANSFORMATION

3. Mechanical size reduction

 Makes waste more uniform and reduces the average

size.
 Shredding ,grinding ,and milling
 Tree mulchar (shreds trees into wooden chips for
landscaping application )
 Tire shredder
 Shredding of organic waste improves efficiency of
composting
CHEMICAL TRANSFORMATION

COMBUSTION:
 Thermal processing of solid waste by chemical

oxidation with stoichiometric or excess

amounts of air.
 End products-hot gases, water vapour (flue

gas), and non-combustible residue (ash).

 Energy can be recovered by heat exchange

from the hot combustion gases.

 Combustion process
 Thermal processing of solid waste by chemical
oxidation with stoichiometric or excess
amounts of air.

 End products-hot gases, water vapour (flue

gas), and non-combustible residue (ash).

 Energy can be recovered by heat exchange

from the hot combustion gases.
Incineration
 Pyrolysis
 Thermal processing of waste in the complete
absence of air.

 End products-solids (char), liquids (tar/oil) and

gases (hydrogen. methane, carbon monoxide,
carbon dioxide etc.)

 Endothermic process, external source of heat

is required.
 Gasification
 Thermal processing of waste in the complete
absence of air.

 End products-solids (char), liquids (tar/oil) and

gases (hydrogen. methane, carbon monoxide,
carbon dioxide etc.)

 Endothermic process, external source of heat

is required.
Waste to Energy: WTE
ENERGY ROUTES OF URBAN
WASTE TO ENERGY
PYROLYSIS OF URBAN WASTE
 BIO-CHEMICAL CONVERSION
 The process makes use of the enzymes of bacteria and
other micro-organisms to break down biomass to
produce liquid and gaseous fuels
 In most cases micro-organisms are used to perform
the conversion process: anaerobic digestion,
fermentation and composting.
 Other chemical processes such as converting
vegetable or animal oils into biodiesel is
transesterification.
 ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
 Biological treatment can be done either in presence of
oxygen (aerobic) or in absence of oxygen (anaerobic).
 In India, anaerobic digestion plants are commonly
known as Biogas Plants or Gobar Gas Plants. In such
plants slurry of cow dung and water is fed to the
digester and is allowed to ferment for a few weeks.
The biogas is released. The biogas contains about
55% of methane (CH4). This gas is used as a fuel.
 There are two types of Biogas Plants
 Fixed head

 Floating head
ENERGY ROUTE OF BIOGAS
TYPICAL BIOGAS COMPOSITION

Sl. No. Constituents % (V/V)

1 60
CH4
2 CO2 38

3 H2S <1

4 H2O vapors ~1

Heating value = 4500 – 4700 k cal/m3

SCHEMATIC OF A FIXED DOME
TYPE BIOGAS PLANT
 SCHEMATIC OF A FIXED DOME
TYPE BIOGAS PLANT

Position a of dome with less gas in the dome. Position b of dome with more gas in the dome.
 COMPARISON OF FIXED AND
FLOATING HEAD BIOGAS PLANT
Janta/Fixed dome type
1 Gas is released at variable pressure Gas is released at constant pressure
2 Identifying defects is difficult
3 Cost of maintenance is low
4 Capital cost is low
5 Space above the drum can be used
6 Temperature is high during winter
7 Life span is comparatively longer
8 Requires move excavation work
Floating Dome type Biogas Plant
Identifying the defects in gas holder
easy
Cost of maintenance is high
Capital cost is high (for same
capacity)
Floating drum does not allow the use
of space for other purpose
Temperature is low during winter
Life is short
Requires relatively less excavation
 Composting
 Conventional Composting
 Vermi-composting
 Composting
 Biological transformation of the waste.
 Transformation of biodegradable waste into
biologically stable matter using micro organisms.
 Reduces the volume of waste.
 Destroy pathogens/insects.
 End product is a humus like material called compost
that is rich in nutrients.
 Compost can be used to support plant growth and as a
soil amendment.
 Vermicomposting

Worms

Eudrilus eugineae Eisena foetida

 DISPOSAL
 Open dumping

 Land filling
 Disposal of residual solid wastes in the surface
soils of the earth.

 Barging in to sea

 Feeding to pigs/hogs
 LANDFILL

 Primary means of MSW disposal

 Disposal of residual solid wastes in the surface
soils of the earth.
 Land filling
Landfills include:
 any site which is used for more than a year for the temporary

storage of waste; and,

 any internal waste disposal site, that is to say a site where a

producer of waste is carrying out its own waste disposal at the

place of production.
Landfills do not include:
 any facility where waste is unloaded in order to permit its

preparation for further transport for recovery, treatment or

disposal elsewhere;
 any site where waste is stored as a general rule for a period of

less than three years prior to recovery or treatment; or,

 any site where waste is stored for a period of less than one year

prior to disposal.
 LANDFILL CLASSIFICATION
1. Secure landfills /Class 1 landfills
 Designed to handle hazardous wastes.

2. Monofills /Class 2 landfills

 Designed to handle particular types of wastes

such as incinerator ash or sewage sludge that

are relatively uniform in characteristics and
require special handling.
 CLASSIFICATION

1. Secure landfills /Class 1 landfills

 Designed to handle hazardous wastes.

2. Monofills /Class 2 landfills

 Designed to handle particular types of wastes such as
incinerator ash or sewage sludge that are relatively
uniform in characteristics and require special handling.

3. Sanitary landfills /Class 3 landfills

 Engineered facilities designed to handle MSW.
 Temporary Environmental
Holding area monitoring facilities

Leachate
Equipment
treatment
workshop
Stock piled Completed facility
cover fill
Inspection/ material Gas
Screening
flaring
facility
facility
Weighing Active
Future filling
scale Surface
fill area area water
collection
Access facility
road Office

Typical Layout of a Landfill

Landfill Cell
Cell liner
Postclosure care
 Activities associated with the long-term monitoring
and maintenance of the landfill (typically 30-50
years).
Dump truck
Landfill operation
Facility on restored landfill
 Numerical Problem:
Estimating Landfill Requirements
 Estimate the landfill area needed to handle one
year’s MSW for a town of 100,000 people.
Assume US national average discards (146.6
million tonnes of MSW per year for US
population of roughly 260 million), no
combustion, a landfill density of 600 kg/m³, and
a single 3m lift. Assume that 20 percent of the
cell volume is soil used for cover.
Vmsw=(146.6×10^6 tonne ×10³ kg/tonne ×100000 people)
260 × 10^6 people × 600 kg/m³

= 93,975 m³

Since only 80 percent of a cell is landfill, the volume of cell needed

is
Vcell = 93,975 m³/0.8 = 117,468 m³
The area of lift, at 3 m cell depth, is
A = 117,468/3 = 39,155 m²

The actual sizing of a landfill would include a number of additional

factors, such as additional area requirements for access roads and
auxiliary facilities, reduction in landfill volume as biological
decomposition takes place and increases in compaction as additional
lifts are added.
 Biological Reactions in Landfills
 Four stage process

1. Aerobic Phase

2. Acid Phase

3. Methanogenesis, unsteady

4. Methanogenesis, steady
 INTEGRATED SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

 Selection and application of suitable techniques,

technologies and management programs to achieve
specific waste management objectives and goals.

 3 R’s in waste management

 Reduce

 Recycle

 Reuse
Why reduction and recycling?
 To reduce the waste to burry
 To reduce the pollution by reusing the resources.
 To reduce the rate of consumption of resources

 The waste has three values

* The bulk value
*The food value or nutrition value
*The energy value