Sources and fates of lead and cadmium in municipal solid waste

Lead and cadmium enter the municipal solid waste stream as components of a variety of consumer products. Average empirical data from several resource recovery plants were analyzed to obtain an estimate of the source and fate of the subject elements. The total amounts of lead and cadmium found in municipal solid waste, determined from empirical data sources, were found to agree closely with those based on materials flow data. It was determined that most of the cadmium enters the waste stream in the combustible fraction and can account for a major share of the cadmium observed in fly ash and in atmospheric particulates. The most likely sources of cadmium are plastics and pigments. The lead emissions appeared to be derived from both combustible and noncombustible discards of batteries, plastics, and pigments. The data suggests that it would be useful to perform mass balance studies to provide primary data for the determination of the most effective methods for managing discards containing lead and cadmium. The purpose of the suggested research is the reduction of lead and cadmium emissions into the environment from resource recovery plants.     

Polymers as Solid Waste in Municipal Landfills

Abstract

Synthetic polymers reach municipal landfills as components of products such as waste household paints, packaging films, storage containers, carpet fibers, and absorbent sanitary products. Some polymers in consumer products that reach landfills are designed to photodegrade or biodegrade. This article examines the significance of degradable polymers in management of solid waste in municipal landfills. Most landfills are not designed to photodegrade or biodegrade solid waste. Landfill disposal of stable polymers such as polyacrylics and polyethylenes is not associated with significant polymer degradation or mobility. Stability to photodegradation and biodegradation is an advantage when municipal landfills are used for disposal of polymer products as solid waste. Use of landfill disposal can be a responsible means to manage polymer waste and can be part of an overall waste management plan which includes source reduction, recycling, reuse, composting, and waste-to-energy incineration.     

Waste recycling of cathode ray tube glass through industrial production of transparent ceramic frits

ABSTRACT

Cathode ray tube (CRT) glass contains significant amounts of alkali and alkaline earth oxides, making it a useful by-product for use in the ceramics industry. Among the various alkali oxides present, those of strontium (SrO), calcium (CaO), and magnesium (MgO) are well known flux materials used widely in the ceramics industry. The most effective flux, SrO, is also a limited resource. In this study, we aimed to develop an environmentally friendly, low-cost method for recycling CRT waste by using it to produce transparent ceramic frits on an industrial scale. Four different samples were fabricated containing between 13 and 25 wt.% CRT panel glass. The color values, sintering behaviors, phases, and microstructural properties of the corresponding samples were analyzed and compared. The results indicate that a composition containing 25 wt.% CRT panel glass could pass the ISO 10545 test. Thus, the results confirm that CRT glass can be used to inexpensively produce transparent ceramic frits at an industrial scale.

Implications: The recycling of electronic waste (e-waste), including CRT waste, has increased by high rates of computer and TV consumption. This increase in consumption is likely to increase the rate at which CRTs are discarded. However, CRTs cannot be recycled in the desired amount. Owing to the high silicate, barium and strontium content of CRTs, it has great potential for glass ceramics such as frits. CRT panel glass to produce commercial transparent frit at low cost through an industrial production route for use in single-fire sintered products. Thus, CRT wastes can be recycled cost-effective, sustainable and environmentally friendly.     

Solid Waste Disposal in the Netherlands

In The Netherlands, a small and densely populated country, the disposal of solid waste requires strict precautions. Because the landscape is flat and the watertable just under groundlevel, landfilling and dumping must be avoided as much as possible. Incineration of municipal and industrial waste are presently under consideration. But even when excellent flue gas cleaning systems are used, air pollution can present a problem, for instance, by dioxines produced during the process. For these reasons the government has published a waste disposal policy plan in which recycling, composting and prevention of waste production play a major role. Eventually about one third of the solid waste production will be incinerated or dumped. No solid waste will be exported.     

香港城市固体废物系统管理

本文以大量翔实的数据介绍了香港对城市固体废物的系统管理,即分类、收集、监测分析、处理和预测评价。香港环保署自８０ 年代开始对城市固体废物进行监测并系统管理。在全港设置了３ 个大型策略性填埋场、５ 个垃圾转运站、１ 个垃圾焚烧厂（１９９７ 年５ 月关闭） 和１个化学废物处理中心。目前,香港政府正筹建一个新的、技术先进的焚烧厂。从１９８６ ～１９９７年,这些废物处理设施处理全港废物量为８９６０ ～２４３００ｔ／ｄ,其中城市固体废物比例每年不等,最低为３０ ．７ ％ ,最高为６５ ．５ ％ 。１９９７ 年,这些废物中可循环再利用物接近５０ ％ ,出口部分达１２０ 多万吨,回收资金２０ 多亿港元。根据历年来城市固体废物量与本地生产总值（ＧＤＰ）和人口数量的密切相关性,预测出２０１１ 年城市固体废物人均产率为２ ．５６ｋｇ／ 人·ｄ, 城市固体废物量为１２８１０ ｔ／ｄ。城市固体废物系统管理紧迫而重要,香港的经验是值得我们借鉴的。     

Welcome

Abstract

An indicator of solid waste generation potential (SWGP) is proposed as a versatile means to assist the development of integrated solid waste (SW) management plans. The proposed indicator is based on key sodoeconomic variables for the State of Illinois which were found to be highly correlated with variables describing the SW stream of the State. The proposed indicator was derived by applying the principal components analysis (PCA) technique. The technique is used to merge the rank transformed socioeconomic variables into a single variable, the SWGP indicator, while maintaining the regional information of the original variables. An innovative aspect of this indicator approach is the use of the ordinal scale for all these diverse variables. The validity of this approach was assessed and the proposed indicator was found to be directly proportional to a composite variable describing the SW stream for the State of Illinois. The use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to depict the spatial distribution of the SWGP will help planners visualize the expected overall refuse generation pattern and to identify critical regions. In addition, the proposed indicator could be used as an instrument to validate the solid waste generation (SWG) quantities reported by counties to state agencies.     

Systematic Evaluation and Uncertainty Analysis of the Refuse-Derived Fuel Process in Taiwan

ABSTRACT

In the last few years, Taiwan has set a bold agenda in solid waste recycling and incineration programs. Not only were the recycling activities and incineration projects promoted by government agencies, but the related laws and regulations were continuously promulgated by the Legislative Yen. The solid waste presorting process that is to be considered prior to the existing incineration facilities has received wide attention. This paper illustrates a thorough evaluation for the first refuse-derived fuel pilot process from both quantitative and qualitative aspects. The process is to be installed and integrated with a large-scale municipal incinerator. This pilot process, developed by an engineering firm in Tainan County, consists of standard unit operations of shredding, magnetic separation, trommel screening, and air classification. A series of sampling and analyses were initialized in order to characterize its potentials in the solid waste management system. The probabilistic modeling for various types o f waste pro perties derived in this analysis may provide a basic understanding of system reliability.     

Concept of sustainable waste management in the city of Zagreb: Towards the implementation of circular economy approach

Improvement of the current waste management is one of the main challenges for most municipalities in Croatia, mainly due to legal obligations set in different European Union (EU) directives regarding waste management, such as reduction of waste generation and landfilling, or increase of separately collected waste and recycling rates. This paper highlights the current waste management in the city of Zagreb by analyzing the waste generation, collection, and disposal scenario along with the regulatory and institutional framework. Since the present waste management system mainly depends upon landfilling, with the rate of separate waste collection and recycling far from being adequate, it is necessary to introduce a new system that will take into account the current situation in the city as well as the obligations imposed by the EU. Namely, in the coming years, the Waste Framework and Landfill Directives of the European Union will be a significant driver of change in waste management practices and governance of the city of Zagreb. At present, the yearly separate waste collection makes somewhat less than 5 kg per capita of various waste fractions, i.e., far below the average value for the (28) capital cities of the EU, which is 108 kg per capita. This is possible to achieve only by better and sustainable planning of future activities and facilities, taking into account of environmental, economic, and social aspects of waste management. This means that the city of Zagreb not only will have to invest in new infrastructure to meet the targets, but also will have to enhance public awareness in diverting this waste at the household level. The solution for the new waste management proposed in this paper will certainly be a way of implementing circular economy approach to current waste management practice in the city of Zagreb.

Implications: Municipal waste management in the developing countries in the EU (new eastern EU members) is often characterized by its limited utilization of recycling activities, inadequate management of nonindustrial hazardous waste, and inadequate landfill disposal. Many cities in Eastern Europe and Zagreb as well are facing serious problems in managing municipal wastes due to the existing solid waste management system that is found to be highly inefficient. The proposed scenario for city of Zagreb in the paper is an innovative upgrading of municipal waste management based on the waste management hierarchy and circular economy approach.     

The role of mechanical and biological treatment in reducing methane emissions from landfill disposal of municipal solid waste in the United Kingdom

In Europe, the European Union Landfill Directive aims to reduce the negative environmental impacts of landfilling. This is mainly to be achieved by reducing the quantity of organic matter deposited, through measures such as the separate collection and recycling of the organic waste stream or pretreatment of residual wastes before landfilling. Other than incineration or other thermal processes, mechanical biological treatment is playing an increasingly important role. This study was conducted to seek the benefits of municipal solid waste (MSW) pretreatment, as well as the differences in methane production from the landfilling of untreated and mechanically/biologically treated (MBT) MSW using GasSim simulation. Results demonstrated that methane production rates vary significantly among waste fractions. Those that contribute most to methane generation (organic material and potentially reusable or recyclable material) could be targeted and treated before landfilling. The statistic relationship from the first phase of the study indicated that to match the increasingly stringent landfill waste organic content allowance, local councils should prioritize the reduction/sorting of certain targeted fractions, such as paper, card, green waste, and other putrescibles from MSW. Moreover, mechanical treatment alone produces organic-rich waste called mechanically sorted organic residues (MSORs), which can be viewed as an organic content concentration process. Mechanically and biologically pretreated waste, on the other hand, differs significantly from untreated MSW and MSORs. This work demonstrated that if efficient mechanical-biological treatment is used, considerable reductions in biological activity, landfill gas production, and energy content/total organic carbon could be achieved. Using GasSim, reductions in methane production of >74% have been simulated if a 90% organic content reduction can be achieved during biological treatment on MSORs. A 50-60% organic content reduction by following biological treatment can turn MSOR properties only into normal MSW equivalent though considerably less volume.     

Investigation of the available technologies and their feasibility for the conversion of food waste into fish feed in Hong Kong

Food waste is the largest constituent of municipal solid waste in Hong Kong, but food waste recycling is still in its infancy. With the imminent saturation of all landfill sites by 2020, multiple technologies are needed to boost up the food waste recycling rate in Hong Kong. Conversion of food waste into animal feeds is prevalent in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, treating over 40 % of their recycled food waste. This direction is worth exploring in Hong Kong once concerns over food safety are resolved. Fortunately, while feeding food waste to pigs and chickens poses threats to public health, feeding it to fish is considered low risk. In order to examine the feasibility of converting food waste into fish feed in Hong Kong, this paper investigates the market demand, technical viability, feed quality, regulatory hurdles, and potential contribution. The results show that a significant amount of food waste can be recycled by converting it into fish feed due to the enormous demand from feed factories in mainland China. Two conversion technologies, heat drying and black soldier fly bioconversion, are studied extensively. Black soldier fly bioconversion is preferable because the end-product, insect powder, is anticipated to gain import approval from mainland China. The authors suggest further research efforts to speed up its application for food waste recycling in urban cities.     

Compromising economic cost and air pollutant emissions of municipal solid waste management strategies by fuzzy multiobjective optimization model

Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) is an important environmental challenge and subject in urban planning. A sustainable MSWM strategy should consider not only economic efficiency but also life-cycle assessment of environmental impact. This study employs the fuzzy multiobjective linear programming (FMOLP) technique to find the optimal compromise between economic optimization and pollutant emission reduction for the MSWM strategy. Taichung City in Taiwan is evaluated as a case study. The results indicate that the optimal compromise MSWM strategy can reduce significant amounts of pollutant emissions and still achieve positive net profits. Minimization of the sulfur oxide (SO_x) and nitrogen oxide (NO_x) emissions are the two major priorities in achieving this optimal compromise strategy when recyclables recovery rate is lower; however, minimization of the carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM) emissions become priority factors when recovery rate is higher.

Implications: This paper applied the multiobjective optimization model to find the optimal compromise municipal solid waste management (MSWM) strategy, which minimizes both life-cycle operating cost and air pollutant emissions, and also to analyze the correlation between recyclables recovery rates and optimal compromise strategies. It is different from past studies, which only consider economic optimization or environmental impacts of the MSWM system. The result shows that optimal compromise MSWM strategy can achieve a net profit and reduce air pollution emission. In addition, scenario investigation of recyclables recovery rates indicates that resource recycling is beneficial for both economic optimization and air pollutant emission minimization.     

Volatile organic compounds produced during the aerobic biological processing of municipal solid waste in a pilot plant

The volatile organic carbon (VOC) and odours emitted during the aerobic biological processing of municipal solid waste (MSW) was studied in a pilot-scale reactor. VOCs were detected by different techniques on solid waste samples and the outlet air stream, before and after a biofilter. Organic compounds (alpha-pinene, beta-myrcene, D-limonene) were also measured in condensate water and leachate from the process. Results showed uniformity in the composition of the air in the solid waste samples, air sampled during the process and condensed water, indicating a matrix-derived origin of these compounds. Leachates, however, contained substances with a quite different molecular structure from the compounds identified in the gaseous fraction. Most of the substances in the gaseous effluent had a hydrocarbon-like structure, mainly terpenoids. The odour produced and detected through olfactometry agreed with GC-MS analyses. This was true above all for terpenes.     

Desorption of PCDD/PCDF from municipal solid waste incinerator flyash under post-combustion plant conditions

The influence of temperature on the levels of PCDD and PCDF remaining in, and desorbed from, a municipal solid waste incinerator flyash was investigated by heating the ash to between 200 and 400 degrees C under a simulated flue gas for four days reaction time. Considerable desorption of PCDD/PCDF from the flyash was seen at 275 degrees C and above. Maximum desorption occurred at 350 degrees C, with the equivalent of nearly eight times the total PCDD/PCDF concentration of the original flyash being lost to the vapour phase per unit mass of initial flyash. The I-TEQ value of the desorbed PCDD/PCDF was considerable, being over fourteen times that of the original flyash at 325 degrees C. The results indicate that formation of PCDD/PCDF on flyash deposits in the post-combustion plant of incinerators can result in the release of significant amounts of PCDD/PCDF to the flue gas stream.     

Airborne emissions of mercury from municipal solid waste. I: new measurements from six operating landfills in Florida

Mercury-bearing material enters municipal landfills from a wide array of sources, including fluorescent lights, batteries, electrical switches, thermometers, and general waste; however, the fate of mercury (Hg) in landfills has not been widely studied. Using automated flux chambers and downwind atmospheric sampling, we quantified the primary pathways of Hg vapor releases to the atmosphere at six municipal landfill operations in Florida. These pathways included landfill gas (LFG) releases from active vent systems, passive emissions from landfill surface covers, and emissions from daily activities at each working face (WF). We spiked the WF at two sites with known Hg sources; these were readily detected downwind, and were used to test our emission modeling approaches. Gaseous elemental mercury (Hg(O)) was released to the atmosphere at readily detectable rates from all sources measured; rates ranged from approximately 1-10 ng m(-2) hr(-1) over aged landfill cover, from approximately 8-20 mg/hr from LFG flares (LFG included Hg(O) at microg/m3 concentrations), and from approximately 200-400 mg/hr at the WF. These fluxes exceed our earlier published estimates. Attempts to identify specific Hg sources in excavated and sorted waste indicated few readily identifiable sources; because of effective mixing and diffusion of Hg(O), the entire waste mass acts as a source. We estimate that atmospheric Hg releases from municipal landfill operations in the state of Florida are on the order of 10-50 kg/yr, substantially larger than our original estimates, but still a small fraction of current overall anthropogenic losses.     

Interactive analysis of waste recycling and energy recovery program in a small-scale incinerator

Conflicting goals affecting solid waste management are explored in this paper to find the best implementation of resource recovery with a small-scale waste-to-energy process. Recycling paper and plastic material often leaves a shortage of thermal energy to support incineration that forces operators to supplement the process with auxiliary fuels. Although there are considerable profits to be made from material recovery, the increase of fuel usage causes conflict given that it is cost prohibitive. A series of trials performed on a small-scale 1.5-t/day incineration plant with a cyclone heat recovery system found that material recycling can impede performance. Experimental results are expressed as empirical regression formulas with regard to combustion temperature, energy transfer, and heat recovery. Process optimization is possible if the waste moisture content remains <30%. To test the robustness of the optimization analysis, a series of sensitivity analyses clarify the extent of material recycling needed with regard to plastic, paper, and metal. The experiments also test whether the moisture in the waste would decrease when recycling paper because of its exceptional capacity to absorb moisture. Results show that recycling paper is strongly recommended when the moisture content is >20%, whereas plastic recycling is not necessary at that moisture condition. Notably, plastic recovery reduces the heat needed to vaporize the water content of the solid waste, thus it is recommended only when the moisture content is <10%. For above-normal incineration temperatures, plastic recycling is encouraged, because it removes excess energy. Metal is confirmed as an overall priority in material recycling regardless of the moisture content of the incoming waste.     

复合微生物菌剂强化堆肥技术研究

采用复合微生物菌剂对生活垃圾的接种堆肥技术进行了实验研究。通过测定堆肥过程中反应器出口O2、CO2与H2S气体浓度及对堆肥样品扫描电镜照片分析，比较了3个接种组与1个对照组中堆料中微生物总数变化、种群结构演替及堆肥腐熟速度。试验结果表明，在原料成分为：生活垃圾／成熟堆肥=80／20，有机物约为60％，初始含水率为55％，初始C／N-30时，对于不同接种量的复合微生物接种系统堆料中分别接种0．2％、0．3％、0．5％(质量百分含量)，与加入0．3％灭活菌的对照组进行对比实验，接种复合微生物菌剂堆肥系统不仅微生物总数高于对照组，而且其种群结构合理，能明显提高堆肥效率，有效控制臭气的产生，提高堆肥腐熟度。     

Prevention of struvite scaling in digesters combined with phosphorus removal and recovery--the FIX-Phos process

The fixation of phosphorus (FIX-Phos) combines struvite prevention and phosphorus recovery by the addition of calciumsilicatehydrate (CSH) particles into the anaerobic digester. The CSH fixates phosphorus as calcium phosphate and reduces the phosphorus concentration in the sludge water that allows for control of struvite formation. The phosphorus-containing recovery product can be separated and recovered from the digested sludge. In pilot plant experiments, 21% to 31% of phosphorus contained in digested sludge could be recovered when CSH was added at concentrations of 2 g/L to 3.5 g/L to a mixture of primary sludge and waste activated sludge (WAS) from enhanced biological phosphorus removal. The recovery product contained few heavy metals and a phosphorus content of 18 wt % P2O5, which allows for recycling as fertilizer. The fixation of phosphorus within the digester may increase wastewater sludge dewaterability. The phosphorus recycle stream to the headworks of the wastewater treatment plant is reduced.     

北京市生活垃圾处理的环境影响评价

目前北京市生活垃圾产生量不断增加,处理设施能力日渐不足,生活垃圾管理正面临着减量化与资源化必然趋势。在未来5～10年内,堆肥处理、焚烧处理和综合处理等方式将取代卫生填埋成为北京市垃圾处理的主要方式。本研究采用生命周期评价的方法,对北京市4处垃圾处理设施采用的不同工艺（卫生填埋、好氧堆肥、焚烧处理和综合处理）的环境影响进行比较。评价结果表明4,种处理方式中填埋、堆肥、焚烧和综合处理的环境影响负荷分别为4.82×10-2、1.10×10-21、.31×10-1和2.31×10-2,焚烧处理的总环境影响潜值最大,填埋处理次之,综合处理再次,堆肥处理最小。4种处理方式的资源耗竭系数分别为-2.39×10-51、.11×10-5、-3.45×10-4和-1.04×10-6,焚烧处理的资源耗竭系数最小。