Sewage sludge to landfill: some pertinent engineering properties

More stringent controls on the quality of wastewater discharges have given rise to increasing volumes of sewage sludge for disposal, principally to land, using either land-spreading or sludge-to-landfill operations. Current sludge-to-landfill methods generally involve mixing the concentrated sludge with other solid waste in municipal landfills. However, stricter waste disposal legislation and higher landfill taxes are forcing the water industry to look for more efficient disposal strategies. Landfill operators are also increasingly reluctant to accept sludge material in the slurry state because of construction difficulties and the potential for instability of the landfill slopes. The engineering and drying properties of a municipal sewage sludge are presented and applied, in particular, to the design, construction, and performance of sewage sludge monofills. Sludge handling and landfill construction are most effectively conducted within the water content range of 85% water content, the optimum water content for standard proctor compaction, and 95% water content, the sticky limit of the sludge material. Standard proctor compaction of the sludge within this water content range also achieves the maximum dry density of approximately 0.56 tonne/m3, which maximizes the storage capacity and, hence, the operational life of the landfill site. Undrained shear strength-water content data (pertinent to the stability of the landfill body during construction) and effective stress-strength parameters, which take into account the landfill age and the effects of ongoing sludge digestion, are presented. Landfill subsidence, which occurs principally because of creep and decomposition of the solid organic particles, is significant and continues indefinitely but at progressively slower rates.     

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.     

Codisposal of municipal refuse, sewage sludge and marine dredgings for methane production

As marine disposal of sewage sludge and dredged sediments may impose serious adverse effects to marine ecosystems, landfilling seems to be the most feasible method for the final disposal of these wastes. A batch experiment was conducted to study waste degradation and gas production after sewage sludge and marine dredgings were mixed with municipal refuse at 13 different ratios for 36 days. The addition of sludge and dredgings to municipal refuse enhanced gas production, compared with the degradation of refuse or sludge alone. A proper mixing ratio of wastes can also shorten the time to reach the final phase of anaerobiosis. The highest gas production was obtained from the ratio of 75-20-5 (refuse-sludge-dredgings) (wet weight basis). Its average daily gas production rate was 1.42 l kg(-1) waste mixture; methane content was 68.3%. The results indicated that codisposal of the three wastes would be beneficial for energy recovery from landfill gas.     

城市垃圾焚烧厂直接掺烧城市污泥处置技术及其污染控制

为研究有效处置城市污泥的方法,通过改变掺烧配比、监测燃烧烟气等对燃烧过程的探索,研究了城市污泥直接与城市生活垃圾焚烧厂中的垃圾进行掺烧混烧的处置技术。结果表明：直接掺烧12.5%左右的城市污泥混烧,对生活垃圾入炉量、焚烧炉稳定以及污染物的排放量均未产生较大影响;根据掺烧城市污泥的烟气监测结果,直接掺烧城市污泥后,排放的污染物浓度虽略有升高,但都满足排放要求;掺烧前后产生的固体废物产生量基本没有太大变化,也未对周围环境造成影响。生活垃圾焚烧厂按照一定比例直接掺烧城市污泥(含水率80.0%)在技术上可行,可为城市污泥处置提供新思路。     

不同级配垃圾焚烧底渣固化市政污泥工程特性分析

开展了（炉排炉和流化床炉）两种垃圾焚烧底渣与固化剂共同作用下固化市政污泥的工程特性研究。分析了两种底渣化学成份及物理级配上的差异,重点考察了在密封养护情况下,测定了不同底渣固化体的含水率、pH值、无侧限抗压强度及28d渗透系数等工程特性指标。研究结果表明：相同含量的两种底渣固化体含水率及pH相同,且含水率随底渣含量增加而降低,而pH值随底渣含量增加而增加;随着底渣含量增加,级配良好的炉排炉底渣固化体强度比级配不良的流化床底渣固化体强度从高8 kPa增加到30 kPa;受底渣级配的影响,炉排炉底渣固化体渗透系数随底渣含量增加而增大,而流化床底渣固化体渗透系数基本不变。级配良好的炉排炉底渣固化体工程特性优于级配不良的流化床底渣固化体,具有更强的骨架作用。研究成果为污泥及垃圾焚烧底渣填埋处置提供了科学借鉴。     

Effect of biogas generation on radon emissions from landfills receiving radium-bearing waste from shale gas development

Dramatic increases in the development of oil and natural gas from shale formations will result in large quantities of drill cuttings, flowback water, and produced water. These organic-rich shale gas formations often contain elevated concentrations of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), such as uranium, thorium, and radium. Production of oil and gas from these formations will also lead to the development of technologically enhanced NORM (TENORM) in production equipment. Disposal of these potentially radium-bearing materials in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills could release radon to the atmosphere. Risk analyses of disposal of radium-bearing TENORM in MSW landfills sponsored by the Department of Energy did not consider the effect of landfill gas (LFG) generation or LFG control systems on radon emissions. Simulation of radon emissions from landfills with LFG generation indicates that LFG generation can significantly increase radon emissions relative to emissions without LFG generation, where the radon emissions are largely controlled by vapor-phase diffusion. Although the operation of LFG control systems at landfills with radon source materials can result in point-source atmospheric radon plumes, the LFG control systems tend to reduce overall radon emissions by reducing advective gas flow through the landfill surface, and increasing the radon residence time in the subsurface, thus allowing more time for radon to decay. In some of the disposal scenarios considered, the radon flux from the landfill and off-site atmospheric activities exceed levels that would be allowed for radon emissions from uranium mill tailings.

Implications: Increased development of hydrocarbons from organic-rich shale formations has raised public concern that wastes from these activities containing naturally occurring radioactive materials, particularly radium, may be disposed in municipal solid waste landfills and endanger public health by releasing radon to the atmosphere. This paper analyses the processes by which radon may be emitted from a landfill to the atmosphere. The analyses indicate that landfill gas generation can significantly increase radon emissions, but that the actual level of radon emissions depend on the place of the waste, construction of the landfill cover, and nature of the landfill gas control system.     

城市污水污泥固结体重金属浸出毒性及路用性能研究

城市污水污泥的重金属离子Pb、Zn超过国家固体废弃物排放最高允许值,属于危险废物。污水污泥的最佳出路是无害化处理,资源化利用,产业化发展。研究了以上海市污水污泥为原料,加入一定比例的固化剂和矿物掺合料使之固结,经养护满足路用强度性能,测试其固结体重金属离子浸出质量浓度亦满足国家固体废弃物排放标准,即污泥中的重金属离子得到有效的束缚和稳定固化,既解决了环境问题,又为污泥产业化发展开辟了新的途径。     

Economic evaluation of a landfill system with gas recovery for municipal solid waste management: a case study

Economic activity uses resources, which leads to waste generation. With rapid industrialisation and urbanisation, per capita solid waste generation has increased considerably. Solid waste generation data for last two decades shows an alarming increase. Owing to its improper and untimely collection, the transport and disposal of municipal solid waste poses a severe threat to various components of the environment and also to public health. This paper describes the merits and demerits of various technological aspects of solid waste management. Landfill technology, as it is the most widely employed and is regarded as the most suitable and simple mechanism, especially for tropical countries such as India, is emphasised. All possible costs and benefits and externalities are examined. A cost-benefit analysis of a landfill system with gas recovery (LFSGR) has been carried out for Mumbai city's solid waste, accounting for certain external costs and benefits, and found that it could make a huge difference of savings of about Rs. 6.366 billion (approx. $0.l40 billion) per annum with reference to the existing system of waste disposal.     

污泥与生活垃圾混合填埋对渗滤液导排系统堵塞的影响

污泥经预处理达到入场标准后与生活垃圾混合填埋是我国现阶段污泥处理的主要方式。由于污泥与生活垃圾特性差异较大,会影响渗滤液物理、化学、生物特性,进而对填埋场渗滤液导排系统产生不利影响。通过柱实验对比了污泥与生活垃圾混填前后产生的渗滤液水质变化,结果表明：污泥与生活垃圾混填后渗滤液中颗粒物浓度及大颗粒物占比均有显著提升;采用生石灰对污泥预处理提高了污泥自身有机质（VFAs等）的释放速率;8%的生石灰预处理污泥（10%混合比例）掺加量会提高生活垃圾产生的渗滤液中Ca2+浓度31.6%。通过分析可知,结合填埋场导排系统堵塞的影响因素有微细颗粒物沉淀、微生物膜生长及钙基化合物沉积,从减缓填埋场导排系统堵塞、延长填埋场使用年限的角度出发,污泥宜单独分区填埋,生石灰预处理污泥不宜与生活垃圾混填。     

垃圾焚烧固化稳定化飞灰填埋处置面临的问题与对策

我国飞灰安全处置是生活垃圾焚烧污染控制及风险管理的薄弱环节,由于飞灰固化稳定化工艺的多样性,固化飞灰化学、物理、力学特性差异大,固化飞灰填埋设计标准、规范缺失,导致固化飞灰填埋处置存在扬尘大、刺激性气味强、渗滤液产量大、渗滤液组分复杂、渗滤液处理难、填埋场持续运行困难等一系列问题。基于实验测试研究成果,提出了固化飞灰的土工特性参数以及渗沥液水质典型指标的取值。通过分析提出了固化飞灰填埋场设计、运营管理、填埋作业工艺、雨污分流及渗滤液处理等相关优化建议,为固化飞灰安全填埋处置提供系统性解决方案。     

A comprehensive study on landfill site selection for Kolkata City,India

Kolkata is one of the four major metropolitan cities in India and the capital city of the state of West Bengal. With an area of 187.33 km² and a population of about 10 million (including a floating population of about 6 million), the city generates about 3500 Metric Ton (MT) of solid waste per day. Currently, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) disposes its waste at Dhapa (21.47 ha), where the disposal rate exceeds 3000 MT/day, and at Garden Reach (3.52 ha), where the disposal rate is 100 MT/day. Considering the exhaustion of Dhapa land space, city planners are urgently searching for an alternate disposal ground. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), under the sponsorship of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), has brought out literature developing the site selection criteria for municipal solid waste disposal ground to suit Indian conditions. The developed criteria encompass environmental conditions, accessibility, geological and hydrogeological conditions, and ecological and societal effects. This paper attempts to locate the most suitable site for disposal of KMC area solid waste using the multicriterion decision analysis as stipulated in CPCB 2003 guidelines and the overlay analysis of geographic information system (GIS).

Implications:The paper is based on landfill site selection for dumping of solid waste generated within Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) area. The methodology uses GIS/remote sensing, Site Sensitivity Index (an offshoot of pairwise comparison technique developed in CPCB 2003 guidelines, Government of India), and the Delphi technique. Dhapa landfill site, where solid waste of KMC area is currently being disposed, is exhausted; the authors of this article thus found it relevant to carry out a research on the selection of an alternative landfill site. The study undertaken was comprehensive, yet presented in a lucid way so that policymakers will find easy to comprehend.     

Geotechnical Engineering Properties of Incinerator Ash Mixes

Abstract

The incineration of solid waste produces large quantities of bottom and fly ash. Landfilling has been the primary mode of disposal of these waste materials. Shortage in landfill space and the high cost of treatment have, however, prompted the search for alternative uses of these waste materials. This study presents an experimental program that was conducted to determine the engineering properties of incinerator ash mixes for use as construction materials. Incinerator ash mixes were tested as received and around optimum compacted conditions. Compaction curves, shear strength, and permeability values of fly ash, bottom ash, and their various blends were investigated. Bottom ash tends to achieve maximum dry density at much lower water content than does fly ash. The mixes displayed a change in their cohesion and friction angle values when one of the two mix components was altered or as a result of the addition of water. The permeability of bottom ash is quite comparable to that of sand. The permeability of fly ash lies in the range of those values obtained for silts and clays. A 100% bottom ash compacted at the optimum water content has a lower density value and yields a higher friction angle and cohesion values than most construction fills. This would encourage the use of bottom ash as a fill or embankment material because free drainage of water will prevent the buildup of pore water pressures.     

市政污泥处理处置技术经济性分析与评价

针对由污泥处理处置成本核算复杂导致的技术路线抉择困难的问题,从经济性角度对市政污泥土地、建材2类资源化利用路径典型技术路线进行评估,以帮助决策者权衡污泥处理处置全工艺链条的选择。通过生命周期成本评价方法评价了市政污泥处理处置典型技术路线,并利用敏感性分析方法对产业布局、土地利用季节性、建材产业生产波动与污泥处理处置成本的动态响应机制进行了探究。生命周期成本评价结果表明,土地利用路径生命周期成本为310~523元·t⁻¹,经济效益为100~255元·t⁻¹;建材利用的生命周期成本为123~238元·t⁻¹,经济效益为24~78元·t⁻¹。综合生命周期成本、经济效益以及绿色低碳原则,市政污泥处理处置路线应以土地利用为主、建材利用为辅。敏感性分析结果表明,在保证污泥处置含水率达标的前提下,降低污泥脱水率、缩短污水处理厂到污泥处理处置中心的运输距离有利于减少成本;好氧发酵-土地利用路线的污泥处置成本对污泥产品临时储存量的敏感度最高,超过30%,故有必要设置储存仓库以稳定成本波动。本研究结果可为市政污泥资源化利用路径选择、成本评估和产业布局优化有参考意义。     

Airborne Emissions of Mercury from Municipal Solid Waste. II: Potential Losses of Airborne Mercury before Landfill

Abstract

Waste distribution and compaction at the working face of municipal waste landfills releases mercury vapor (Hg⁰) to the atmosphere, as does the flaring of landfill gas. Waste storage and processing before its addition to the landfill also has the potential to release Hg⁰ to the air if it is initially present or formed by chemical reduction of Hg^II to Hg⁰ within collected waste. We measured the release of Hg vapor to the atmosphere during dumpster and transfer station activities and waste storage before landfilling at a municipal landfill operation in central Florida. We also quantified the potential contribution of specific Hg-bearing wastes, including mercury (Hg) thermometers and fluorescent bulbs, and searched for primary Hg sources in sorted wastes at three different landfills. Surprisingly large fluxes were estimated for Hg losses at transfer facilities (～100 mg/hr) and from dumpsters in the field (～30 mg/hr for 1,000 dumpsters), suggesting that Hg emissions occurring before landfilling may constitute a significant fraction of the total emission from the disposal/landfill cycle and a need for more measurements on these sources. Reducing conditions of landfill burial were obviously not needed to generate strong Hg⁰ signals, indicating that much of the Hg was already present in a metallic (Hg⁰) form. Attempts to identify specific Hg sources in excavated and sorted waste indicated few readily identifiable sources; because of effective mixing and diffusion of Hg⁰, the entire waste mass acts as a source. Broken fluorescent bulbs and thermometers in dumpsters emitted Hg⁰ at 10 to >100 μg/hr and continued to act as near constant sources for several days.     

Effects of leachate recirculation on biogas production from landfill co-disposal of municipal solid waste,sewage sludge and marine sediment

Leachate recirculation is an emerging technology associated with the management of landfill. The impact of leachate recirculation on the co-disposal of three major wastes (municipal solid waste, sewage sludge and sediment dredgings) was investigated using a laboratory column study. Chemical parameters (pH, COD, ammoniacal-N, total-P) and gas production (total gas volume, production rates and concentrations of CH4 and CO2) were monitored for 11 weeks. Leachate recirculation reduced waste-stabilization time and was effective in enhancing gas production and improving leachate quality, especially in terms of COD. The results also indicated that leachate recirculation could maximize the efficiency and waste volume reduction rate of landfill sites.     

Integrating Geographic Information System network analysis and nighttime light satellite imagery to optimize landfill regionalization on a regional level

More than half of financial resources allocated for municipal solid waste management are typically spent on waste collection and transportation. An optimized landfill siting and waste collection system can save fuel costs, reduce collection truck emissions, and provide higher accessibility with lower traffic impacts. In this study, a data-driven analytical framework is developed to optimize population coverage by landfills using network analysis and satellite imagery. Two scenarios, SC1 and SC2, with different truck travel times were used to simulate generation-site–disposal-site distances in three Canadian provinces. Under status quo conditions, Landfill Regionalization Index (LFRI) ranging from 0 to 2 population centers per landfill in all three jurisdictions. LFRI consistently improved after optimization, with average LFRI ranging from 1.3 to 2.0 population centers per landfill. Lower average truck travel times and better coverage of the population centers are generally observed in the optimized systems. The proposed analytical method is found effective in improving landfill regionalization. Under SC1 and SC2, LFRI percentages of improvement ranging from 58.3% to 64.5% and 22.7% to 59.4%, respectively. Separation distance between the generation and disposal sites and truck capacity appear not a decisive factor in the optimization process. The proposed optimization framework is generally applicable to regions with different geographical and demographical attributes, and is particularly applicable in rural regions with sparsely located population centers.

     

Household hazardous waste disposal to landfill: using LandSim to model leachate migration

Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill leachate contains a number of aquatic pollutants. A specific MSW stream often referred to as household hazardous waste (HHW) can be considered to contribute a large proportion of these pollutants. This paper describes the use of the LandSim (Landfill Performance Simulation) modelling program to assess the environmental consequences of leachate release from a generic MSW landfill in receipt of co-disposed HHW. Heavy metals and organic pollutants were found to migrate into the zones beneath a model landfill site over a 20,000-year period. Arsenic and chromium were found to exceed European Union and US-EPA drinking water standards at the unsaturated zone/aquifer interface, with levels of mercury and cadmium exceeding minimum reporting values (MRVs). The findings demonstrate the pollution potential arising from HHW disposal with MSW.     

苏州市生活垃圾两种处置方法的生命周期影响评价

采用生命周期评价的方法,比较了苏州市垃圾填埋和垃圾焚烧2种处置方法对环境的影响。研究的系统范围主要包括垃圾收集、垃圾运输、垃圾填埋或焚烧以及发电等几个部分。采用收集的垃圾组分数据,利用IPCC推荐的模型等,计算了垃圾填埋和垃圾焚烧时CO₂等气体污染物的排放量。根据对垃圾渗滤液的实测数据,计算了水污染物的排放量。环境影响评价采用日本开发的AIST-LCA Ver4计算机软件进行。计算结果表明：垃圾填埋的生态币值要大得多,可见垃圾焚烧对环境的影响比垃圾填埋的影响要小。所获得的结论较为客观地反映了对环境的影响,可以作为中国城市垃圾处置决策的参考依据。     

Atmospheric mercury emissions from waste combustions measured by continuous monitoring devices

Atmospheric mercury emissions have attracted great attention owing to adverse impact of mercury on human health and the ecosystem. Although waste combustion is one of major anthropogenic sources, estimated emission might have large uncertainty due to great heterogeneity of wastes. This study investigated atmospheric emissions of speciated mercury from the combustions of municipal solid wastes (MSW), sewage treatment sludge (STS), STS with waste plastics, industrial waste mixtures (IWM), waste plastics from construction demolition, and woody wastes using continuous monitoring devices. Reactive gaseous mercury was the major form at the inlet side of air pollution control devices in all combustion cases. Its concentration was 2.0–70.6 times larger than elemental mercury concentration. In particular, MSW, STS, and IWM combustions emitted higher concentration of reactive gaseous mercury. Concentrations of both gaseous mercury species varied greatly for all waste combustions excluding woody waste. Variation coefficients of measured data were nearly equal to or more than 1.0. Emission factors of gaseous elemental mercury, reactive gaseous mercury, and total mercury were calculated using continuous monitoring data. Total mercury emission factors are 0.30 g-Hg/Mg for MSW combustion, 0.21 g-Hg/Mg for STS combustion, 0.077 g-Hg/Mg for STS with waste plastics, 0.724 g-Hg/Mg for industrial waste mixtures, 0.028 g-Hg/Mg for waste plastic combustion, and 0.0026 g-Hg/Mg for woody waste combustion. All emission factors evaluated in this study were comparable or lower than other reported data. Emission inventory using old emission factors likely causes an overestimation.

Implications Although waste combustion is one of major anthropogenic sources of atmospheric mercury emission, estimated emission might have large uncertainty due to great heterogeneity of wastes. This study investigated speciated mercury emissions from the combustions of municipal solid wastes, sewage treatment sludge with/without waste plastics, industrial waste mixtures, waste plastics from construction demolition, and woody wastes using continuous monitoring devices. Reactive gaseous mercury was the major form in all combustion cases and its concentration in the gas had large fluctuation. All emission factors evaluated in this study were comparable or lower than other reported data. Emission inventory using old emission factors likely causes an overestimation.     

Utilization of urban sewage sludge: Chinese perspectives

Purpose

Urbanization and industrialization in China has resulted in a dramatic increase in the volume of wastewater and sewage sludge produced from wastewater treatment plants. Problems associated with sewage sludge have attracted increasing attention from the public and urban planners. How to manage sludge in an economically and environmentally acceptable manner is one of the critical issues that modern societies are facing.

Methods

Sludge treatment systems consist of thickening, dewatering, and several different alternative main treatments (anaerobic digestion, aerobic digestion, drying, composting, and incineration). Agricultural application, landfill, and incineration are the principal disposal methods for sewage sludge in China. However, sewage sludge disposal in the future should focus on resource recovery, reducing environmental impacts and saving economic costs.

Results

The reuse of biosolids in all scenarios can be environmentally beneficial and cost-effective. Anaerobic digestion followed by land application is the preferable options due to low economic and energy costs and material reuse.

Conclusion

It is necessary to formulate a standard suitable for the utilization of sewage sludge in China.