Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)

Management

Babu Alappat, Ph.D

Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
I.I.T Delhi

alappat@iitd.ac.in
 Different kind of solid waste ?
• Biomedical waste (BMW)
• E-waste
• fly ash from thermal power plants
• C&D (construction and demolition) waste
• Industrial hazardous waste
• Plastic waste
• Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
 New solid waste streams
• Agro-wastes
• Scrap automobiles
• Institutional hazardous wastes
• Sludge from ETPs (Effluent treatment
plants) and STPs (Sewage treatment plants)
• Waste solar panels
 What is MSW ?
• Waste collected by the Municipality
• Waste from houses, markets, parks,
institutions, offices, gardens, street
sweeping, etc etc
• Waste that contains: paper, plastics, glass,
leather, rubber, metals, stale food, leaves,
stones, debris, etc
• Waste other than: BMW, fly ash, haz waste,
radioactive waste, etc
 Issues with MSW
• Huge volume / quantity
• Possibility of decay
• Bad odour
• Pollution of air / soil / water
• Infectious diseases
• Bird / dog / rodent menace
• Poor aesthetics
 How to manage MSW ??
• Storage at source of generation
• Primary collection
• Municipal storage
• Transportation to processing stations
• Waste processing / treatment
• Final disposal
 Hierarchy of waste management
plan
• Reduction at the source – reuse
• Recovery and recycling
• Waste processing (with some recovery)
• Waste transformation (without recovery)
• Final disposal
History of MSW Management in
India
MSW Disposal – early model

Before 1970s – 1980s

MSW
(raw mixed)

City Boundary

Land-dump

Land-dumps outside the city boundaries

 MSW Management – early model

After 1980s-1990s

MSW
(raw mixed)

LFG (Landfill gas) Land-dump

Leachate City Boundary

Now land-dumps are within the city boundaries

 MSW Management – Introduction of Treatment

MSW
(raw mixed) 1980s onwards

Windrow
Composting

Separation Rejects
Techniques

Green
Compost
Maturation

Ripe Compost Land-dumps

Low compost quality, not many takers

 Raw MSW Incineration Plant

1987 – Timarpur, Delhi

MSW
(raw mixed)

Storage Pit

Flue gas to treatment units

WtE Plant
Heat for energy recovery

Bottom Ash & Fly ash Land-dump

This was a failure due to poor heat content

 MSW Management – Introduction of RDF*

MSW
1990s at Deonar, Bombay
(raw mixed)

Drying

Separation & Rejects

Shredding

Pelletization

Refuse Land-dumps
Derived Fuel

*Refuse Derived Fuel

Quality not guaranteed
Municipal Solid Waste (Handling
and Management) Rules, 2000
• Waste has to be processed before landfilling
• No more land-dumping, but engineered landfills

Compost plants continued

RDF plants continued
Land-dumping / landfilling continued
New addition: Raw mixed MSW Incineration (Mass Burning)
 MSW Incineration Plant (Raw Waste Combustion)

2010 onwards
MSW
(raw mixed)

Manual Rejects
Moisture and Pre-sorting
Gaseous loss

Storage Pit
(5 day storage)

Flue gas to treatment units

WtE Plant
Heat for energy recovery

Bottom Ash & Fly ash Sanitary Landfill

Much public protest and agitations

• Technologies competed each other to treat
the raw mixed MSW

• Poor quality compost (only few takers)

• Poor quality RDF (not a standard product, difficult for co-firing)
• Low performance of Incineration facilities
Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016
• segregate right at source – 3 container system
» Biodegradables (wet) Green
» Recyclables (Dry) White
» Domestic hazardous Black
• Biodegradable components for composting / bio-
methanation / bio-processing (preferably decentralized)
• Dry waste  sorting / separation
• Combustible portion goes for Incineration
/Gasification / Pyrolysis / RDF manufacturing
• RDF can be incinerated or co-combusted
• Mention of Sanitary napkins
 • TREATMENT TECHNIQUES BECOME
COMPLIMENTARY
• However, MIXED WASTE IS THE REALITY

• Waste segregation at the source is the key

of proper management
• But it is not happening in most of the cities
• Then municipality is trying to do that
• Raw mixed waste  separators  
 organic components  composting / bio-
methanation
 burnable components  RDF / Incineration
 ferrous metals  recycling
non-ferrous metals
Glass  recycling
inerts  construction / filling / covering material
What remains  landfill
 MSW Integrated Processing (RDF Burning)
MSW
(raw mixed) 2016 onwards
Moisture and
Storage Pit
Gaseous loss

Magnetic Separator Fe metal (few kgs)

RDF (+100 mm) Ballistic Separator Rejects (+100 mm)

Shredder 100 mm sieve

0-100 mm
< 80 mm
RDF (10-100 mm) Ballistic Separator Rejects (10-100 mm)
10 mm sieve

0-10 mm

Moisture loss Windrow composting

0-4 mm Rejects (4-10 mm)

Compost Screening at 4 mm

Bottom Ash & Fly ash Sanitary Landfill

WtE Plant

Energy Flue gas

 Characteristics of MSW
• Component analysis
• Proximate analysis
• Ultimate analysis
• Heat content
• Bulk density
• Particle size distribution
• Specific heat
 Analysis of MSW
• Component analysis:
• Based on the various components like paper, glass,
leather, biodegradables, plastics, etc
• Proximate Analysis:
• % Volatiles, % water Content and % Inerts
• Total makes 100%
• Ultimate Analysis:
• % C, %H, %O, %N, %S and % inerts
2000 MSW Composition in US

3%
12% Paper and Paperboard
Glass
Metals
37%
11% Plastics
Rubber and Leather
Textiles
5% Wood
Food
4%
Yard Trash
3% 6% Other
8%
11%
Udaipur

Food Waste
Paper waste
Plastic
Glass
Fine earth and ash
Textile
Rubber/Leather
Metals
Kanpur

Percentage(%)

Food
Paper and Cardboard
Plastics
Textile
Wood
Glass
Metals
coal ash
leather
Ultimate and Proximate Analysis

Moisture

Non-combustibles
Inerts
As
S discarded
or
N
Dry as
H Volatile Weight received

O Matter

Ultimate Proximate
 Characterization of Waste
• Laboratory analysis

• Theoretical estimation
 Calculation of Heat Content,
Moisture Content, Ash Content
Material Moist. Heat Content*
Paper 4-10 % 5000-8000 BTU/lb
Plastics 1-4 12000-16000
Textiles 6-15 6500-8000
Rubber 1-4 9000-12000
Leather 8-12 6500-8500
Food 50-80 1500-3000
Wood 15-40 1000-8000 Btu/lb
Glass 1-4 50-100
Tins 2-4 100-500
Metals 2-6 100-500
Non-ferrous 2-4 100-500
Dirts /ash 6-12 1000-5000

• % by weight (as discarded basis or as received

basis)

• 1 BTU = 252 Calories = 1055 Joules

• 1 kg = 2.204 lb
 Ultimate Analysis of the
Components (dry weight) of MSW
components % C %H %O %N %S %inert
s
Paper 43.5 6 44 0.3 0.2 6
Cardboard 44 5.9 44.6 0.3 0.2 5
Plastics 60 7.2 22.8 - - 10
Food 48 6.4 37.6 2.6 0.4 5
wastes
Textiles 55 6.6 31.2 4.6 0.15 2.5
rubber 78 10 - 2 - 10
Leather 60 8 11.6 10 0.4 10

Yard 47.8 6 38 3.4 0.3 4.5

wastes

Wood 49.5 6 42.7 0.2 0.1 1.5

% by weight (dry basis)

Glass 0.5 0.1 0.4 <0.1 - 98.9
Tins 4.5 0.6 4.3 <0.1 - 90.5
Metals 4.5 0.6 4.3 <0.1 - 90.5

Non- 4.5 0.6 4.3 <0.1 - 90.5

ferrou
s
dirt / 26.3 3 2 0.5 0.2 68
soil/stone
s/ ash

% by weight (dry basis)

 Suitability for Incineration – Rule of Thump

Autogenous
Incineration

Incineration possible
With auxiliary Fuel
Incineration
Is not 1500 kacl/kg 2400 kcal/kg
advisable
Suitability for Incineration: Fuel
Triangle (Tanner Diagram)
Perform ultimate and proximate analysis on the waste sample
given below.

Components Wt. as % Higher Heat

discarded Moistur Content
e ‘as discarded’
by Wt. basis

Paper 4.00 kg 7 % 6500 Btu/lb

Cardboard 8.00 kg 6 7000 Btu/lb

Glass 4.00 kg 3 75 Btu/lb

Plastics 1.00 kg 3 14 000 Btu/lb

Aluminium 3.00 kg 3 100

Ferrous Metals 8.00 kg 3 100

Food wastes 40.00 kg 52 2500

Dirt/ash 35.00 kg 8 1000

1 Btu = 252 Cal = 1055 J 1kg = 2.204 lb

 Ultimate Analysis of the components of MSW (dry basis)

Componen %C %H %O %N %S % Inerts
ts
Paper 43.5 6 44 0.3 0.2 6

Cardboard 44 5.9 44.6 0.3 0.2 5

Glass 0.5 0.1 0.4 0.1 - 98.9

Plastics 60 7.2 22.8 - - 10

Aluminium 4.5 0.6 4.3 0.1 - 90.5

Ferrous 4.5 0.6 4.3 0.1 - 90.5

Metals
Food 48 6.4 37.6 2.6 0.4 5
wastes
Dirt / ash 26.3 3 2 0.5 0.2 68
Components Wt. as % Dry weight Higher Heat Higher Heat
discarded Moisture kg Content Content
by Wt. ‘as discarded’ basis kJ

Paper 4.00 kg 7 % 3.72 6500 Btu/lb 60450

Cardboard 8.00 kg 6 7.52 7000 Btu/lb 130200

Glass 4.00 kg 3 3.88 75 Btu/lb 698

Plastics 1.00 kg 3 0.97 14 000 Btu/lb 32550

Aluminium 3.00 kg 3 2.91 100 698

Ferrous Metals 8.00 kg 3 7.76 100 1860

Food wastes 40.00 kg 52 19.2 2500 232500

Dirt 35.00 kg 8 32.2 1000 81375

TOTAL 103kg 78.16kg 540330 kJ

Ultimate Analysis of the components of MSW (dry basis)
Components %C %H %O %N %S % Inerts

Paper 43.5 6 44 0.3 0.2 6

3.72 kg 1.62 0.22 1.64 0.01 0.007 0.22

Cardboard 44 5.9 44.6 0.3 0.2 5

7.52 kg 3.31 0.44 3.35 0.02 0.02 0.376

Glass 0.5 0.1 0.4 0.1 - 98.9

3.88 kg
Plastics 60 7.2 22.8 - - 10
0.97 kg
Aluminium 4.5 0.6 4.3 0.1 - 90.5
2.91 kg

Ferrous Metals 4.5 0.6 4.3 0.1 - 90.5

7.76 kg

Food wastes 48 6.4 37.6 2.6 0.4 5

19.2 kg

Dirt 26.3 3 2 0.5 0.2 68

32.2 kg

TOTAL 23.7 kg 3 kg 13.55 kg 0.705kg 0.167kg 37.05 kg

PROXIMATE ANALYSIS

% Moisture : (103 – 78.16) / 103 * 100 = 24.12 %

% Inerts : 37.05 / 103 * 100 = 35.97 %

% Volatiles : 100 – (24.12 + 35.97) = 39.91 %

ULTIMATE ANALYSIS

Total dry matter = 78.16 kg

Carbon 23.7/78.16 *100 = 30.32 %

Hydrogen 3 / 78.16 * 100 = 3.84 %

Oxygen 13.55/78.16 * 100 = 17.34%

Nitrogen 0.705/78.16 * 100 = 0.90 %

Sulphur 0.167 /78.16 *100 = 0.214%

Inerts 37.05 / 78.16 *100 = 47.4 %

Is this MSW directly incinerable ? If no, how can you make that incinerable ? To
what extent ?

Higher heat content as received = 540330 / 103 = 5246 kJ/kg of raw MSW

Thump rule :

Autogeneous combustion if heat content is above 2400 kCal/kg (10048 kJ/kg)

Incineration not recommended below 1500 kCal/kg (6280 kJ/kg)

This shows that the given raw MSW is not incinerable as such.

Now, let us try to make it incinerable by DRYING the RAW MSW

After drying, heat content = 540330 / 78.16 = 6913 kJ/kg of dry MSW

This shows that DRYING makes the given MSW incinerable with auxilliary fuel.
However, for proper incineration, it is better to have a higher heat content.
Hence improve the heat content further by removing ferrous metals (possible
by using a magnetic separator) from the dry MSW.

Heat content after removing moisture and ferrous metals

= (540330 – 1860) / (78.16 – 7.76) = 7649 kJ/kg of dry MSW without

ferrous metals

Now incineration is possible with auxilliary fuel. To improve the heat

content further, use an air classifier instead of a magnetic separator. That is to
remove, all heavy materials (inerts / non-burnables) from the dry MSW.

Now, heat content after removing moisture and all inert materials

= (540330 – 84631) / (78.16 – 46.75) = 14508 kJ/kg

This is very good for incineration. You can burn this MSW without any
auxulliary fuel recovering heat for power generation. But remember, it is
costly as all inert materials are to be removed after drying the MSW.
 TREATMENT
TECHNIQUES FOR MSW
• Biological route: for biodegradable portion,
the most acceptable option
• Composting
• Biomethanation
• Chemical Route: not popular for MSW
• Physico-chemical Route: not popular for MSW
• Thermal Route: for combustable portion,
Costliest; but rapid
• Incineration
• Gasification Pyrolysis
Composting of MSW
• Composting: organized method of
producing compost by adopting and
accelerating the natural decomposition
phenomenon
• Compost : an organic manure containing
N,P,K and other micro-nutrients
• Compost should be used with other
chemical fertilizers for optimum results
 Composting Techniques
• Anaerobic Composting

• Aerobic Composting
– Conventional windrow Composting
– Rapid Composting
• Vermi-composting
• Mechanical Composting
• Composting: aerobic or anaerobic
• Aerobic composting:
using aerobic microorganisms,
end products are CO2, NH3, nitrates, etc
Carbon is the source of energy
exothermic reaction and temp. rises
all pathogens are killed
overall, it takes 2-3 months
no foul smell
• Anaerobic composting:
using anaerobic microorganisms
reduction reaction
end products are CH4, CO2, H2S, etc
temperature does not increases
pathogens are not killed
it takes 4 to 6 months
odour problem
large space requirements
 For MSW, on municipal scale,
Aerobic Composting is preferred
 Factors affecting Aerobic
Composting
• Microorganisms
• Shredding of refuse
• C/N ratio
• Temperature
• Moisture content
• Windrow details
• Aeration/turning
Micro-organisms
• In the aerobic systems, there are many
organisms actively participating !
bacteria, actnomycetes, fungi, others
• In the initial stages: mostly mesophilic form
(temp 30 to 40 oC)
• then: mostly thermophilic bacteria and fungi
(60 to 70 oC)
• In final stage: mesophilic bacteria and fungi
• Bacteria: breaks down mostly protein and
other organic matter
• Fungi and Actinomycetes decomposes
lignin and cellulose
• Most of the organisms for composting are
readily available in the MSW itself.
• But there are inoculums and enzymes
claiming to hasten composting. This is
required for sure for agricultural and
industrial wastes
 Shredding of the MSW
• For better bacterial invasion
• Shredding destroy the natural resistance of the
vegetation to microbial invasion
• Provides larger surface area
• Better availability of oxygen
• Uniform and rapid decomposition
• Materials become more homogeneous
• Better fly control/moisture control
• Desirable size for composting: less than 2
inch
• Material size governs (to certain extent) the
size of the finished product
• Compost for flower gardens/lawn: < 1 cm
 C/N ratio
• C/N ratio available is important as all C present
may not be available for degradation
• For rapid composting, initial C/N ratio of the
waste = 30 is ideal. (range 26 to 32)
• If C/N ratio is >>30, add N sources like blood,
sewage sludge, slaughter house wastes, etc.
• If C/N ratio is <<30, add C sources like straw, saw
dust, paper, etc.
• For the finished compost product: C/N ratio = 16-
20 is the best
• If C/N ratio is >>20, robbing of nitrogen
takes place. There shall be a delay for the
availability of N to the plants. This is
because the excess C tend to use N in the
soil to build cell protoplasm.
• If C/N ratio is <<20, that compost cannot
improve the soil structure considerably.
Temperature
• MSW has good insulation properties; so the
temperature shoots up in aerobic composting.
• It may increase to 65 to 70 oC. But optimum temp
is 50 to 60 oC
• If temp is > 70 oC, it may inactivate the
enzymes/organisms
• All pathogens shall be killed if 50 to 60 oC is
maintained for 5-7 days
• No temp. rise in anaerobic composting
 Moisture Content
• Optimum : 45 to 55 % by weight
• If moisture is considerably less than the optimum,
the physiological needs of the organisms are not
met.
• If moisture is considerably greater than the
optimum, pores may be blocked affecting the
oxygen supply. System may turn anaerobic
• If moisture is < 40%, just add water
• No composting if moisture is < 12 %
 Windrow Dimensions
• For aerobic composting, materials should be
loosely packed.
• If windrow height is too much, self weight causes
some compression and the pore space reduces
• If windrow height is too low, heat loss will be
high and temperature goes below optimum
• Height can be more in cold season/countries
• For MSW, for simple windrow, height shall not
be more than 1.5 to 1.8 m and not less than 1 to
1.2 m , width: 2.4 m to 3.6 m
• Height is in between 1.8 to 2.7 m for the
windrows with air circulation arrangement
at the center. In this case, width is 3.6 m to
6.1 m
• Turning / mixing equipment also decides
the height of the windrows
 Finished Product – Ripe Compost

• Colour: black brown or black

• Odour: earthy
• Crumbly in nature
• Weight: about 50 % of the original waste
• It is neither very dry nor watery
• N,P,K content ~ 1% (each)
• C/N ratio < 20
 MSW Compost Plant
• Major expenditure (capital and operational)
is for the SEPERATION of the bio-
degradable from the inerts
• An array of separation techniques may be
required
• Separation may be carried after or before
Composting
• Air Classification • To separate light
materials

• Magnetic Separator • For ferrous metals

• Eddy current separator • Non-ferrous metals

• Screens • Size Separation

• Manual Separation • Materials that can be

hand picked
• Many more compost plants are likely to
come up in future
• This is an established technology for MSW
management.
…….However…..
• There should be a better market for the
compost
• Subsidize the price of compost
• Hike the price of chemical fertilizers
 Vermi-Composting (Rapid Composting)

• Bio-degradable are degraded by the aerobic

bacteria
• Earthworms feed on the organic matter. During
the passage through the worm’s alimentary canal,
it is converted to a simpler humus rich material
due to the action of the enzymatic secretions and
bacteria.
• Earthworms are effectively used for maximizing
the growth of aerobic bacteria
• Time requirement: about 1 to 1.50 months
 Earthworms
• They are invertebrates, Phylum: Annelida
• More than 3000 species
• In India, there are about 500 species
• Only surface dwelling earthworms are
useful a composters
• Deep burrowing type is not preferred
• Most suitable species: Eudrilus Eugeinae
and Eisenia Foetida
 + and – of vermi-composting
• Simple to construct and operate
• No mechanical/electrical parts
• Minimum cost
• High process stability
• Elimination of pathogens
• Large land requirements
• Uncertainty and lack of understanding
• Slow nature ( about 1 to 1.5 months )
• Vermi-Composting is a viable and eco-
friendly technology for MSW management
• But mostly feasible for small community or
campus (NOT SUITABLE ON A
LARGE~SCALE)
• There should be a good market for vermi-
compost for self-sustainability of a vermi-
compost project
 COMPOST QUALITY

VERMICOMPOST ORDINARY COMPOST

Nitrogen (%) 2.5 - 3.5 0.5 - 1.5

Phosphorus (%) 0.5 - 2.0 0.5 - 0.9
Potash (%) 1.5 - 2.0 1.2 - 1.4

 B e s i d e s , Ve r m i - c o m p o s t c o n t a i n s b e n e f i c i a l
Microorganisms, Actinomycetes, Micro-nutrients
Enzymes and Hormones in available form
 Rotary Drum Composting
• To decrease the composting time to about 7-
10 days to get green compost
• Another 10 to 15 days maturation to get ripe
compost
• To get very high quality compost (all N, P.
K about 3%)
• Rotary drum composting is a sort of High
rate Composting !
Air required for aerobic composting

Ca Hb Oc Nd + [(4a+b-2c-3d)/4] O2  aCO2
+ [(b-3d)/2] H2O + dNH3

Oxidation of NH3:
NH3 + 2O2  H2O + HNO3

Total Oxygen required: summation of both