Microstructural analysis of marl stabilized with municipal solid waste and nano-MgO

Municipal solid waste(MSW)is accumulating over elapsed time across the world,and it is observed in many projects associated with weak soils,such as marl.Therefore,effective solutions to the environmental problem are essential.Conventional techniques for stabilizing marl generally use substances such as lime and cement,which could exacerbate pollution.For this,some new stabilizers,e.g.nano-MgO,are used.There are large quantities of marls and MSW in Shiraz City,Iran.The present study aims to evaluate the feasibility of using nano-MgO as a green low-carbon binder to remove MSW from the environment and make construction projects more cost-effective.Consolidated drained shear tests were conducted to evaluate the mechanical behaviors of the nano-MgO treated marl specimens at high normal stresses.The marl specimens containing MSW percentages of 15%,25%,35%,and 45%and nano-MgO percentages of 0.25%,0.5%,0.75%,and 1%,were used.It is found that the marl containing 15%and 25%MSW and 0.5%nano-MgO at 28-d curing can perform cation exchange and form new cementitious products.The soils with merely MSW show good performance due to the removal of the kaolinite and the formation of brucite.However,the soil with 25%MSW and 0.5%nano-MgO shows the same strength enhancement as the specimen with the optimal nano-MgO(0.75%)through the formation of dolomite,with a 20.59%increase in strain energy(SE).

Assessment of Methane Flux from Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Landfill Areas of Delhi, India

Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are the major Greenhouse Gases (GHG’s), which emit from landfill areas and contribute significantly to global warming. Moreover, that the global warming potential of methane is 21 times higher than that of carbon dioxide and it has highest generation (60%) than other gases. Therefore, there is immense concern for its abatement or utilization from landfill areas. Compared to the west, the composition of municipal solid waste (MSW) in developing countries has higher (40% - 60%) organic waste. This would have potential to emit higher GHG’s from per ton of MSW compared to developed world. Beside that landfills areas in India are not planned or en- gineered generally low lying open areas, where MSW is indiscriminate disposed. This leads to uncontrolled emission of trace gases, foul smell, bird menace, ground and surface water pollution etc. Due to scarcity of land in big cities, mu- nicipal authorities are using same landfill for nearly 10 - 20 years. Hence, the possibility of anaerobic emission of GHG’s further increases. In the present paper we had quantified the methane emission from three MSW landfill areas of Delhi i.e., Gazipur, Bhalswa and Okhla. The results showed that the range of methane emission various in winter from 12.94 to 58.41 and in Summer from 82.69 - 293 mg/m2/h in these landfill areas. The paper has also reviewed the literature on methane emission from India and the status of landfill areas in India.

Estimation of Methane Emissions from Municipal Solid Waste Landfills in China Based on Point Emission Sources

The methane(CH4) emissions from municipal solid waste(MSW) landfills in China in 2007 were estimated based on database of the three-dimensional emission factors matrix and point sources, by an IPCC recommended FOD(firstorder decay) model. The location, capacity and age of landfills constitute the three dimensions of the emission factors matrix, which were obtained by laboratory analysis and in situ investigation. Key parameters such as waste composition,degradable organic carbon ratio, CH4 correction factor, oxidation factor and recovery rate, were carefully analyzed in terms of these three dimensions. The point sources database consists of 2,107 MSW landfills in cities and towns of China in 2007. The results show that the CH4 emissions from MSW landfills were 1.186 Mt in 2007. Compared with the CH4 emissions of 2.20 Mt in 2005, the significant discrepancy mainly comes from statistical data of landfills, e.g., number of landfills and amount of waste disposed in landfills. CH4 emissions were lower than 700 t for most of the landfills, whereas there were 279 landfills with emissions larger than 1,000 t, and only 10 landfills with emissions larger than 10,000 t.Jiangsu province ranks the largest emitter with 98,700 t while Tibet is the smallest emitter with 2,100 t. In general,the emissions from eastern provinces, such as Jiangsu, Guangdong and Zhejiang, were larger than those from western provinces, such as Ningxia, Tibet and Qinghai.

Minimizing N_20 fluxes from full-scale municipal solid waste landfill with properly selected cover soil

Municipal solid waste landfills emit nitrous oxide （N2O） gas. Assuming that the soil cover is the primary N2O source from landfills, this study tested, during a four-year project, the hypothesis that the proper use of chosen soils with fine texture minimizes N2O emissions. A full-scale sanitary landfill, a full-scale bioreactor landfill and a cell planted with Nerium indicum or Festuca arundinacea Schreb, at the Hangzhou Tianziling landfill in Hangzhou City were the test sites. The N2O emission rates from all test sites were considerably lower than those reported in the published reports. Specifically, the N2O emission rate was dependent on soil water content and nitrate concentrations in the cover soil. The effects of leachate recirculation and irrigation were minimal. Properly chosen cover soils applied to the landfills reduced N2O flux.

Microbiological indication of municipal solid waste landfill non-stabilization

Accidental collapse resulted from unstable factors is an important technological problem to be solved in sanitary landfill. Microbiological degradation of organic matters in landfilled solid waste are an important unstable factor. A landfill reactor was thus manufactured and installed to examine quantitative and population dynamics of microorganisms during degradation of landfilled solid waste. It was showed that unstable landfill can be reflected and indicated by microbiological features such as rapidly decreased growth amount of microorganisms, no detection of fungi and actinomyces, and changing the dominant population into methanogenic bacteria and Acinotobacter.

Municipal solid waste degradation and landfill gas resources characteristics in self-recirculating sequencing batch bioreactor landfill

Based on the degradation characteristics of municipal solid waste(MSW)in China,the traditional anaerobic sequencing batch bioreactor landfill(ASBRL)was optimized,and an improved anaerobic sequencing batch bioreactor landfill(IASBRL)was put forward on the basis of leachate self-recirculation.By monitoring MSW composition,leachate characteristics variation and landfill gas(LFG)generation,the effect of IASBRL was comparatively studied by simulation landfill.Based on the adjusting,scouring and carrying effects of leachate self-recirculation,IASBRL can rapidly decrease Eh value to about-500mV and form a suitable biochemical environment for methanogens,which provides a precondition for stable cooperation between non-methanogens and methanogens.IASBRL can avoid the accumulation of organic acids,make VFA(volatile fatty acid)concentration and CODCr decrease along with the small range fluctuations,and form a stable decomposition-consumption synergy during MSW degradation,therefore,the hydrolysis rate of easy hydrolyze material reaches 71.2% in IASBRL.From the viewpoint of LFG resources in IASBRL,the cumulative LFG production increases to 2327.0L,CH4 mass fraction stabilizes at about 50%,and these provide a favorable precondition for LFG development.

Porous Structure of Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Bottom Ash in Initial Stage of Landfill

For quantitative estimation of the intra-layer porous structure in the initial stage of landfill formation with municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) bottom ash, the water absorption of individual MSWI bottom ash particles was measured under still-water, degassed, and agitated conditions. The ratio of the water absorption rate found for the still-water procedure to the effective absorption capacity which was the one under degassing was 35.2%. In the water flow experiment of a column filled with MSWI bottom ash, the true density of the bottom ash was higher after water flow than before, which indicated that dissolution of the soluble components of the bottom ash particle surfaces resulted in a loss of apparent particle volume that more than offset the accompanying weight loss. The volume-based water absorption rate found for the bottom ash particles following 50 mL/h water flow through the column, as a ratio to the effective absorption capacity was about 51.8% of the effective absorption capacity. In a landfill layer comprised of MSWI bottom ash, it was suggested that some regions of the ash particle interiors underwent almost no contact with water.

Effect of Leachate Recirculation on Settlement and Leachate Generation of Municipal Solid Waste from Landfill Lysimeter

The objectives of this study are to determine the settlement and leachate generation from landfill lysimeters of municipal solid waste. Two identical lysimeters with a diameter and height of 0.70 m and 2.40 m were prepared, respectively. The lysimeters were operated with and without leachate recirculation treatment. The settlement and leachate generation were quantified daily. The analysis of settlement was conducted by using hyperbolic function and curve fitting. Based on the experiments result, it is observed that garbage pile settlement in lysimeter treated with leachate recirculation （L-2） is higher than without recirculation treatment （L-1） as showed by the hyperbolic function and curve fitting result. The ultimate settlement （S_wlt） for L-1 and L-2 that used hyperbolic function were 0.487 m and 0.53 m, respectively. Meanwhile （S_wlt） that using curve fitting resulted 0.74 m, and 0.68 m for L-1 and L-2, respectively. The lysimeter which treated with leachate recirculation treatment showed a higher leachate height than without the treatment.

A perspective analysis on municipal solid waste(MSW) energy recovery in China

The paper analysed the current situation of municipal solid waste(MSW) quantity and quality in China and the changing tendencies of its composition. Further more, the energy value of MSW was discussed. To the point of the technical and economic aspects, the feasibility of the energy recovery from MSW was also analysed. The conclusion is that the energy can be effectively recovered through a landfill gas utilization process and the energy produced by an incineration process. Through a suitable energy recovery process, it is possible to improve the economic viability of a MSW treatment process.

Technology of comprehensive disposal and utilization of municipal solid waste (MSW)

The project for treating MSW of 200 tons each day was built in Yibin, Sichuan Province of China. The disposal processes are: separation and selection of usable resources; compost and fermentation of “heavy” organic waste (kitchen, garden composting rubbish); incineration of “light” waste (plastic, paper, wood and bamboo etc.) and landfill of inorganic waste. The thermal energy generated in the process can be used as 1/3 of the whole energy for drying fertilizers. In the process, there is no wastewater drainage, and air emissions can be effectively controlled by a series of measures. The sanitary and environmental indicators of disposal site meet the national standards. This project has worked well for two years. It not only disposes of and reduces the MSW, but also retrieves the resource effectively. The organic fertilizer has been applied in the ten thousand acres of fields, with productivity increase by more than 10%.

Engineering properties for high kitchen waste content municipal solid waste

Engineering properties of municipal solid waste （MSW） depend largely on the waste＇s initial compositionand degree of degradation. MSWs in developing countries usually have a high kitchen waste content（called HKWC MSW）. After comparing and analyzing the laboratory and field test results of physicalcomposition, hydraulic properties, gas generation and gas permeability, and mechanical properties forHKWC MSW and low kitchen waste content MSW （called LKWC MSW）, the following findings wereobtained： （1） HKWC MSW has a higher initial water content （IWC） than LKWC MSW, but the field capacitiesof decomposed HKWC and LKWC MSWs are similar; （2） the hydraulic conductivity and gaspermeability for HKWC MSW are both an order of magnitude smaller than those for LKWC MSW; （3）compared with LKWC MSW, HKWC MSW has a higher landfill gas （LFG） generation rate but a shorterduration and a lower potential capacity; （4） the primary compression feature for decomposed HKWCMSW is similar to that of decomposed LKWC MSW, but the compression induced by degradation ofHKWC MSW is greater than that of LKWC MSW; and （5） the shear strength of HKWC MSW changessignificantly with time and strain. Based on the differences of engineering properties between these twokinds of MSWs, the geo-environmental issues in HKWC MSW landfills were analyzed, including highleachate production, high leachate mounds, low LFG collection efficiency, large settlement and slopestability problem, and corresponding advice for the management and design of HKWC MSW landfills wasrecommended.

Environmental monitoring and fuzzy synthetic evaluation of municipal solid waste transfer stations in Beijing in 2001-2006

Transfer station(TS)is an integral part of present-day municipal solid waste(MSW)management systems.To provide information for the incorporation of waste facilities within the current integrated waste management system,the authors measured the existing environmental quality at five MSW TSs.Discharged wastewater,air,and noise were monitored and assayed at the five TSs in Beijing in 2001-2006 during rainy seasons(RSs)and dry seasons(DSs).Except Ammonia(NH_3)and hydrogen sulfide(H_2S),the analytical results of...

Potential landfill site selection for solid waste disposal using GIS and multi-criteria decision analysis(MCDA)

Proper solid waste disposal is an important socioeconomic concern for all developing countries.Municipalities have their own policies,individual approaches and methods to manage the solid wastes.They consider wastelands outside the urban area as the best suitable for the solid waste disposal.Such improper site selection will create morphological changes that lead to environmental hazards in the urban and its surrounding areas.In this research,the site selection for urban solid waste disposal in the Coimbatore district used geographical information system(GIS)and multi-criteria decision analysis(MCDA).Thematic layers of lineament density,landuse/landcover,population density,groundwater depth,drainage density,slope,soil texture,geology and geomorphology were considered as primary criteria and weights for criteria,and sub-criteria were assigned by MCDA analysis.The resultant weight score was validated by consistency ratio so that the efficiency of the selected criteria was justified.The overlay analysis in GIS environment provides 17 potential zones in Coimbatore district,among which,four suitable sites were screened and refined with the help of field investigation and visual interpretation of satellite image.The result of landfill suitability map shows the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Impact of open dumping of municipal solid waste on soil properties in mountainous region

This paper presents the effect of open dumping of municipal solid waste(MSW) on soil characteristics in the mountainous region of Himachal Pradesh, India. The solid waste of dumpsite contains various complex characteristics with organic fractions of the highest proportions. As leachate percolates into the soil, it migrates contaminants into the soil and affects soil stability and strength. The study includes the geotechnical investigation of dump soil characteristics and its comparison with the natural soil samples taken from outside the proximity of dumpsites. The geochemical analysis of dumpsite soil samples was also carried out by scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS).Visual inspection revealed that the MSW consists of high fraction of organics, followed by paper. The soil samples were collected from five trial pits in the dumpsites at depths of 0.5 m, 1 m and 1.5 m. Then the collected soil samples were subjected to specific gravity test, grain size analysis, Atterberg’s limit test,compaction test, direct shear test, California bearing ratio(CBR) test and permeability analysis. The study indicated that the dumpsite soils from four study regions show decreasing trends in the values of maximum dry density(MDD), specific gravity, cohesion and CBR, and increasing permeability as compared to the natural soil. The results show that the geotechnical properties of the soils at all four study locations have been severely hampered due to contamination induced by open dumping of waste.

Selection of Landfill Sites for Solid Waste Treatment in Damaturu Town-Using GIS Techniques

Landfill has been recognized as the cheapest form for the final disposal of municipal solid waste and as such has been the most used method in the world. However, siting landfill is an extremely complex task mainly due to the fact that the identification and selection process involves many factors and strict regulations. For proper identification and selection of appropriate sites for landfills careful and systematic procedures need to be adopted and followed. Wrong siting of landfill many result in environmental degradation and often time public opposition. In this study, attempts have been made to determine sites that are appropriate for landfill siting in Damaturu town Nigeria, by combining geographic information system (GIS) and a multi-criteria decision making method (MCDM) known as the analytic network process (ANP) for the determination of the relative importance weights of factors (criteria). The land suitability output is presented from less suitable to the most suitable areas. The final map produced show areas that are suitable for landfill siting. Based on the analysis fourteen sites were identified to fulfill the required criteria, however, only seven met the land availability criteria of twenty hectares and above. The results showed the efficacy of GIS and multi-criteria decision making method in decision making.

Laboratory testing of a densified municipal solid waste in Beijing

Municipal solid waste （MSW） and its disposal are gaining significant importance in geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering. However, conventional research is primarily focused on fresh MSW or MSW that is compacted under its own weight in the landfill. In this work, a series of tests to study the properties of a densified MSW after ground treatment were presented. The tests involved oedometer test, simple shear test, triaxial shear test, and permeability test, which were conducted to investigate the compressibility, shear strength, creep behavior and permeability of the MSW. The results show that the compressibility modulus of the MSW increases as the dry density increases. However, the influence of density on modulus decreases once the density reaches a certain value. Like most soils, the stress-strain curve of the densified MSW can be approximated by a hyperbola in the triaxial shear test. Fibrous components provide additional cohesion for MSW, but have a relatively smaller effect on friction angle. Permeability is also found to be closely related to the dry density of the MSW, i.e., MSW with a higher dry density has a smaller permeability. The permeability coefficient may be less than 10 7 cm/s if the density is high enough.

CH4 emission and recovery from Municipal Solid Waste in China

Methane (CH 4) is an important greenhouse gas and a major environmental pollutant, second only to carbon dioxide (CO 2) in its contribution to potential global warming. In many cases, methane emission from landfills otherwise emitted to the atmosphere can be removed and utilized, or significantly reduced in quantity by using cost effective management methods. The gas can also be used as a residential, commercial, or industrial fuel. Therefore, emission reduction strategies have the potential to become low cost, or even profitable. The annual growth rate of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) output in China is 6.24%, with the highest levels found in South China, Southwest China and East China. Cities and towns are developing quickly in these regions. MSW output was only 76.36 Mt in 1991 and increased to 109.82 Mt in 1997, registering an average increase of 43.8%. In China, methane emission from landfills also increased from 5.88 Mt in 1991 to 8.46 Mt in 1997; so the recovery of methane from landfills is a profitable project.

Modeling Environmental Susceptibility of Municipal Solid Waste Disposal Sites: A Case Study in São Paulo State, Brazil

The large excess of solid waste generated in cities is a result of population growth and economic development. Properly managing this municipal solid waste (MSW) is a challenge, mainly in underdeveloped and developing countries where financial concerns are an added problem. From the environmental point of view, a major issue is properly disposing MSW taking into consideration a wide range of factors, and working with different spatial data. In this study, we used geographic information system (GIS) to perform multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) conducted by analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The development of the environmental impact susceptibility model (EISM) for municipal solid waste disposal sites (MSWDS) applied to the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil considered factors such as geology, pedology, geomorphology, water resources, and climate represented by fifteen associated sub-factors. The results indicated that more than 82% of Sao Paulo’s territory is situated in areas with very low, low, and medium environmental impact susceptibility categories. However, in the remaining 18% of the state land area, 85 landfills are located in areas with high and very high environmental impact susceptibility categories. These results are alarming because these 85 landfills receive approximately 17,886 tons of MSW on a daily basis, which corresponds to 46% of all municipal solid waste disposed in Sao Paulo state. Therefore, decision makers, urban planners and policymakers could use the findings of the EISM towards mitigating the environmental impacts caused by MSWDS.

Impact of Municipal Solid Waste Disposal on Compaction Characteristics and Strength of Red Soil

The disposal of MSW （municipal solid waste）, in most of Indian cities, is to dump on nearby low laying lands. This investigation aims to characterize MSW and assess compaction characteristics and strength properties of contaminated soils at dumping sites in two cities Chickballapur and Kolar of Karnataka, India. Representative solid wastes from selected wards of the city were collected and analyzed. Substantial release of leachate form the dump yards occurred during past few years and the soil at the dump site experience extensive contamination. The test results of contaminated and uncontaminated soil show increase in optimum moisture content and decrease in maximum dry density. The unconfined compressive strength decreased considerably for soil samples obtained at 0.0 m, 0.5 m and 1.0 m depths below waste dump. At depths greater than 1.5 m, compaction characteristics and unconfined compressive strength closely match with the uncontaminated soil. Little variation in pH value, which makes soil slightly alkaline, was observed. From the study, it is inferred that, this investigation is very significant, as the foundation normally at these depths may be affected by this contamination.