This work was part of a major study that examined the policy and technology implications of alternatives for managing the municipal solid wastes (MSW) of New York City. At this time, of the 4.1 million metric tons of MSW collected by the City annually, 16.6% are recycled, 12.4% are combusted in Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plants, and the remaining 71% are landfilled. Despite the heterogeneity of orga...

In this work, it is presented a dynamic model in order to simulate of the biological composting process, applied to the organic fraction of the municipal solid waste. The model was applied to small scale composting units (in-vessel type), processing household wastes composed of food wastes, yard wastes and paper wastes. The model is based in a continuous plug flow reactor for the solids and in ...

This study investigated the immunotoxic potentials of raw and simulated leachates from Olushosun municipal solid waste landfill in rat using quantitative leucocyte and differential counts. Blood samples of rats intraperitoneally exposed to 1 – 25 % concentrations of each of the leachate samples for 48 hours were examined post treatment for leukocyte and differential counts. Compared to the nega...

This paper is based on data compiled in the course of developing, for InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB), a WTE Guidebook for managers and policymakers in the Latin America and Caribbean region. As part of this work, a list was compiled of nearly all plants in the world that thermally treat nearly 200 million tons of municipal solid wastes (MSW) and produce electricity and heat. An estimated ...

This report presents the results of a study that examined alternatives to landfilling the municipal solid wastes (MSW) of New York City. Detailed characterization of the wastes led to their classification, according to materials properties and inherent value, to “recyclable”, compostable”, “combustible”, and “landfillable”. The results showed that the present rates of recycling (16.6%) and comb...

With the increasing of plastics content in solid waste, both municipal and industrial, also increases the interest in its use as an energy source. Some of these wastes are an important potential source of energy and might be valorized using the pyrolysis or gasification processes. However, the presence of high chlorine contents in its composition prevents its management by a thermal process, as...

Biogas derived from organic wastes is considered as good alternative to petroleum fuels. It can be used in compression ignition (CI) engines, because of its better mixing ability with air and clean burning nature. Biogas is produced by anaerobic digestion of various organic substances such as kitchen wastes, agricultural wastes, municipal solid wastes, cow dung etc., in absence of oxygen, which...

This paper reviews documented environmental effects experience from the disposal of solid waste materials in the U.S. Selected case histories are discussed that illustrate waste migration and its actual or potential effects on human or environmental health. Principal conclusions resulting from this review were: solid waste materials do migrate beyond the geometric confines of the initial placem...

In this study, the hydrothermal treatment of municipal solid wastes (MSWs) for the production of biochar as a renewable solid fuel was investigated. The properties of surrogate MSWs and mixtures of newspaper and vegetables were greatly improved by hydrothermal treatment and were similar to those of coal-like fuel substances. Hydrothermal treatment increased the calorific value, the fixed carbon...