A brief overview is given of the sources, characteristics, and toxic constituents of municipal solid wastes. Several methods are presented for handling, treating, and disposal of solid wastes. Monitoring the landfill site is necessary; there has been a trend to recognize that municipal solid wastes may be hazardous and to provide separate secure handling, treatment, and disposal for their dange...

This study compared the environmental impacts of composting yard wastes in windrows with using them in place of soil as alternative daily cover (ADC) in landfills. The Life Cycle Assessment was made using the SimaPro LCA software and showed that the ADC scenario is more beneficial for the environment than windrow composting. ADC use is also a less costly means of disposal of yard wastes. This f...

Plasma pyrolysis integrates thermo-chemical properties of plasma using pyrolysis process for safe disposal of solid wastes. It is an environment friendly technology to generate valuable byproducts by converting municipal solid waste, biomedical waste and hazardous wastes at 800-1000°C. Plasma Pyrolysis of plastic wastes generates pyrolysis gas, which can be utilized for energy recovery via diff...

(1) Potential uses of photosynthetie bacteria in the recycling of human wastes have been considered. I t is concluded that systems using photosynthetic bacteria may have advantages over purely algal systems under conditions where total recycling is needed and energy is not abundant. (2) Two systems are proposed in which the metabolic potential of the photosynthetic bacteria might be realized. B...

The concept of microbiological leaching have played a greater role to recover valuable metals from various sulfide minerals or low grade ores during the middle era of twentieth century and that continued till the end of the century. Slowly, due to depletion of ore/minerals, and implementation of stricter environmental rules, microbiological leaching process has been shifted for its application ...

The objective of the work was to provide a method to predict CO2 and NH3 yields during composting of the biodegradable fraction of municipal solid wastes (MSW). The compostable portion of MSW was simulated using three principal biodegradable components, namely mixed paper wastes, yard wastes and food wastes. Twelve laboratory runs were carried out at thermophilic temperatures based on the princ...

This investigation was conducted to evaluate experimental determination of specific gravity (Gs) of municipal solid waste (MSW). Water pycnometry, typically used for testing soils was adapted for testing MSW using a large flask with 2000 mL capacity and specimens with 100-350 g masses. Tests were conducted on manufactured waste samples prepared using US waste constituent components; fresh waste...

Safe amendment rates (the predicted no-effect concentration or PNEC) of seven organic wastes were estimated from the species sensitivity distribution of a battery of soil biota tests and compared with different realistic amendment scenarios (different predicted environmental concentrations or PEC). None of the wastes was expected to exert noxious effects on soil biota if applied according eithe...

This investigation was conducted to evaluate the influence of waste placement practices on the engineering response of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. Waste placement conditions were varied by moisture addition to the wastes at the time of disposal. Tests were conducted at a California landfill in test plots (residential component of incoming wastes) and full-scale active face (all incom...