Effect of Paper vs. Bioplastic Bags on Food Waste Collection and Processing

Abstract Purpose The most abundant among the separately collected waste materials in Italy is food waste. This research aims to evaluate the influence of the type of collection bag on the food waste management chain. In Italy, the food waste collection is mainly based on bioplastic bags. As an alternative, a new type of recycled paper bag shows potential advantages. Methods The two types of collection bag were compared evaluating the weight loss of food waste during the household storage, by means of an experimental assessment simulating the domestic dynamic bag filling. Moreover, the biomethane production of bags under anaerobic conditions was measured at the lab-scale level with Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) tests. Results During the household storage, the breathable fabric of the paper allows for higher weight losses, ranging on average between + 29 and + 44% compared to bioplastic. BMP tests, carried out under different conditions (temperature, inoculum), showed a 2–14 times higher generation of methane by paper bags compared to bioplastic bags, when referred to 1 kg of inserted food waste. Conclusions Collecting the food waste inside paper bags shows advantages compared to the use of bioplastic bags. First, the waste collection is benefitted thanks to the lower weight of material to be transported to treatment plants, leading also to the possibility of decreasing the collection frequency. Moreover, paper resulted more compatible than bioplastic with the anaerobic digestion treatment, which is currently rapidly increasing as a food waste management option. Graphic Abstract

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Optimisation of C:N Ratio for Co-Digested Processed Industrial Food Waste and Sewage Sludge Using the BMP Test

International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering ◽

10.1515/1542-6580.2327 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Zuhaib Siddiqui ◽

N.J. Horan ◽

Kofi Anaman

Keyword(s):

Sewage Sludge ◽

Food Waste ◽

Biogas Production ◽

C:N Ratio ◽

Methane Yield ◽

Biochemical Methane Potential ◽

Volatile Solids ◽

Methane Potential ◽

Biomethane Production ◽

Bmp Test

Biomethane production from processed industrial food waste (IFW) in admixture with sewage sludge (primary and waste activated sludge: PS and WAS) was evaluated at a range of C:N ratios using a standard biochemical methane potential (BMP) test. IFW alone had a C:N of 30 whereas for WAS it was 5.4 and thus the C:N ratio of the blends fell in that range. Increasing the IFW content in mix improves the methane potential by increasing both the cumulative biogas production and the rate of methane production. Optimum methane yield 239 mL/g VSremoved occurred at a C:N ratio of 15 which was achieved with a blend containing 11 percent (w/w) IFW. As the fraction of IFW in the blend increased, volatile solids (VS) destruction was increased and this led to a reduction in methane yield and amount of production. The highest destruction of volatile solids of 93 percent was achieved at C:N of 20 followed by C:N 30 and 15. A shortened BMP test is adequate for evaluating optimum admixtures.

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Batch Anaerobic Co-Digestion and Biochemical Methane Potential Analysis of Goat Manure and Food Waste

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14071952 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (7) ◽

pp. 1952

Author(s):

Ayobami Orangun ◽

Harjinder Kaur ◽

Raghava R. Kommalapati

Keyword(s):

Food Waste ◽

Gompertz Model ◽

Water Displacement ◽

Biochemical Methane Potential ◽

Greenhouse Gasses ◽

Nonlinear Regression Models ◽

The Us ◽

Methane Potential ◽

Goat Manure ◽

Modified Gompertz Model

The improper management of goat manure from concentrated goat feeding operations and food waste leads to the emission of greenhouse gasses and water pollution in the US. The wastes were collected from the International Goat Research Center and a dining facility at Prairie View A&M University. The biochemical methane potential of these two substrates in mono and co-digestion at varied proportions was determined in triplicates and processes were evaluated using two nonlinear regression models. The experiments were conducted at 36 ± 1 °C with an inoculum to substrate ratio of 2.0. The biomethane was measured by water displacement method (pH 10:30), absorbing carbon dioxide. The cumulative yields in goat manure and food waste mono-digestions were 169.7 and 206.0 mL/gVS, respectively. Among co-digestion, 60% goat manure achieved the highest biomethane yields of 380.5 mL/gVS. The biodegradabilities of 33.5 and 65.7% were observed in goat manure and food waste mono-digestions, while 97.4% were observed in the co-digestion having 60% goat manure. The modified Gompertz model is an excellent fit in simulating the anaerobic digestion of food waste and goat manure substrates. These findings provide useful insights into the co-digestion of these substrates.

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Life cycle assessment of the food waste management with a focus on the collection bag

Waste Management & Research ◽

10.1177/0734242x211050181 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 39 (10) ◽

pp. 1317-1327

Author(s):

Giovanni Dolci ◽

Lucia Rigamonti ◽

Mario Grosso

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Waste Management ◽

Food Waste ◽

Primary Data ◽

Environmental Product Declaration ◽

Product Environmental Footprint ◽

Weight Losses ◽

Alternative Systems ◽

Two Systems

The organic fraction (mainly food waste) is typically the most abundant of the separately collected waste streams. The research aims at investigating the influence of different types of collection bag on the environmental performances of the food waste management chain in Italy. A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) between two alternative systems based on paper or bioplastic collection bags was carried out. It included the collection bags manufacturing and distribution, their use at the household, the transportation of collected food waste and its subsequent anaerobic digestion, including the valorisation of useful outputs and the management of residues. The two systems were modelled mainly with primary data related to the current management system and to tests performed on bags. The LCA was performed with two different modelling approaches applied in the environmental product declaration (EPD) system and in the product environmental footprint (PEF) studies, respectively. In the scenario representing the average conditions, higher environmental impacts are shown by the use of bioplastic bags compared to paper ones with the EPD approach (+257%/+576%). With the PEF approach, the differences between the two systems are lower (−55%/+133%). Moreover, paper bags could allow for further impact reductions assuming a decrease of the food waste collection frequency, allowed by higher weight losses and a lower generation of leachate and odour during the household storage.

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Biochemical Methane Potential of Spent Coffee Grounds Via Co-digestion with Food Waste

BioEnergy Research ◽

10.1007/s12155-021-10351-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Roberta Arlêu Teixeira ◽

Bárbara Almeida Bueno ◽

Raquel Machado Borges ◽

Jacqueline Rogéria Bringhenti

Keyword(s):

Food Waste ◽

Spent Coffee Grounds ◽

Biochemical Methane Potential ◽

Coffee Grounds ◽

Methane Potential

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Biochemical methane potential of livestock and agri-food waste streams in the Castilla y León Region (Spain)

Food Research International ◽

10.1016/j.foodres.2014.12.044 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 73 ◽

pp. 226-233 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Dolores Hidalgo ◽

Jesús M. Martín-Marroquín

Keyword(s):

Food Waste ◽

Waste Streams ◽

Biochemical Methane Potential ◽

Castilla Y Leon ◽

Methane Potential

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Solubilization of waste activated sludge by alkaline pretreatment and biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests for anaerobic co-digestion of municipal organic waste

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2003.0471 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 48 (8) ◽

pp. 211-219 ◽

Cited By ~ 56

Author(s):

N.-H. Heo ◽

S.-C. Park ◽

J.-S. Lee ◽

H. Kang

Keyword(s):

Activated Sludge ◽

Food Waste ◽

Organic Waste ◽

Waste Activated Sludge ◽

Feed Mixture ◽

Biochemical Methane Potential ◽

Methane Recovery ◽

Attractive Option ◽

Methane Potential ◽

Anaerobic Digestibility

Biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests have been carried out to determine the anaerobic digestibility of the waste activated sludge (WAS) and the sludge pretreated by NaOH (PWAS). The optimal NaOH dosage was determined to be 45 meq NaOH/L. The maximum SCOD solubilization was 27.7, 31.4 and 38.3% at the temperatures of 25, 35 and 55°C respectively after 4 hours reaction. The final methane yield of simulated food waste (SFW) was 430 ml CH4/g VSadded, and those of PWAS (25°C), PWAS (35°C) and PWAS (55°C) was 274, 286 and 310 ml CH4/g VSadded respectively after 20 days. The figures were 66%, 73% and 88% higher than that of WAS. The methane production in anaerobic co-digestion is considerably affected by the fraction of SFW and PWAS in the feed. The anaerobic digestibility of the feed mixture (SFW with PWAS) is higher than that of the feed mixture (SFW with WAS). Anaerobic co-digestion of food waste with the PWAS is found to be an attractive option to reduce the solid waste volume with improved methane recovery.

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