Sustainable Technologies for Solid Waste Monitoring and Treatment

Author(s):  
Kafayat Olafunke Adeyemi ◽  
Urbans Benywanira

Municipal solid waste (MSW) is an energy source that should not go untapped or unutilized. The waste must be properly utilized through combustion, anaerobic digestion, and landfill gas acquisition, as it represents material and energy content. This will reduce the effects of global warming, which is as a result of high concentration of carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases (GHGs), in the atmosphere. This chapter focuses on the technologies for solid waste management and the thermodynamics involved in the process for sustainable and cleaner energy. The equations presented represent the thermal efficiency, conversion efficiencies, as well as possible work that can be derived from a power plant utilizing MSW as fuel. It is important that countries in Sub-Saharan Africa vigorously pursue sustainable waste management technologies, especially recycling and landfilling, while exploring and investing in waste-to-energy technologies that will perform optimally using the composition of the waste in Sub-Saharan Africa in the design of the waste-to-energy technology.

Author(s):  
Cody Taylor ◽  
Emily Bedwell ◽  
Amy Guy ◽  
David Traeger

As awareness regarding the potential threat of climate change has grown in the US, many local governments and businesses are being asked to consider the climate implications of their actions. In addition, many leaders, including solid waste managers, who are not yet pressured from the outside, consider it prudent to account for their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and consider it a proactive measure to assess climate risks and opportunities and to show commitment to progress. Sources of GHG emissions in the solid waste management process include: waste transport vehicles, composting facilities, processing equipment, landfills, and waste-to-energy facilities. Over the past 25 years, the levels of GHG emissions have been reduced through technological advancements in waste-to-energy, environmental regulations such as the Clean Air Act, landfill gas capture and control, and the promotion of recycling and reuse. There are many opportunities for solid waste managers to further reduce their GHG emissions levels, including promotion of waste-to-energy facilities as part of a low-carbon solid waste management plan. Waste-to-energy may also, in the future, offer potential revenue from the sale of renewable energy credits and carbon credits in emerging emissions trading programs.


Author(s):  
Teno A. West

The City of Taunton, MA (City) has undertaken a competitive procurement process to consider proposals for a private company to develop, design, permit, finance, construct and operate a Solid Waste Management Facility (SWMF), which may be sized up to 1800 tons per day (TPD), to serve both the City’s and region’s needs for long term solid waste management. A comprehensive Request for Qualifications and Proposals (RFQP) for the SWMF was issued in June 2008. The City initiated the procurement process because its current landfill is scheduled to reach capacity in 2013. The procurement process focused on conversion technologies capable of recovering materials and producing electricity or fuels, and maximizing diversion of waste from landfilling. Technologies considered included both traditional and emerging technologies; e.g., composting, co-composting, thermal gasification, aerobic and anaerobic digestion, hydrolysis and mechanical means of waste separation into useful products. Landfilling and traditional waste-to-energy technologies were not considered.


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