scholarly journals Current Status and Prospect on the Recycling of Municipal Solid Waste in the United States

2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 3-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Young-Jun Song ◽  
Gye-Seung Lee ◽  
Kang-Ho Shin ◽  
Youn-Che Kim ◽  
Bong-Won Seo
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Municipal Solid Waste ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
The United States ◽  
Current Status

Plasma Arc Gasification for Solid Waste Disposal: Update on St. Lucie County, Florida Project

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. H. Makled ◽  
E. J. Grotke
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Municipal Solid Waste ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Melting Furnace ◽  
The United States ◽  
Waste Materials ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Plasma Arc ◽  
Energy Potential

Plasma arc gasification is an emerging technology for generation of renewable energy and other by-products from a variety of waste. This bold technology is under development in a number of locations around the world, although it is too early to fully know if the technology is technically feasible and economically viable on a truly heterogeneous municipal waste stream like that found in the U.S. Plasma arc technology in the United States in other applications dates back approximately 40 years when it was utilized by NASA to test heat shield materials for spacecraft. In 1989, plasma arc technology was used in an iron melting furnace in Defiance, Ohio (USA). Plasma arc gasification has been used in municipal solid waste destruction since 1999 in Japan for destruction of solid waste and automobile shredder residue. Plasma arc gasification heats waste materials to temperatures in excess of 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) to break the molecular bonds and gasify the materials. This liberates the energy potential of the waste materials and melts the residue to an inert, glass-like slag, which may be used as an aggregate in construction and manufacturing operations. If this market can be developed, it will significantly reduce the need for landfill disposal in the future. St. Lucie County, Florida (USA), is in the process of negotiating with a developer for the construction of a plasma arc gasification facility that will process 1,000 tons per day of municipal solid waste. The facility may be the first large scale solid waste plasma arc processing facility in the United States. Camp Dresser & McKee is assisting St. Lucie County to negotiate the agreements for this project. The project is expected to be privately financed, so the County will not be putting any money at risk. In this paper, we will describe the plasma arc technology, present its historical applications, and discuss the St. Lucie project from initial conception to its current status.

scholarly journals An investigation of wood pallets landfilled and recovered at US municipal solid waste facilities

BioResources ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 1496-1522
Author(s):  
Zachary Shiner ◽  
Laszlo Horvath ◽  
Philip Araman ◽  
Brad Gething
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Municipal Solid Waste ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
The United States ◽  
Virginia Tech ◽  
Waste Stream ◽  
Solid Waste Facilities

The purpose of this research was to investigate the total number of pallets that end up in landfills in the United States as well as to gain a better understanding of the overall waste stream. This research was conducted by mailing all of the licensed Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) facilities in the continental United States a questionnaire that included the option to complete the survey online. The questionnaire that was sent to the landfills was built upon previous surveys conducted by researchers at Virginia Tech in both 1995 and 1998. The results indicated that an estimated 249 million tons of MSW was received at landfills nationwide. This was an increase from the 239 million tons of MSW in 1998. Only 13.1 million pallets were landfilled in 2016, which was over a 90% decrease from the 138 million pallets landfilled in 1998. At the same time, approximately 15.9 million pallets were recovered, repurposed, or reused at the surveyed MSW facilities, which was a decrease from the 22 million pallets recovered in 1998. The results of this research indicate that fewer pallets are making their way to landfills, and a greater proportion of pallets reaching MSW facilities are being recovered.

scholarly journals The municipal solid waste landfill as a source of ozone-depleting substances in the United States and United Kingdom

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 22803-22831
Author(s):  
E. L. Hodson ◽  
D. Martin ◽  
R. G. Prinn
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Municipal Solid Waste ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
The United States ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
Spatial Coverage ◽  
Landfill Emissions ◽  
National Estimates

Abstract. This study provides observation-based national estimates of CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, and 1,1,1-trichloroethane emissions for the United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK) from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. The scarcity of national estimates has lead to the assumption that a significant fraction of the lingering ozone-depleting substance (ODS) emissions, which have been detected in industrialized countries, could be emitted from landfills. Spatial coverage was achieved through sampling at seven landfills in Massachusetts and through data provided by nine UK landfills. Linear least square regressions of recovered ODS vs. CH4 were used in combination with national estimates of landfill CH4 emissions to estimate 2006 national US and UK ODS landfill emissions. The ODS landfill emission estimates were then compared to recent estimates of total US and UK ODS emissions. US ODS landfill emissions were 0.4%–0.9% (0.006–0.09 Gg/year) of total US emissions. UK ODS landfill emission estimates were 1% (0.008 Gg/year) and 6% (0.03 Gg/year) of total UK CFC-11 and CFC-12 emissions, respectively. This indicates that landfills are only a minor source of lingering ODS emissions in the US, but may be more significant for CFC-12 emissions in the UK. The implications are that the majority of current ODS emissions in industrialized countries are likely coming from equipment still in use.

Energy Recovery From Municipal Solid Waste in California: Needs and Challenges

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander E. Helou ◽  
Kim Tran ◽  
Cecile Buncio
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Municipal Solid Waste ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
Energy Recovery ◽  
Solid Waste Management ◽  
The United States ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Waste To Energy

Thermal technologies, such as gasification, pyrolysis, waste-to-energy (WTE), and advanced thermal recycling (second generation WTE with the most advanced air emission control system), can be employed to recover energy from municipal solid waste (MSW), reduce the volume of material to be landfilled, and lessen the potential emission of methane. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and a major component of landfill gas. All operating WTE facilities in the United States have been subjected to strict environmental regulations since the passage of the Clean Air Act Amendments in 1990. As a result, U.S. WTE facilities now meet or exceed stringent local air quality standards, including those imposed by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) in Southern California. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes the important role of WTE in the integrated solid waste management and ranks combustion higher than landfilling in its solid waste management hierarchy. In addition to upstream source reduction and recycling, downstream thermal treatment of the residual MSW (conducted in controlled environment) can effectively recover energy and further reduce waste volume. Despite all the advantages and environmental benefits of thermal technologies, its utilization for treating MSW in California still faces many challenges. These include negative public perceptions, economical disadvantages, local marketability of by-products, and disposal options for residuals. This paper discusses the need to include energy recovery in the integrated MSW management in California and the challenges encountered by many local jurisdictions.

scholarly journals The municipal solid waste landfill as a source of ozone-depleting substances in the United States and United Kingdom

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1899-1910 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. L. Hodson ◽  
D. Martin ◽  
R. G. Prinn
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Municipal Solid Waste ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
The United States ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
Spatial Coverage ◽  
Landfill Emissions ◽  
National Estimates

Abstract. This study provides observation-based national estimates of CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, and 1,1,1-trichloroethane emissions for the United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK) from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. The scarcity of national estimates has lead to the assumption that a significant fraction of the lingering ozone-depleting substance (ODS) emissions, which have been detected in industrialized countries, could be emitted from landfills. Spatial coverage was achieved through sampling at seven landfills in Massachusetts and through data provided by nine UK landfills. Linear least square regressions of recovered ODS vs. CH4 were used in combination with national estimates of landfill CH4 emissions to estimate 2006 national US and UK ODS landfill emissions. The ODS landfill emission estimates were then compared to recent estimates of total US and UK ODS emissions. US ODS landfill emissions are 0.4%–1% (0.006–0.09 Gg/year) of total US emissions. UK ODS landfill emission estimates are 1% (0.008 Gg/year) and 6% (0.03 Gg/year) of total UK CFC-11 and CFC-12 emissions, respectively. This indicates that landfills are only a minor source of lingering ODS emissions in the US, but may be more significant for CFC-12 emissions in the UK. The implication is that the majority of current ODS emissions in industrialized countries is likely coming from equipment still in use.

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