LESSON 2:

CHARACTERISTICS AND
QUANTITY
OF MSW

Goals
Determine why quantification is important
Understand the methodology used to
quantify MSW
Become aware of differences among
global production rates
Understand factors affecting waste
generation rates
Become familiar with per capita
generation rates

Goals, Contd
Explain why it is important to characterize
MSW.
Become familiar with MSW descriptors.
Understand the methods used to
characterize MSW
Describe the physical, chemical, and
biological properties associated with MSW.
Perform calculations using waste
composition and properties.

RCRA Subtitle D Wastes

MSW
Household
hazardous wastes
Municipal sludge
Non-hazardous
industrial wastes
Combustion ash

SQG hazardous
waste
Construction and
Demolition debris
Agricultural
wastes
Oil and gas wastes
Mining wastes

MSW - RCRA Definition

Durable goods
Non-durable goods
Containers/Packaging
Food wastes
Yard wastes
Miscellaneous inorganics

MSW - Textbook Definition

Mixed household waste

recyclables
household hazardous waste
commercial waste
yard waste
litter
bulky items
construction & demolitions waste

What are the sources of

RCRA Subtitle-D Wastes?

Residential
Commercial
Institutional
Industrial
Agricultural
Treatment Plants
Open Areas (streets, parks, etc.)

What is the Nature of

Municipal Solid Wastes?
Organic
Inorganic
Putrescible
Combustible
Recyclable
Hazardous
Infectious

Importance of Generation
Rates
Compliance with Federal/state
diversion requirements
Equipment selection,
Collection and management decisions
Facilities design
Methodology
Materials Flow
Load Count

Factors Affecting
Generation Rates
Source
reduction/recycling
Geographic location
Season
Home food waste
grinders
Collection Frequency
GNP trend, Per
capita income

Legislation
Public attitudes
Size of
households
Population density
Pay-As-You Throw
Programs
Population
increase

EU Waste Generation
Study
Studied correlation between waste generation and:

Population
Population density
Age distribution
Employment
GDP
Infant mortality
Life expectancy
Average household size
Unemployment
Tourism

Waste generation has grown steadily in Europe for

over 20 years

Strongest Correlation
Generation increases with:
Population
Age distribution (fraction in 15-39, employment)
The rate of increase in GDP (for example Poland,
Spain and Slovakia

Generation decreases with average

household size
Low income areas had low amounts of
plastics, paper and cardboard, but not
organics

Conclusions
Continued increase in MSW
generation rate is expected

Because of economic grown

Improving health
Increasing urbanization
Offset by declining percent of 15-59
year olds

Composition Studies
Materials Flow
Manual Sorting

Manual Sorting
Methodology
Study Planning
Sample Plan
Sampling Procedure
Data Interpretation

Sample Plan
Load Selection
Number of Samples

Sampling Procedure
Vehicle Unloading
Sample Selection and Retrieval
Container Preparation
Sample Placement
Sorting

Waste contents are

unloaded for sorting

Appropriate mass of material is

selected randomly

Each load is separated

manually by component
example - Wood, concrete,
plastic, metal, etc.

Components are separated

Each component is
weighed and weights
recorded

Data Interpretation
Weighted Average based on
Generator Source
Composition/Distribution
Contamination Adjustment

US MSW Composition

Terminology

Generated Waste =
Disposed (Collected)
Waste + Diverted
Waste

Specific Weight
Values: 600-900 lb/yd3 as
delivered
Function of location, season,
storage time, equipment used,
processing (compaction,
shredding, etc.)

Soil Phase Diagram

Vsample=Vsolids+Vliquid+Vgas
Vvoids = Vliquid + Vgas
Wsample=Wsolids+Wliquid
(Wgas~0.00)
V=volume, W=weight or mass

Moisture content (MC)

Weight or volume based
Weight: wt. of water/sample wt.
MCwet= Wwater/(Wwater+Wsolids)
MCdry= Wwater/Wsolids

Volume: Vwater/Vsample

Chemical Composition
Used primarily for combustion and
waste to energy (WTE) calculations
but can also be used to estimate
biological and chemical behaviors
Waste consists of combustible (i.e.
paper) and non-combustible
materials (i.e. glass)

Proximate Analysis
Loss of moisture (temp held at
105o C)
Volatile Combustible Matter (VCM)
(temp increased to 950o C, closed
crucible)
Fixed Carbon (residue from VCM)
Ash (temp = 950o C, open crucible)

Ultimate Analysis
Molecular composition (C, H, N, O,
P, etc.)
Table in notes

Typical Data on the

Ultimate Analysis
Food Wastes
Example

Carbon: 48%
Hydrogen: 6.5%
Oxygen: 37.6%
Nitrogen: 2.6%
Sulfur: 0.4%
Ash: 5%

Energy Content
Models are derived from physical
composition and from ultimate
analysis
Determined through lab
calculations using calorimeters
Individual waste component
energy contents

Empirical Equations
Modified Dulong formula (wet basis):
BTU/lb = 145C +610(H2-02/8)+40S +
10N
Model based on proximate analysis
Kcal/kg = 45B - 6W
B = Combustible volatile matter in MSW (%)
W = Water, percent weight on dry basis

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Last updated August 22, 2015 by Dr. Reinhart