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, Cont’d
 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  SQG hazardous
 Household waste
hazardous wastes  Construction and
 Municipal sludge Demolition debris
 Non-hazardous  Agricultural wastes
industrial wastes  Oil and gas wastes
 Combustion ash  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  Legislation
reduction/recycling  Public attitudes
 Geographic location  Size of households
 Season  Population density
 Home food waste  Pay-As-You Throw
grinders Programs
 Collection Frequency  Population increase
 GNP trend, Per
capita income
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 - Example
Food Wastes
– 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 January 6, 2018 by Dr. Reinhart