Municipal Solid Waste Management

1 Introduction.- 1.1 The Problem with Waste.- 1.1.1 Economic Aspects of Waste.- 1.1.2 Ecological Aspects of Waste.- 1.1.3 The Social Problem of Waste.- 1.2 History of Waste Management.- 1.3 Directing Material Flows.- 1.3.1 Preventing and Reducing Waste.- 1.3.2 The great R’s: Re-use, Recycle, Recover.- 1.3.3 Recovering Materials and Energy from Waste.- 1.4 Conclusions.- References.- 2 Waste Disposal: What are the Impacts?.- 2.1 The Diversity of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW).- 2.1.1 Quantities of MSW Collected.- 2.1.2 The Composition of MSW.- 2.2 Emissions from Municipal Solid Waste Landfills.- 2.2.1 Emission to the Atmosphere.- 2.2.2 Emissions to the Pedosphere and Hydrosphere.- 2.2.3 Problems in Predicting the Long-Term Behavior of Landfills.- 2.2.4 Conclusions.- 2.3 MSW Management and Technology in China.- References.- 3 Recycling, Thermal Treatment and Recovery.- 3.1 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: The Zero Waste Approach.- 3.1.1 Zero Waste Theory.- 3.1.2 Zero Waste Analysis.- 3.1.3 Storage and Collection.- 3.1.4 Processing, Storage and Marketing.- 3.1.5 Appropriate Technology.- 3.1.6 Local Ordinances.- 3.1.7 Participant Education.- 3.1.8 Determining Costs and Benefits.- 3.1.9 Measuring Diversion.- 3.2 Mechanical Sorting Processes and Material Recycling.- 3.2.1 Glass Recycling.- 3.2.2 Recycling of Paper and Cardboard.- 3.2.3 Recycling of Light Weight Packaging with the Green Dot System.- 3.2.4 RDF-Production from Household Waste.- 3.3 Conventional Thermal Treatment Methods.- 3.3.1 Introduction.- 3.3.2 Process Control in Grate Systems.- 3.3.3 Examples and Results.- 3.4 Emissions from Incinerator Ash Landfills.- 3.4.1 Introduction.- 3.4.2 Concentrations of Heavy Metals in Landfill Leachates.- 3.4.3 Long-Term Predictions.- 3.4.4 Lessons to be Learned for Thermal Use and Treatment of MSW.- 3.5 Secondary Raw Materials from Waste.- 3.5.1 Introduction.- 3.5.2 Technical and Other Requirements for Construction Materials.- 3.5.3 Initial Experiences with Further Thermally Treated MSWI-Slags.- 3.5.4 Possible Applications of Further Thermally Treated MSWI-Slag.- 3.5.5 Conclusions and Outlook.- References.- 4 Biological and Bio-Mechanical Processes.- 4.1 Mechanical-Biological Treatment of Waste (MBP).- 4.1.1 Separation of Organic and RDF Fractions by Mechanical Processing.- 4.1.2 Case Study: RDF Separation by a Two-Step Mechanical Process.- 4.1.3 Improved Material Flows by the ‘Dry Stabilate’ Process.- 4.1.4 Biological Processing of Waste and Effects on Landfill Characters.- 4.2 Composting and Anaerobic Digestion.- 4.2.1 Overview of the Various Processes.- 4.2.2 Prospects: What Should be Improved for a Sustainable Development?.- 4.3 Active Landfill Control and Stabilization of MSW.- 4.3.2 How to Proceed in ACLSM?.- 4.3.3 Conclusions.- 4.4 Biotechnology for the Treatment of Inorganic Wastes.- 4.4.1 Biogeochemical Element Cycles.- 4.4.2 Organic Aspects: Mechanical-Biological Waste Pre-treatment.- 4.4.3 Inorganic Aspects: Microbe-Metal-Interactions.- 4.4.4 Biological Treatment of Heavy Metal Rich Wastes.- 4.4.5 Conclusions.- References.- 5 Advanced Thermal Treatment Processes.- 5.1 Energy Recovery from Waste.- 5.1.1 Waste to Energy: New Integrated Concepts.- 5.1.2 High Efficiency Waste-to-Energy Concept.- 5.1.3 Using Substitute Fuels in the Basic Materials Industry.- 5.1.4 Hydrothermal Processes.- 5.2 Optimizing Incineration for Heavy Metal Recovery.- 5.2.1 Heavy Metal Volatilization During MSW Incineraton.- 5.2.2 Detoxification of Filter Ash.- 5.2.3 PECK Incineration Technology.- 5.3 High-Temperature Melting of Municipal Solid Waste.- 5.3.1 Development of High-Temperature Melting Technologies.- 5.3.2 Material and Energy Balances of High-Temperature Melting.- 5.3.3 Persistent Chemicals in High-Temperature Melting Processes.- 5.4 The Characteristics, Behavior and Durability of High Temperature Materials.- 5.4.1 Frame of the Study.- 5.4.2 Characteristics of HT Materials: The Static Picture.- 5.4.3 Behavior of HT Materials: The Dynamic Picture.- 5.4.4 Durability of HT Materials: The Thermodynamic Picture.- 5.4.5 From Facts to Policy.- 5.5 Separate Treatment of Hazardous MSW Components.- 5.5.1 Optimized Disposal of Automotive Shredder Residues.- 5.5.2 Disposal and Thermal Treatment of Spent Batteries.- 5.5.3 Disposal of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment.- References.- 6 Ecology: Which Technologies Perform Best?.- 6.1 Assessment Tools for Waste Treatment Systems.- 6.2 An Introduction to Life-Cycle Assessment.- 6.2.1 Definition of the Goal and Scope.- 6.2.2 Life-Cycle Inventory Analysis (LCI).- 6.2.3 Life-Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA).- 6.2.4 Interpretation.- 6.3 Case Study: An LCA of Waste Treatment Processes.- 6.3.1 System Description (Goal and Scope and Inventory Analysis).- 6.3.2 Impact Assessment.- 6.3.3 Interpretation.- 6.4 Long-Term versus Short-Term Impacts.- 6.4.1 The Economical Background of Discounting.- 6.4.2 Discounting and the Environment: Motivations and Objections.- 6.4.3 Application of Discounting to LCA of Waste Treatment Technologies.- 6.5 Conclusions.- References.- 7 Assessing and Improving Social Compatibility.- 7.1 An Introduction to “Social Compatibility”.- 7.2 The Tool “Social Compatibility Analysis SCA”.- 7.3 Instruments for Improving Social Compatibility.- 7.3.1 Policy Approaches.- 7.3.2 Financial Incentives.- 7.3.3 Participatory Processes.- 7.4 Siting Waste Facilities: Case Studies.- 7.4.1 Local Opposition against a Waste Disposal Plant in Switzerland.- 7.4.2 Local Mobilizations against Waste Incinerators in England.- 7.4.3 Public Participation for a Waste Management Plan in Germany.- 7.4.4 Public Influence on Siting Waste Facilities in California.- 7.4.5 Conclusions of the Case Studies.- 7.5 Conclusions.- References.- 8 Towards Sustainable Waste Management.- 8.1 Sustainability of Waste Management and Treatment.- 8.1.1 Definition of “Sustainable Development”.- 8.1.2 Definition of Integrated Waste Management.- 8.1.3 Target System: Goals for a Sustainable Waste Management.- 8.1.4 Comparison of the Sustainability Targets with Current Governmental Targets and Established Law in Switzerland.- 8.1.5 The Target System as Planning Instrument for Authorities.- 8.2 Scenarios for a Future Waste Management and Treatment.- 8.2.1 Terminology and Methods.- 8.2.2 Description of Scenarios.- 8.2.3 Evaluation of Scenarios.- 8.3 Case studies.- 8.3.1 Aim of the Case Studies.- 8.3.2 Material Flow Analysis as a Base for a Sustainable Waste Management.- 8.3.3 Scenario “Better Products” - The example of the Personal Computer.- 8.3.4 The Influence of an Ecological Tax Reform on Waste Management.- 8.3.5 Development Towards Sustainable Waste Management in China.- 8.4 Recommendations for Development Towards Sustainability.- 8.4.1 Conditions for a Sustainable Waste Management.- 8.4.2 Strategies, Measures and Procedures.- 8.5 Summary and Conclusions.- References.- 9 Concluding Remarks.