Prepared by: Ahmed Sawalha

1. Sources of Solid Wastes

2. Types of Solid Waste

3. Composition of Solid Waste

4. Determination of the Composition of MSW in the Field 5. Types of Materials Recovered from MSW

6. Future Changes in Waste Composition

Sources of solid wastes in a community are: • Residential • Commercial • Institutional • Construction and Demolition • Municipal Services • Treatment Plant Sites • Industrial • Agricultural

MSW includes all the community waste with the exception of industrial process waste and agriculture wastes

It is important to define the various types of solid wastes that are generated and the sources to design and operate of the functional elements associated with the management of solid waste

Table 1 provides the sources and types of solid waste within a community

Source Typical facilities, activities, locations where

wastes are generated

Types of solid wastes

Residential Single and multifamily dwellings

Food wastes, paper, cardboard, plastics, textiles, leather, yard wastes, wood, glass, metals, ashes, special wastes (e.g., bulky items, consumer electronics, white goods, batteries, oil, tires), and household hazardous wastes

Industrial Light and heavy manufacturing, fabrication, construction sites, power and chemical plants

Industrial process waste, scrap materials, etc. Non - industrial waste including food wastes, construction and demolition wastes, rubbish, ashes , hazardous wastes, ashes, special wastes

Table 1: Sources and Types of Solid Wastes within a Community

Source Typical facilities, activities, locations where wastes are generated

Types of solid wastes

Commercial Stores, hotels, restaurants, markets, office buildings, etc.

Paper, cardboard, plastics, wood, food wastes, glass, metals, special wastes, hazardous wastes

Institutional Schools, hospitals, prisons, government centers

Same as commercial

Construction and Demolition New construction sites, road repair, renovation sites, demolition of buildings, broken pavement

Wood, steel, concrete, dirt, etc.

Table 1: Sources and Types of Solid Wastes within a Community (Cont’d)

Table 1: Sources and Types of Solid Wastes within a Community (Cont’d)

Source Typical facilities, activities, locations where wastes are

generated

Types of solid wastes

Municipal Services (excluding treatment facilities)

Street cleaning, landscaping, parks, beaches, other recreational areas, water and wastewater treatment plants

Street sweepings; landscape and tree trimmings; general wastes from parks, beaches, and other recreational areas; sludge

Agricultural Field and row crops, orchards, vineyards, dairies, feedlots, farms, etc.

Spoiled food wastes, agricultural wastes, rubbish, hazardous waste.

Organic (Combustible)

Inorganic (non-combustible) Putrescible

Recyclable

Hazardous Infectious

Composition is the term used to describe the individual components that make up a solid waste stream and their relative distribution

Information on the composition of solid wastes is important in evaluating equipment needs, systems and management programme and plans

The residential and commercial portion makes up about 50 to 75 percent of total MSW generated in a community

The actual percentage distribution will depend on The extent of construction and demolition

activities The extent of the municipal services provided The types of water and wastewater treatment

process that are used

Composition is the term used to describe the individual components that make up a solid waste stream and their relative distribution

Information on the composition of solid wastes is important in evaluating equipment needs, systems and management programme and plans

The residential and commercial portion makes up about 50 to 75 percent of total MSW generated in a community.

The actual percentage distribution will depend on The extent of construction and demolition

activities The extent of the municipal services provided The types of water and wastewater treatment

process that are used.

ComponentPercent by Weight Moisture percent

Range Typical Range Typical

Organic

Food wastes 6 – 26 15 50 – 80 70

Paper 25 – 45 40 4 – 10 6

Cardboard 3 – 15 4 4 – 8 5

Plastics 2 – 8 3 1 – 4 2

Textiles 0 – 4 2 6 – 15 10

Rubber 0 – 2 0.5 1 – 4 2

Leather 0 – 2 0.5 8 – 12 10

Yard wastes 0 – 20 12 30 – 80 60

Wood 1 – 4 2 15 – 40 20

Misc. organics

Inorganics

Glass 4 – 16 8 1 – 4 2

Tin cans 2 – 8 6 2 – 4 3

Aluminum 0 – 1 1 2 – 4 2

Other metal 1 – 4 2 2 – 6 3

Dirt, ash etc 0 – 10 4 6 – 12 8

The percentage distribution values for the components in MSW vary with Location Season economic conditions population Social behavior Climate Market for waste materials Other factor

Because the heterogeneous nature of solid wastes, determination of the composition is not an easy task

More generalized field procedures based on common sense and random sampling technique have evolved for determining composition

The procedure for residential MSW can be summarized as following

The load is first quartered One part is then selected for additional quartering

unit a sample size of about 200 lb is obtained It is important to maintain the integrity of each

selected quarter regardless of the odor or physical decay

make sure that all the components are measured

The field procedure for component identification for commercial and industrial waste involves the analysis of representative waste samples taken directly from the source, not from a mixed waste load in a collection vehicle. Due to the fact that these wastes are so variable.

Aluminum Paper Plastics Glass Ferrous Metals (Iron and Steel) Nonferrous waste Yard waste collected separately Construction and demolition wastes

Recycling is the best way to solve solid waste management problem. This process exists in all cities . However, the recycling system differs from developing countries and developed countries .

Developed countries have well organized source separation and recycling system while in the developing countries the system of recycling is not effective because it is still in the hands of informal sectores

Developing Countries Have Recycling System Starting From Curbside Collection System. Separate Colored Collections Bins are Provided to Deposit Separate Waste Material

These Sorting Facilities are Well Organized and Materials are Separated for Further Processing

Separation of Recyclable and Placing Separately

T

These Scavengers Collect the Recyclables and Separate in their Own Premises

Recyclables Collected from Scavengers are Deposited in One Place

In terms of solid waste management planning, knowledge of future trends in the composition of solid waste and quantities are of great importance.

Food Waste The quantity of residential food waste collected has

changed significantly over the years as a result of technical advances and change in public health

Food processing and packaging industry and the use of kitchen food waste grinders have effected the quantity of food waste

The percentage of food waste, by weight, has decreased from about 14 percent in the early 1960s to about 9 percent in 1992.

Paper and Cardboard The percentage of paper and cardboard found in MSW has

increased greatly over the past half century , rising from about 20 percent in the early 1940s to about 40 percent in 1992

if the U.S. postal rate for bulk mail were increased to first class mail, a significant reduction would occur in the amount of paper collected for disposal

Yard Wastes The percentage of yard waste has also increased significantly,

due primarily to passage of laws that prohibit burning of yard wastes.

By weight, yard waste currently accounts for about 16 to 24 percent of the waste stream

Environmental conditions such as droughts have also affected the quantities of yard wastes collected in certain locations

Plastics The percentage of plastics in solid waste has increased

significantly during the past 50 years

the use of plastics has increased from almost non-measurable quantities in the early 1940s to between 7 and 8 percent, by weight, in 1992

It is anticipated the use of plastic will continue to increase, but at a slower rate than during the past 25 years