SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

In the United States, over 40 billion dollars are spent annually on municipal solid waste management. In 1999, more than 23 million tons of municipal solid wastes (MSW) were generated in the United States by the public, businesses and institutions. Frequently decisions are made about how to collect, transport, recycle/compost and dispose of MSW without an adequate understanding of the economic and environmental implications. MSW consists of paper, plastic, glass, yard waste, food waste metals of the 23 million tons of MSW being managed in the U.S., 57% is landfilled, 21% is recycled, 7% composted and 15% is combusted with energy recovery (EPA 2002). There have been major changes in MSW management in the first few decades towards more integrated approaches and use of more advanced technology. The major unit processes included in the system are: • Collection • Transfer station • Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) • Combustion (with or without, energy

recovery)

• Composting (yard and mixed waste) • Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) and

Processed Refuse Fuel (PRF) • Landfill (traditional, bioreaders, and

ash)

The detailed methodology for cost and environmental analysis for each unit processes are represented in process models.