Example 1:

A community produces the followings on an annual basis:

Fraction Tons per year

Mixed household waste 210
Recyclables 23
Commercial waste 45
Construction & demolition (C&D) wastes 120
Treatment plant sludges 32
Yard wastes 4

The recyclables are collected seperately and processed at a

materials recovery facility.The mixed residential and commercial
SW go to the landfill, as do the yard wastes. The sludges are dried
and applied on land (not into the landfill), and the C&D wastes are
used to fill a large ravine.Calculate the diversion.

Solution 1:

If the calculation is on the basis of MSW, the total waste generated is

434 tons per year. If everything not going to the landfill is counted as
having been diverted, the diversion is calculated as;

23 + 120 + 32 + 4
× 100 = 41%
434

This is an impressive diversion. But if the diversion is calculated as that

fraction of the refuse (mixed household and commercial waste) that has
been kept out of the landfill by the recycling program, the diversion is

23
× 100 = 8.3%
210 + 23 + 45

This is not nearly as impressive, but a great deal more honest.

 Example 2:

A residential waste has the following components:

Components Percentage Moisture Content

Paper 50% 6%
Glass 20% 2%
Food 20% 70%
Yard waste 10% 60% .

Estimate its moisture content?

Solution 2:

Assume a wet sample weighing 100kg. Set up the tabulation:

Component Percent Moisture Dry weight (based

on 100kg)
Paper 50 6 47
Glass 20 2 19
Food 20 70 6
Yard Waste 10 60 4
TOTAL 76

The moisture content (wet basis) would then be;

w−d 100 − 76
M= (100) = (100) = 24%
w 100
 Example 3:

A sample of MSW is analyzed and found to contain 10% moisture

content. The energy content of the entire mixture is measured in a
calorimeter and is found to be 9300 kJ/kg.

A 1.0 g sample is placed in the calorimeter, and 0.2 ash remains in

the sample cup after combustion.

What is the comparable moisture-free energy content (kJ) and the

moisture- and ash-free heat value?

Solution 3:

The one kg of MSW would have 10% moisture content, so the

moisture-free heat value would be calculated as;

9300 kJ/kg x 1g / (1g – 0.1 g water) = 10333 kJ/kg

Similarly, the moisture- and ash-free heat value would be

9300 kJ/kg x 1g / (1g – 0.1 g water – 0.2 g ash) = 13286 kJ/kg

Question 1:
In Istanbul each day 12.5 Million people produce approximately 8 lt
MSW.
a) What would the collected waste occupy in landfill each day if there is
no materials recovery for the recyclables?
b) What would be the landfill volume required for one year?
Assumptions:
Specific weight of uncompacted MSW = 120 kg/m3
Specific weight of MSW in landfill = 590 kg/m3

Question 2:
Estimate the overall moisture content of a sample of residential MSW
with the typical composition given in the following table.

Component % by weight Moisture content, %

ORGANIC
Food Waste 9.0 70
Paper 34.0 6.0
Cardboard 6.0 5.0
Plastics 7.0 2.0
Textiles 2.0 10
Rubber 0.5 2.0
Leather 0.5 10
Yard Waste 18.5 60
Wood 2.0 20
INORGANIC
Glass 8.0 2.0
Tin Cans 6.0 3.0
Aluminum 0.5 2.0
Other metal 3.0 3.0
Dirt,ash,etc. 3.0 8.0
 Question 3:
Determine the chemical composition of the organic fraction, without
and with sulfur and without and with water, of a residential MSW with
the typical composition given in the following table.

Composition, kg
Wet weight, Dry weight,
Component C H O N S Ash
kg kg
Food wastes 9 2.7 1.3 0.17 1.02 0.07 0.01 0.14

Paper 34 32 13.92 1.92 14.08 0.1 0.06 1.92

Cardboard 6 5.7 2.51 0.34 2.54 0.02 0.01 0.28

Plastics 7 6.9 4.14 0.5 1.57 - - 0.69

Textiles 2 1.8 0.99 0.12 0.56 0.08 - 0.05

Rubber 0.5 0.5 0.39 0.05 - 0.01 - 0.05

Leather 0.5 0.4 0.24 0.03 0.05 0.04 - 0.04

Yard wastes 18.5 6.5 3.11 0.39 2.47 0.22 0.02 0.29

Wood 2 1.6 0.79 0.1 0.68 - - 0.02

Question 4:
Determine the energy value of the residential MSW with the typical
composition and energy values given in the following table.

Component % by weight Energy, kJ/kg

ORGANIC
Food Waste 9,0 4.650
Paper 34,0 16.750
Cardboard 6,0 16.280
Plastics 7,0 32.560
Textiles 2,0 17.450
Rubber 0,5 23.260
Leather 0,5 17.450
Yard Waste 18,5 6.510
Wood 2,0 18.600
INORGANIC
Glass 8,0 140
Tin Cans 6,0 700
Aluminum 0,5 -
Other metal 3,0 700
Dirt,ash,etc. 3,0 6.980