Waste composition

Waste composition - the individual components that make up a solid waste stream and their relative
distribution, usually based on percentage by weight. It is likely to change because of changes in
lifestyle, increased recycling, education programmes, and changes in collection systems.
Composition studies require the manual sorting of waste components into predefined categories. If
we know how much waste is generated, we can then design management strategies to handle
(reduce, reuse, recycle, etc.) those wastes. Knowledge of individual components is important for:
 calculating waste physical properties,
 projecting the potential impact of recycling,
 performing landfill calculations, and
 designing waste incineration facilities.

Composition studies should be performed seasonally to define equipment needs, management

programs, and trends for future planning. Seasonal variations in composition include yard waste
increase in the summer and gift wrapping/packaging increase during Christmas and other holidays.

The only proper practical research done on the amount and composition of waste in Addis Ababa
was 1982. However, seeing the changes the city has gone through in the years in between then and
now, it may be reasonable not to put too much emphasis on these values. However, there are
estimations based on both these data and the realities of the city that could be significant; the
estimated amount of waste generated per day is 0.221 kg per capita, and the main sources of the
waste generated in Addis are given in Table below.

Commercial Disposed on
Households Hotels Industries Hospitals
institutions the streets
71 % 3% 9% 6% 1% 10 %

As the households generate the highest amount of waste, it can be deducted that the content would
mostly be organic. To observe the waste composition in Addis Ababa, two research data of the 1982
and between 2008 and 2014 which surveyed only households is shown here, respectively.
As we have just discussed, in coming to grips with waste management it is important to have some
idea of the composition of wastes. This requires some sort of classification system. Classification is
usually into hazardous and non-hazardous classes, but could be extended to include recyclable
versus non-recyclable.

Example 3-1: Calculation on MSW Material Balance

A cannery receives on a given day 12 tons of raw produce, 5 tons of cans, 0.5 tons of cartons and 0.3
ton of miscellaneous materials. Of the 12 tons of raw produce, 10 tons become products, 1.2 tons
end up as product waste, which is fed to cattle, and the remainder is discharged with the wastewater
from plant. 4 tons of the cans are stored internally for future use, and the remainder is used to
package the product. About 3 % of the cans used are damaged. Stored separately, the damaged cans
are recycled. The cartons are used for packaging the canned product, expect for 3 % that are
damaged and subsequently separated for recycling.

Of the miscellaneous materials, 25 % is stored internally for future use; 50 % becomes waste paper,
of which 35 % is separated for recycling with the remainder being discharged as mixed waste; and
25 % becomes a mixture of solid waste materials.

Assume the materials separated for recycling and disposals are collected daily. Prepare a material
balance for the cannery on this day and a material flow diagram accounting for all of the materials.
Also determine the amount of waste per tons of product.

Solution:
Step 1: On the given day, the cannery receives:
12.0 tons of raw produce
5.0 tons of cans
 0.5 ton of cartons
0.3 ton of miscellaneous materials.

Step 2: As a result of internal activity:

 10 tons of products are produced, 1.2 tons of produce waste is generated, and the remainder of
products is discharged with the wastewater.
 4 tons of cans are stored and the remainder is used, of which 3 % are damaged
 0.5 tons of cartons are used, of which 3 % are damaged
 25 % of miscellaneous material is stored; 50 % become paper waste, of which 35 % is separated and
recycled, with the remaining disposed of as mixed solid waste; the remaining 25 % of the
miscellaneous materials are disposed of as mixed waste.

Step 3: Determine the required quantities

 Waste generated from raw produce
i) Solid waste fed to cattle = 1.2 tons (1089 kg)
ii) Waste produce discharge with wastewater = (12 – 10 - 1.2) tons = 0.8 ton (726 kg)
 Cans
i) Damaged and recycled = (0.03) (5 - 4) ton = 0.03 ton (27 kg)
ii) Used for production = (1 - 0.03) ton = 0.97 ton (880 kg)
 Cartons
i) Damaged and recycled = (0.03) (0.5) ton = 0.015 ton (14 kg)
ii) Cartons used in product = (0.5 - 0.015) ton = 0.485 ton (440 kg)
 Miscellaneous materials
i) Amount stored =(0.25) (0.3 ton) = 0.075 ton (68 kg)
ii) Paper separated and recycled = (0.50) (0.35)(0.3 ton) = 0.053 ton (48 kg)
iii) Mixed waste= [(0.3-0.075)-0.053] ton = 0.172 ton ( 156kg)
 Total Weight of product = (10 + 0.97 + 0.485) tons = 11.455 tons (10,392 kg)
 Total Material stored = (4 + 0.0075) tons = 4.075 tons ( 3696 kg)

Step 4: Prepare a material balance and flow diagram for the cannery for the day

 Amount of material stored = inflow-outflow –waste generation

 The material balance quantities
i) Material stored = (4.0 +0.075) tons = 4.075 tons
ii) Material Input = (12.0 + 5.0 + 0.5 + 0.3) ton = 17.8 tons
iii) Material Output = (10.0 + 0.97 + 0.485 + 1.2 + 0.03 + 0.015 + 0.053) tons = 12.753 tons
iv) Waste Generation = (0.8 + 0.172) tons
v) The final material balance = 4.075 = 17.8 – 12.753 -0.972 (verified!)
  Material balance flow diagram

Step 5: Determine the amount of waste per ton of product:

i) Recyclable material = (1.2 + 0.03 + 0.015 + 0.053) ton/11.4.55 tons = 0.11 ton recycle material/tons
product
ii) Mixed waste = (0.8 + 0.172) ton/11.455 tons = 0.085 ton mixed waste/tons product

Example 2. Use the following data to calculate the composition of the generated waste for the
outlined conditions.
Use of food waste grinders:
 20 % of the homes have them.
 25 % of the food waste generated in homes with food grinders is ground and discharged to
the sewer system.
Waste recycling:
 11 % of the generated MSW is recycled.
 The recycled MSW has the following weight-based composition
 Paper: 50 %
 Cardboard: 10 %
 Plastic: 6 %
 Yard wastes: 8 %
 Tin cans: 4 %
 Glass: 18 %
 Aluminum: 1 %
 Non-ferrous metal: 3 %

Disposed waste compositions for use in this example:

Solution:
The basic solid waste mass balance is:
Generated Waste = Disposed Waste + Recycled Materials + Diverted Materials

In this problem, the diverted material is the food waste processed via the grinder. The problem
statement provided data detailing food waste grinder use, disposed waste composition, and
composition of recycling.

Step 1:
To simplify the problem solution, assume a 100 lb sample of disposed waste. This enables the
individual component data to be treated as weights (lb) rather than percentage (%).

Step 2:
Account for the Food Waste (FW) ground up:
FW generated = FW disposed / (Fraction of generated waste which is disposed)
From Table, FW disposed = (0.09) × (100 lb) = 9.0 lb
Fraction of FW ground = (20/100 homes have grinders) × (25 lb/100 lb of FW is disposed by
grinding)
+ (80/100 homes without grinder) × (0 lb/100 lb of FW is ground)
Fraction of FW ground = 0.05
FW generated = 9 lb / (1 − 0.05) = 9.5 lb
Therefore, Ground FW = (9.5−9.0) lb = 0.5 lb (Diverted)

Step 3:
Now, recalling the solid waste mass balance, if 11 % of the generated waste is recycled then, 89% of
the generated waste must be diverted and disposed.
Disposed + Diverted = (100 + 0.5) lb = 100.5 lb
Generated Waste = (100.5 lb ∕ 0.89) = 113 lb
Recycled Material = (113−100.5) lb = 12.5 lb

Step 4:
Construct a computation table to calculate the generated waste composition.

Generated paper waste = 34 lb + 6.25 lb = 40.25 lb

Properties of municipal solid waste

1. Physical properties

These are important for the management of waste disposal and for the recovery of a range of
materials, including energy. It is important to note this information is distinctly important to
determine the method of MSW disposal such as composting, landfills, recycling, etc. The important
physical properties of MSW include density (sometimes referred to as specific weight), moisture
content, particle size and distribution, field capacity, and porosity.

a) Density
Density is important because it is needed to assess the total mass and volume of waste which must be
managed. Density varies because of the large variety of waste constituents, the degree of
compaction, the state of decomposition, and in landfills because of the amount of daily cover and the
total depth of waste. Inert wastes such as construction and demolition materials may have higher
densities, and density can change as in landfills where the formation of landfill gas and
decomposition may bring about significant mass loss. The density of MSW is often referred to as
loose, as found in containers, un-compacted, compacted, etc. So it is important to specify what sort
of waste is being referred to. Density varies not only because of the type of treatment it gets but also
because of geographic location, season, and length of time in storage. Material stored for a long time
will tend to consolidate thus occupying less volume. Some typical density values shown below.

Density (kg/m3)
Item
Range Typical
Component*
Food wastes 120-480 290
Paper 30-130 85
Cardboard 30-80 50
Plastics 30-130 65
Textiles 30-100 65
Rubber 90-200 130
Leather 90-260 160
Garden trimmings 60-225 105
Wood 120-320 240
Misc. organics 90-360 240
Glass 160-480 195
Tin cans 45-160 90
Non-ferrous metals 60-240 160
Ferrous metals 120-200 320
Municipal solid waste
Uncompacted 90-180 130
Compacted 180-450 300
(in compactor track)
In landfill 350-550 475
(compacted normally)
In landfill 600-750 600
(well-compacted)

*Data for components is on an as-discarded basis.

b) Moisture Content
The most commonly used method of expressing moisture content is as a percentage of the wet
weight of material. Moisture content is important in regards to density (as above), compaction, the
role moisture plays in decomposition processes, the flushing of inorganic components, and the use of
MSW in incinerators. Pre-treatment of waste to ensure uniform moisture content can be carried out
prior to landfill disposal. The wet weight moisture content can be determined using:

( )

where: M = moisture content (%)

w = initial weight of sample (kg)
d = weight of sample after drying at 105 °C (kg)

Some typical moisture contents are shown in Table below.

Moisture, percent
Component
Range Typical
Food wastes 50-80 70
Paper 4-10 6
Cardboard 4-8 5
Plastics 1-4 2
Textiles 6-15 10
Rubber 1-4 2
Leather 8-12 10
Garden trimmings 30-80 60
Wood 15-40 20
Misc. organics 10-60 25
Glass 1-4 2
Tin cans 2-4 3
Nonferrous metals 2-4 2
Ferrous metals 2-6 3
Dirt, ashes, brick, etc. 6-12 8
Municipal solid wastes 15-40 20

c) Particle Size and Distribution

The size and distribution of the components of wastes are important for the recovery of materials,
especially when mechanical means are used, such as screens and magnetic separators. For example,
ferrous items which are of a large size may be too heavy to be separated by a magnetic belt or drum
system. A general indication of the particle size distribution (by the longest dimension and the ability
to pass through a sieve) may be obtained from graphs.

d) Field Capacity
The field capacity (FC) is the total amount of water a sample can hold under free (unrestricted)
drainage conditions and can be expressed as a MCdry, MCwet, MCvol, or percentage saturation.
This concept is important in solid waste management as, theoretically, no leachate (water that has
contacted waste) will be produced by a landfill until the FC is exceeded. FC can be used to predict
leachate production and the potential leachate storage available when designing leachate
recirculation systems. Typical values for FC for un-compacted, commingled residential and
commercial waste range from 50–60 % by volume. For compacted wastes, FC can be expected to
range between 30–55% by volume or approximately 42.5% which corresponds to 425 ft3
liquid/1,000 ft3 of MSW. When adjusted for moisture inherently found in the waste (∼27.5% by
volume), the leachate storage capacity is approximately 15 % on a volume basis or150 ft3 liquid
storage available/1,000 ft3 refuse.

e) Permeability of Compacted Wastes

The hydraulic conductivity (K) is an important parameter, because it describes how both liquids and
gases move in porous media. Hydraulic conductivity can be used to predict leachate movement and
production, to evaluate landfill liner system designs, and to estimate the leakage rate from landfill
liners. Hydraulic conductivity values for MSW range from 10−3 to 10−6 cm/s. For comparison, the
hydraulic conductivities of gravel, sand, and clay are approximately 10−1, 10−2, and 10−6 cm/s;
respectively.

Example 3 Estimating the moisture content of a solid-waste sample with the following composition.
Component % by mass
Food waste 15
Paper 45
Cardboard 10
Plastics 10
Garden trimmings 10
Wood 5
Tin cans 5
Solution:
1. Set up a computation table to determine the dry mass of the solid-waste sample using the data given.
% by Moisture Dry mass,*
Component
mass content (%) kg
Food waste 15 70 4.5
Paper 45 6 42.3
Cardboard 10 5 9.5
Plastics 10 2 9.8
Garden trimmings 10 60 4.0
Wood 5 20 4.0
Tin cans 5 3 4.9
*Based on 100-kg sample of waste
2. Determine the moisture content, M.C. = (100-79)/100*100 = 21.0 %

2. Chemical properties of waste

Knowledge of the chemical composition of waste is important to help evaluate alternative processing
and recovery options. This is especially important where wastes are burned for energy recovery, in
which case the four most important properties are:

 proximate analysis,
 fusing point of ash,
 ultimate analysis (elemental analysis), and
 energy content.

a) Proximate Analysis
The organic component of MSW is subject to proximate analysis that is used to estimate the fraction
of volatile organics and fixed carbon in the fuel. Proximate analysis includes the following tests:
1) Loss of moisture when the temperature is increased to and sustained at 105 ∘C for 1 h.
2) Volatile Combustible Matter (VCM) – measurement of additional weight loss caused by ignition at
950 ∘C in a closed crucible.
3) Fixed Carbon – the measured weight of the residue from VCM analyses.
4) Ash – the measured weight of residue remaining after ignition at 950 ∘C in an open crucible.

Table below provides proximate analysis and energy data for components found in municipal and
commercial refuse.
 b) Fusing Point of Ash
This is the temperature at which the ash, or incombustible residue from burning waste will form a
solid (clinker) of carbon and metal by agglomeration and fusion. Typical fusing temperatures are
from 1100–1200 °C.

c) Elemental Analysis (Ultimate analysis)

This involves the determination of C, H, O, N, S, and ash on a percentage basis. Because of concern
about halogens these are also often determined as well. The results of this analysis are used to
characterize the composition of the organic matter in wastes. This is important for C/N ratios for
biological decomposition. Typical values for components often associated with residential and
commercial MSW are shown below.
 d) Energy Content
The energy content (kJ/kg) of the components of waste can be determined using a boiler system,
laboratory experiments using calorimeters, or by calculation using elemental composition. Energy
content values are often characterized as being on an as-collected basis, moisture-free, or moisture-
and ash-free. Refer to the table about this. Converting between reported values is easily
accomplished using:

( ) ( )

The corresponding equation on an ash-free dry basis is:

( ) ( )

e) Essential Nutrients
If the organic content of MSW is to be used for biological conversion either for compost, methane or
ethanol production, then the essential nutrient content is required. Of most importance are the major
nutrients in their various forms - N (as nitrates, ammonium N), P and K.
Example
i. Calculate the moisture content & density of the commingled MSW, using the data given in Table 1.
ii. Determine the chemical formula of the MSW in the absence of moisture. Using data given in Table 2.
Solution