A Detailed Characterization of Household Municipal Solid Waste

Purpose : The acquisition of reliable data on Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) composition is very important for the development of environmentally sound, sustainable and economically viable integrated waste management systems. However, no standardized universally accepted waste characterization protocol has been developed, as there are various methodologies described in the relevant literature. In this study, a generic and easy-to-apply MSW sampling and sorting protocol is developed and presented. Methods : The MSW composition characterization was used for the development of an innovative waste management strategy in the Municipality of Halandri (Attica region, Greece). The methodology was applied four times, to study the repeatability of the results, as well as the potential impact of seasonality. In each sampling point one collection bin for each waste stream was employed (mixed waste, recyclables, paper/cardboard and food waste in the region where food waste was separately collected at the source) in order to collect all the separate streams and account for the entire MSW production profile. The sampling points were selected in strictly residential areas (no shops, companies nearby). For 7 consecutive days the content of the bins was collected on a daily basis and transported to a sorting facility, where the content was sorted and weighed. Results : The results repeatedly indicated source separation rates of up to 79% and a level of impurities in the recycling waste source separation and collection streams (recyclables and paper/cardboard) not exceeding 20%. Conclusion : The applied methodology proved to generate accurate results, offering a detailed picture of the Municipal Solid Waste management performance. Graphic Abstract