Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Sustainable landfill'

Modern landfilling constitutes an unavoidable final step in solid waste management. It aims to close the “Material Cycle” bringing elements back to the non-mobile state they were in before their extraction. At the same time, the application of Sustainability Principle to landfills prescribes to guarantee environmental protection and health safety, ensuring that the disposed waste will be chemically and biochemically stable within a reasonable amount of time. A “Sustainable Landfill” must combine these two fundamental purposes, balancing the efforts to obtain a “sustainable closure of material loop”. The enhancement of biochemical processes in a landfill, with the purpose of reaching faster environmentally safe conditions and terminate the post closure care, is one of the main debated topics in waste management scientific literature. The general aim of the PhD project was giving a contribution to this debate through the lab-scale testing of systems able to simulate landfills behaviour and the analysis of the long-term expectable chemical status of waste undergone to sustainable landfilling. The first part of the work is an overview on the basic biochemical processes in landfills and on the laboratory-scale landfill simulation tests. The approach used by the PhD student is mainly experimental, starting from the design and the management of several laboratory-scale landfill simulation tests. The elaboration of the obtained data was useful for evaluating the performances of the tested bioreactor concepts as well as for comparing the results to other scientific data derived from a thorough bibliographic research. The original work produced by the student can be subdivided in three different arguments. The Semi-aerobic, Anaerobic, Aerated (S.An.A. ®) hybrid bioreactor is an innovative landfill concept, lab-scale run with promising results concerning the enhancement of methane production and the reduction of the long-term emissions. The effects of the recirculation of reverse osmosis leachate concentrate inside the landfill have been analysed to check if the potential accumulation of contaminants in waste body can turn this practice unsustainable. The Final Storage Quality (FSQ) procedure, for endorsing the landfill Post Closure Care termination, was tested on an over-stabilized waste of which total emissions and chemical speciation of main elements were calculated.
Il moderno sistema di deposito finale dei rifiuti in discarica costituisce un passaggio inevitabile nella gestione dei rifiuti solidi. Il suo scopo è chiudere il “ciclo della materia” riportando gli elementi allo stato di immobilità in cui erano prima di essere estratti. Contemporaneamente, l’applicazione del principio di sostenibilità alle discariche prescrive di garantire la salvaguardia ambientale e della salute, assicurando che il rifiuto smaltito diventi chimicamente e bio-chimicamente stabile entro un tempo “ragionevole”. Una “Discarica Sostenibile” deve combinare questi due principi, bilanciando i contributi per ottenere una “chiusura sostenibile del ciclo della materia”. Il potenziamento dei processi biochimici in discarica, con lo scopo di raggiungere più velocemente condizioni che garantiscano la salvaguardia ambientale e terminare la fase di post-chiusura, è uno degli argomenti più dibattuti nella letteratura scientifica inerente alla gestione dei rifiuti. Lo scopo generale del progetto di dottorato è stato contribuire a questo dibattito, mediante lo svolgimento di test in scala di laboratorio utili a simulare l’andamento dei processi in discarica e analizzando lo stato biochimico finale dei rifiuti trattati. La prima parte del lavoro consiste in una panoramica sui processi biochimici in discarica e sulla metodica dei test biochimici in scala di laboratorio. L’approccio usato dallo studente in questa tesi è principalmente sperimentale, basato sulla progettazione, l’esecuzione e la rielaborazione dei dati di svariate simulazioni di discarica in laboratorio. La discussione dei risultati ottenuti è stata propedeutica alla valutazione delle performance dei modelli concettuali testati così come al confronto con altri risultati ottenuti grazie a una approfondita ricerca bibliografica. Il lavoro originale svolto dallo studente può essere diviso in tre progetti principali. Il reattore ibrido Semi-aerobico, Anaerobico, Aerato (S.An.A ®) è una concetto innovativo testato in scala di laboratorio con promettenti risultati per quanto concerne la stimolazione della produzione di metano e la riduzione delle emissioni di lungo termine. Gli effetti del ricircolo del concentrato di percolato da osmosi inversa all’interno del corpo rifiuti di una discarica sono stati analizzati per verificare se possano esistere potenziali accumuli di contaminanti che rendano insostenibile tale pratica. La procedura di Final Storage Quality (FSQ) per determinare la chiusura della fase di aftercare di una discarica è stata testata su un rifiuto sovra-stabilizzato di sui sono state calcolate emissioni totali e la speciazione chimica degli elementi principali.

Landfilling of municipal solid waste is a major waste disposal method, especially in developing countries despite its pressing environmental challenges. Reuse of the landfill composite has been suggested as a sustainable management option that could limit its negative effect. This research evaluated the compositional trend and characteristics of landfill composites with depth in order to assess its suitability as a precursor for activated carbon. A bulk system classification was used during analysis of the composite parameters (‘more degraded’ and ‘less degraded’ components). Both landfills had similar waste constituents, but varied in relation to moisture, TOC, and heavy metals contents. The elemental and chemical constituents of an active and a closed landfill were compared using Fourier transform - infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope/energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX) spectroscopy, and proximate analysis. The two landfills had similar major elemental constituents representing 96.5 % and 98.4 % of elemental composition for the closed (O > C > Si> Fe > Ca >Al) and active(C > O > Si > Al > Ca > Fe) landfill samples respectively. A single step chemical activation process of precursor was applied involving irradiation with microwave energy and KOH as the activation agent. The average percentage yield of activated carbon (AC) from active landfill precursor was higher than that from closed landfill for all three depths of sampling (upper, 23.8 and 19.3 %; mid, 52.4 and 34.7 %; lower 35.7 and 27.0 %). Methylene blue adsorption capacity and BET surface analysis indicated adsorption capacity and surface area of AC from degraded precursor increased with depth. All AC conformed to a multilayer adsorption model and a pseudo second order kinetic. Carbonyl and hydroxyl groups were the major functional group on the surface of activated carbon. The AC properties indicated that precursors from both landfills are potentially suitable for generation of adsorbent suitable for removal of cationic dyes and pollutants.

The utilisation of a willow vegetation filter for the treatment of landfill leachate is an environmentally and economically appealing solution for landfill operators. Investigations into the design and efficacy of the system, the effects of landfill leachate irrigation on soil ecology, soil chemistry and willow growth were undertaken. Two low cost, high density polyethylene-lined experimental willow plots (25x50 m2) were installed at Cranford landfill, Northamptonshire, UK, and irrigated with landfill leachate between June 2001 and October 2005. During the growing season, leachate volume was often reduced to zero. On other occasions, maximum removal efficiencies of between 33 % and 75 % for total Kjeldahl nitrogen, chemical oxygen demand and sodium, potassium and chloride ions were determined in landfill leachate effluent samples. The addition of landfill leachate produced no negative effects on both soil and foliar macronutrients, which were found to be in the range for sufficient or optimum growth and where additional fertilisers would not bring about a further increase in yields. The effects of landfill leachate application on soil microbial communities were explored and were found to be significantly higher for dehydrogenase activity and ammonium oxidising bacteria in the plot receiving a higher rate of leachate application. An economic analysis was carried out to demonstrate the financial viability of a willow vegetation filter as a treatment for landfill leachate. Willow vegetation filters could provide a desirable alternative to conventional treatment systems, such as sequencing batch reactors, as they incur lower capital expenses and potentially similar operational costs. This study also identified additional revenue benefits in the region of £94 per hectare for wood chip heat/energy production. The results from the willow vegetation filter under investigation in this study demonstrated that this type of system can be effective, in terms of volume reduction and removal efficiency in landfill leachate, with no detrimental effect upon the trees or surrounding environment

Thesis (M. L. A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2007.
Title proper from title frame. Includes special report study entitled: Restoration with native species in Hong Kong hillside. Also available in printed format.

Sustainable and effective treatment of landfill leachate has become one of the most important environmental problems due to the fluctuating composition and quantity, as well as its high concentrations of pollutants. High-tech solutions applied for the leachate treatment are expensive and energy consuming, and in addition they are not suitable at many landfill sites, especially those in rural areas. Hence there is need to develop novel and sustainable low-energy systems for the effective treatment of landfill leachates. Constructed wetlands (CWs) are inexpensive simple to operate and they have the potential to remove not only organic carbon and nitrogen compounds, but heavy metals. This study focussed on the design, development and experimental investigation of a novel CWs for the treatment of landfill leachate. The CWs employed dewatered ferric waterworks sludge (DFWS) as the main substrate. The overall aim of the study was to design and assess the novel configuration of the CWs, whilst also contributing to advancing the understanding of pollutant removal from the landfill leachate in the CWs, through the development of models to explain the internal processes and predict performance. The key design and operational variables investigated were: the primary media used, i.e. the DFWS, and the wetting and drying regimes. The CWs was configured as 4-stages in series which was operated for 220 days. Thereafter, an additional unit was added due to clogging and the CWs was operated for 185 days in this second period. Results and experimental observations indicate that the chemical treatment processes (adsorption and precipitation) contributed to the clogging. The DFWS used served as adsorbent for heavy metals removal in the system. Results of heavy metals, organic matter (COD), ammonia and total nitrogen removal indicate average removals of 99%, 62%, 83% and 81%, respectively in first period; and 100%, 86%, 90% and 82% in second period, with an average heavy metals loading rate 0.76 g m-2 day-1, organic loading rate 1070 g m-2 day-1, ammonia loading rate of 178 g m-2 day-1 and total nitrogen loading rate 192 g m-2 day-1. Results were supported through mathematical analysis using STELLA model for heavy metals transformation in CWs and numerical modelling using HYDRUS CW2D, which enhanced understanding of the internal processes for organic matter and nitrogen 4 removal. The result from STELLA modelling showed that up to 90% of the removal of heavy metals was through adsorption, which is highly significant. While HYDRUS CW2D results showed that the main path of nitrogen removal was through simultaneous nitrification and denitrification. Overall, results have shown that CWs design has great potential for reduction of metals and nutrients in landfill leachate. Results of this study can contribute to future CW research and design for landfill leachate treatment, through the increased understanding of long-term pollutant removal in these systems. In time, this may result in the wider application of CWs for landfill leachate treatment to better protect the environment.

The UK Landfill Tax was introduced by the Finance Act 1996 as an economic measure to discourage the use of landfill as a waste management option and to encourage a more sustainable approach in which less waste is produced and more waste is reused or recycled. A tax credit scheme was also introduced in order that a proportion of the money raised by the tax could be directed to Environmental Bodies to be used for approved environmental projects. The published papers submitted with this thesis evaluate the effectiveness of the operation of Landfill Tax and Landfill Tax Credit Scheme in a legal context by drawing upon a range of sources including the reviews of the Tax, data for Entrust and surveys conducted by the author. The Landfill Tax and Landfill Tax Credit Scheme is a tax law that is multi dimensional with environmental, social, economic, fiscal and political aspects. Like most law it seeks to change or control the behaviour of individuals and institutions but unlike most laws relating to taxation it had the potential for greater public acquiescence by a ‘double dividend’ by seeking to reduce landfill and encourage a more sustainable approach and also to be neutral in taxation terms by making a commensurate reduction in Employer’s Contributions to National Insurance and so reduce the tax on employment. The research finds that the Tax and Credit Scheme has good intentions in achieving a double dividend and recognises that it laid the foundations for a bottom up approach to improved waste management with public participation projects. However the research identifies and addresses a series of issues. In particular the Tax needed to be set at a substantial level to have an impact and did not itself reduce landfill. The Credit Scheme had the potential to encourage alternatives to landfill. However the Scheme’s range of approved projects and flaws in its operation meant it lacked a sufficiently strong sustainable waste management focus. The research notes that stakeholders support the Tax and Credit Scheme but recognise that it has scope for making a greater contribution to sustainable waste management particularly if additional Tax funds were allocated to strategic projects. In 2002 the Government diverted all the funds that would have been applied to ‘bottom up’ waste management projects under the Credit Scheme to centrally run ‘top down’ strategic projects, bringing to an end a key driver for sustainable waste management. The aim of the critical appraisal accompanying the papers is to outline the operation and highlight the criticisms and suggested reforms published in the papers between 1998 and 2004. In addition it suggests a way forward for the Landfill Tax credit Scheme, now called the Landfill Communities Fund to support once more support bottom up waste management projects. It also refers to key elements of the UK experience as an evidenced based guide to other countries that have already or are considering implementing similar taxes to the Landfill Tax

This thesis originated from a desire to explore the issue of solid waste, the appropriate management of which continues to represent a privilege for the few, in order to investigate alternative cost-effective solutions aimed at promoting access of the population worldwide to sustainable waste management systems. The work had a particular focus on landfilling from a holistic point of view, investigating environmental, technical and economical sustainable solutions in terms of landfill management and emissions control. The thesis work was developed over a three-year period in four steps. In the first step, activities focused on the study and gaining a better understanding of the need for a global approach to waste management, with the application of identical concepts and knowledge throughout the world and envisaging appropriate and sustainable technical solutions, not only in environmental terms but also in economic (they should be low cost) and technical terms (they should easy to construct, operate and maintain). Further to carrying out literature reviews and taking part in a series of International Conferences where waste management in DCs was discussed in detail, a field stage abroad, on the Ivory Coast, proved of fundamental importance for the development of this first step. In the second step, the sustainability of landfills was studied and analyzed by considering the tools which could be implemented to control long-term emissions in the case of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfilling. Research activities were focused on the comprehensive study of bioreactor landfills, comparing (using literature data) lab scale applications of different types of bioreactors, and evaluating the advantages and disadvantages. Having conducted a qualitative analysis of the main types of bioreactor landfills, landfill sustainability was quantified using a first order kinetic model for the COD and ammonia removal processes. Amongst the different sustainable landfill alternatives, semi-aerobic landfill represented a viable option meeting environmental, technical and economical sustainability requirements. During the third step of the thesis work, semi-aerobic landfills were studied in detail in order to identify innovative solutions to optimise the design and management of the system under different situations. The fourth step of research activities was inspired by a need to identify cost-effective solutions to solve the key issue in landfilling sustainability: leachate treatment. An innovative alternative potential solution based on exploiting the versatility and voracity of Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae was investigated. The adaptability of larvae to leachate, the treatment performance and the quality of the biomass rich in fats and proteins were initially assessed. Additionally, the potential of proteins and fats to be conveniently converted into commercial resources, such as animal feed and biodiesel was evaluated. During this fourth step, for three months at the beginning of the 2019, a research stage was specifically organised at the KUET University, Bangladesh to investigate the potential of mangroves for use in the phytotreatment of landfill leachate, exploiting the high resistance to salinity of these plants. A preliminary study has been carried out using as a comparison other tropical plant species such as Canna indica.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD
Due to high levels of unemployment many people in South Africa have sought work in the informal sector of the country's economy. The activities of landfill waste pickers therefore came about because of this. Landfill waste pickers recover recyclables on mountains of waste and sell to different Buy Back Centers (BBCs) in their areas. Despite the hardships, working on unbearable working conditions and poor income, landfill waste pickers have managed to sustain their livelihoods. The aim of the study was to conduct an analysis of the livelihoods of landfill waste pickers in South Africa using the sustainable livelihood framework. The study adopted both qualitative and quantitative research approach using multiple case study strategy of inquiry. The population of the study was the landfill waste pickers at the selected landfill sites and material recovery facility. Convenient sampling was used to select the research sample. Data was gathered through observations, semi-structured one-on-one interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, and document analysis to involve multiple sources of data. The research study took place in the following provinces of South Africa namely Western Cape, North West, and Eastern Cape. Out of these provinces the following municipalities were selected for the study Stellenbosch and Oudtshoorn (Western Cape), Potchefstroom and Vryburg (North West) and Graaff Reinet (Eastern Cape). Themes were identified using the elements of sustainable livelihood framework (SLF) and thematic analysis. SLF was used to analyse and present findings under the following elements of SLF vulnerability context, livelihood assets, transforming structures and processes, livelihood strategies and livelihood outcomes. After using a robust approach in analyzing the livelihoods of waste pickers the main outcome was that waste pickers are trying to make a living and they are entrepreneurs. The study also showed that it is important that waste pickers need to be integrated into the waste management system but not to formalize or regulate them. But ultimately give them support so that they continue to do their work better in better conditions.

The Italian tan line of industrial activity is characterized by 2,400 companies and 30,300 workers. The companies are concentrated in four main industrial poles: S. Croce sull'Arno in Toscana, Arzignano and Valle del Chiampo in Veneto, Solofra in Campania and Turbigo Castano in Lombradia. The Italian tan activity is leader in the European Union and in the World too. The wastewater produced during the tan activity is collected to centralized industrial wastewater treatment plants. The most common depuration treatment of this wastewater is biological activated sludge. The excess sludge produced during the treatment process contents all the pollutants removed from water and it is still a waste to treat and dispose off. The tannery sludges are currently a big ecological and environmental problem in Europe and in Italy, too. The production in Italy is around 280.000 tons every year. No process carried out up to now, has been successful for a reuse of the sludge and the only possible destination remains the landfill. The aim of the current research work is to analyze the capacity of some biological treatments to be applied in the management system of tannery sludge. The target is to reach the social and environmental sustainability of management system of tannery sludge. The research work has regarded four topics: minimization of sludge and energy saving, aerobic stabilization of dry tannery sludge, biological hydrogen production from tannery sludge and environmental sustainability of tannery sludge landfill. Energy saving can be achieved evaluating the optimal conditions for the thermal drying system of tannery sludge. The optimization of the thermal drying system aims to characterize the minimum value of total solids content of the sludge, that inhibits or that stops the biological activity of degradation of organic substances in the sludge. The minimum total solid content emerged in the research work seems to be 75%. Consequently an amount of moisture of 25% is not sufficient to support microbial activity, and the dry sludge does not show appreciable biological degradation processes, independently by he biodegradability of organic substances in the sludge. Aerobic stabilization of mechanically dried tannery sludge before landfill, has the targets of stabilization of organic substances and reduction of water content. The advantages of a preliminary aerobic treatment are the reduction of environmental impacts of landfilling, better disposal conditions and low costs for treating plant investment and management. The results seem to be encouraging for the development of an aerobic treatment technology for the stabilization of tannery sludge. The treatment seems to work though the negative characteristics of the tannery sludge. Volatile solid content has been reduced, moisture content has been reduced depending on aeration rate, leachability of metals has been reduce. Even the biological activity, measured by respiromentric test and fermentative test, has reached the values suggested in the international literature as stable waste conditions. Biological hydrogen production is an interesting opportunity to produce hydrogen from renewable source, at low costs and sustainable environmental impacts. The biological processes are not only environmental friendly, but also they lead to open a new avenue for the utilization of renewable energy sources which are inexhaustible. For the investigation of the biological production of hydrogen by dark fermentation, laboratory tests have been conducted at a mesophilic process temperature of 35°C in batch operation. The results show a good production of hydrogen from glucose and also from Kitchen Waste. The hydrogen production from tannery sludge has been comparable with the results from kitchen waste but with slower production rate and long lag phase. The methane production has not been avoided. Probably the low biodegradability of tannery sludge and the fact that this substrate contents different types of biomass allows methanogenic bacterial to maintain or establish again their activity. The last part of present research work has been set up to understand the behaviour of tannery sludge dispose of in sanitary landfill, especially when the barrier systems will fail and it has regarded the evaluation of the sustainability of landfill disposal of dry tannery sludge. The emission of biogas and quality of leachate indicate that the degradation of organic substances start quickly and the thermal drying treatment does not sterilize the sludge. The biogas emissions and the leachate quality do not indicate a sustainable condition. Comparing these conditions with lysimeters contatining aerobically stabilize tannery sludge, the good effects of pre-treatment can be observed. The biogas production has been very low. Comparing the concentration of metals of lysimeters containing pre-treated sludge and not pre-treated sludge, it is possible to understand the effects of biological stabilization of sludge and the advantages to reach the environmental sustainability of landfill.

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O exponencial crescimento populacional e a crescente urbanização, agravado pelo desenvolvimento econômico da sociedade, tem como resultado o crescimento da geração de resíduos sólidos urbanos e também a necessidade cada vez maior de energia. As formas de destinação e disposição de resíduos impactam negativamente o meio ambiente. No entanto, os resíduos podem ser utilizados para recuperação de energia, a qual pode ser adicionada à matriz do país. A realização da gestão integrada dos resíduos sólidos, com base na Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos, apresenta também condições para o Brasil atuar de forma responsável e com mais sustentabilidade, através de uso de instrumentos como a logística reversa e a responsabilidade compartilhada, o que pode permitir a composição gradual da hierarquia da boa gestão dos resíduos sólidos: não gerar, reusar, reciclar, destinar e dispor. O objetivo desta tese é realizar um estudo sobre um projeto regional com 39 municípios para análise comparativa para destinação dos rejeitos dos resíduos sólidos urbanos em um incinerador e disposição em um aterro sanitário com captação do biogás, considerando a possibilidade de recuperação energética em ambos os sistemas. Em complemento objetiva-se a elaboração de uma análise documental sobre o tema resíduos sólidos com abordagem de critérios que possam ser comparados entre os dois sistemas, especificamente: emissão de gases de efeito estufa, ocupação de área física de terra, impactos negativos ao meio ambiente e hierarquia dos sistemas na gestão de resíduos sólidos. Para realização deste estudo foram adotadas as seguintes metodologias: análise documental sobre os resíduos sólidos; caracterização gravimétrica das frações de resíduos sólidos produzidas na região; cálculo de captação do biogás com recuperação energética utilizando a equação elabora pelo IPCC - International Panel on Climate Change, com distribuição triangular da produção do metano gerado ao longo dos anos pela degradação lenta e rápida dos resíduos; e recuperação de energia em sistema de incineração adotando-se o valor de 500 kWh por tonelada de resíduo sólido incinerada. Assumiu-se o período de 15 anos de disposição de resíduos sólidos em aterro sanitário, mas com captação do biogás no período de 30 anos, e funcionamento do sistema de incineração pelo período de 30 anos, como forma de comparação da recuperação energética em igual período entre ambos os sistemas. Os resultados mostraram que ambos os sistemas podem produzir energia, mas o sistema de incineração tem eficiência maior em 3,2 vezes. O sistema de aterro sanitário ocupa área física de terra 18 vezes maior e emite gases de efeito estufa 2,9 vezes mais que o sistema de incineração. Ambos os sistemas causam impactos ambientais negativos, e na análise da hierarquia para a gestão dos resíduos sólidos urbanos a destinação de resíduos sólidos em incinerador é estabelecida como a penúltima opção, enquanto que a disposição em aterro sanitário é a última opção. A conclusão do estudo é que a incineração leva vantagem sobre o aterro sanitário na gestão de resíduos sólidos, porque gera mais energia elétrica, emite menos gases de efeito estufa, utiliza menos área física de terra e, por ser um sistema fechado e estanque apresenta melhores condições para mitigação dos impactos ambientais negativos.
The exponential population growth and increasing urbanization, aggravated by the economic development of society, results in the growth of urban solid waste generation and also the increasing need for energy. The destination and disposal of solid waste cause negative impacts in the environment. However, solid waste can be used for energy recovery, which can be added to the country matrix. The implementation of integrated solid waste management, based on the National Solid Waste Policy, also presents conditions for Brazil to act in a responsible and more sustainable way, through the use of instruments such as reverse logistics and shared responsibility, which may allow the gradual composition of the hierarchy of ideal solid waste management: not generate, reuse, recycle, destine and dispose. The objective of this thesis is to realize a study on a regional project with 39 municipalities for comparative analysis for the destination of waste from urban solid waste in an incinerator and disposal in a landfill with biogas capture, considering the possibility of energy recovery in both systems. In addition, the objective of this paper is to elaborate a documentary analysis on the subject of solid waste, with approach to criteria that can be compared between the two systems, specifically: greenhouse gas emissions, occupation of the physical area of land, negative impacts on the environment and hierarchy of systems in solid waste management. In order to carry out this study, the following methodologies were adopted: documentary analysis on solid waste; gravimetric characterization of solid waste fractions produced in the region; calculation of biogas capture with energy recovery using the equation elaborated by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), with a triangular distribution of the methane production generated over the years by the slow and rapid degradation of the wastes; and energy recovery in the incineration system, adopting the value of 500 kWh per ton of solid waste incinerated. It was adopted the period of 15 years for disposal of solid waste in landfill, but with biogas collection over a period of 30 years, and operation of the incineration system for a period of 30 years was used as a way of comparing the energy recovery in the same period between both systems. The results showed that both systems can produce energy, but the incineration system has a higher efficiency by 3,2 times. The landfill system occupies an area of land that is 18 times larger and emits greenhouse gases 2,9 times more than the incineration system. Both systems cause negative environmental impacts, and in the analysis of the hierarchy for the management of municipal solid waste the destination of solid waste in incinerator is established as the penultimate option, while landfill disposal is the last option. The conclusion of the study is that incineration takes advantage of the landfill in solid waste management because it generates more electricity, emits less greenhouse gases, uses less physical land area and, because it is a closed system, it has better conditions to mitigate negative environmental impacts.

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O biogás gerado pela biodegradação anaeróbia dos Resíduos Sólidos Urbanos (RSU) se configura como uma fonte alternativa de energia, entretanto, vem sendo desperdiçado em muitos aterros sanitários, na forma de emissões de Gases do Efeito Estufa (GEE) à atmosfera. A geração e emissão de gases são influenciadas por fatores associados às características operacionais dos aterros e dos resíduos, bem como aqueles relacionados às condições meteorológicas locais; os quais podem interferir na quantidade e qualidade dos gases gerados. Nessa perspectiva, o estudo das emissões de biogás se constitui em uma importante contribuição para a gestão de aterros sanitários, permitindo avaliar a eficiência das camadas de cobertura de solo compactado, além de permitir a otimização do sistema de drenagem dos gases e a recuperação energética do metano. Dentro desse contexto, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi estudar as emissões de biogás em aterro de Resíduos Sólidos Urbanos no semiárido brasileiro, no que concerne aos aspectos qualiquantitativos, a fim de gerar uma base de dados para apoiar a gestão sustentável desses empreendimentos. Esse estudo foi conduzido em uma célula de RSU, denominada de Célula 2, que se constitui em um aterro em escala real e está localizada no Aterro Sanitário em Campina Grande-PB. A operação da Célula 2 compreendeu o período entre 27/dezembro/2015 e 8/maio/2016, quando foi executada a camada de cobertura final de solo compactado. A massa total de RSU na Célula 2 foi de, aproximadamente, 62 mil toneladas, com uma taxa média de disposição de resíduos em torno de 465 t.dia-1. A metodologia da pesquisa englobou um plano de monitoramento das emissões de gases na Célula 2, o qual consistiu em medições: i) no sistema de drenagem vertical de biogás; ii) na interface soloresíduo; e iii) na camada de cobertura de solo compactado. Por meio dos resultados obtidos nesta pesquisa, foram verificadas concentrações médias de CH4, nos 9 (nove) drenos verticais (DV) de gases, superiores a 50% no período monitorado. A vazão total de CH4 variou na faixa de 59 a 17 Nm³.h-1, no período de 270 a 570 dias após o encerramento da Célula 2, implicando em uma redução dessa vazão de 70% durante esse intervalo de tempo. A taxa de captação de biogás por tonelada de resíduos aterrados variou de 15 a 4 Nm³.t-1.ano-1 (entre 270 e 570 dias). As emissões superficiais de metano pela camada de cobertura da Célula 2 totalizaram uma vazão inferior a 2 Nm³.h-1, no período de estiagem. Porém, a vazão de CH4 pela camada de cobertura foi significativamente inferior à vazão pelos DVs, correspondendo a um percentual inferior a 9% no período em análise. Os principais fatores que contribuíram para esse desempenho foram o elevado grau de compactação médio obtido para a Célula 2, a ausência de pressões diferenciais de gases na interface solo-resíduo, a eficiência do sistema de drenagem vertical de gases e a baixa permeabilidade do solo à água e ao ar. As estimativas da vazão de CH4 realizadas para a Célula 2, por meio do Landfill Gas Emissions Model, são compatíveis com uma potência máxima de 80 kW, disponível até 2047. Entretanto, as estimativas teóricas de vazão de biogás não refletiram o comportamento dos dados experimentais, visto que, nessas avaliações, não foi identificado o decaimento expressivo da vazão de metano, decorridos 570 dias de monitoramento da Célula 2. Portanto, faz-se necessário estudar possíveis soluções para ativar o potencial energético teórico dos resíduos na célula investigada.
The biogas generated by anaerobic biodegradation of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is an alternative energy source, however, it has been wasted in many landfills, in the form of emissions of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) to the atmosphere. The generation and emission of gases are influenced by factors associated with the operational characteristics of landfills and waste, as well as those related to local meteorological conditions; which may interfere with the quantity and quality of the generated gases. In this perspective, the study of biogas emissions is an important contribution of landfills management, allowing to evaluate the efficiency of the compacted soil cover layers, besides allowing the optimization of the gas drainage system and the methane energy recovery. Within this context, the objective of this research was to study the biogas emissions in Municipal Solid Waste landfill in the Brazilian semi-arid region, regarding qualitative and quantitative aspects, in order to generate a database to support the sustainable management of these enterprises. This study was conducted in a MSW cell, denominated Cell 2, built in a real-scale landfill and is located in the Campina Grande-PB Landfill. The operation of Cell 2 comprised the period between December 27, 2015 to May 8, 2016, when the final soil cover layer was executed. The total MSW mass of MSW in Cell 2 was approximately 62 thousand tons, with a mean waste disposal rate of around 465 t.day-1. The research methodology encompassed a gas emissions monitoring plan in Cell 2, which consisted of measurements: i) in the vertical biogas drainage system; ii) at the soil-residue interface; iii) in the compacted soil cover layer. Through the results obtained in this research, average concentrations of CH4, in the 9 (nine) Gas Drains (DV), higher than 50% in the monitored period. The total CH4 flow ranged from 59 to 17 Nm³.h-1, in the period from 270 to 570 days after the closure of Cell 2, implying a reduction of this flow by 70% during this time interval. The rate of capture of biogas per tonne of landfill residues varied from 15 to 4 Nm³.t- 1.year-1 (from 270 to 570 days). The surface emissions of methane by the cover layer of Cell 2 totaled a flow lower than 2 Nm³.h-1, during the dry season. However, the CH4 flow through the cover layer was significantly lower than the flow rate for the DVs, corresponding to a percentage lower than 9% in the period under analysis. The main factors that contributed to this performance were the high degree of average compaction obtained for Cell 2, the absence of gas differential pressures at the soil-residue interface, the efficiency of the vertical gas drainage system and the low permeability of the soil to water and air. The CH4 flow accomplished for Cell 2, using the Landfill Gas Emissions Model, are compatible with a maximum power of 80 kW, available until 2047. However, the biogas flow theoretical estimates did not reflect in the behavior of the experimental data, since in these evaluations, the significant decay of the methane flow was not identified after 570 days of monitoring of Cell 2. Therefore, it is necessary to study possible solutions to activate the theoretical energetic potential of the residues in the investigated cell.

The thesis outlined in this report is a pre-feasibility study of the potential to use waste-to-energy technology in the region Kutai Kartanegara, Borneo, Indonesia. The project is a collaboration between the Kutai Kartanegara government, Uppsala University, the Swedish University of Agricultural sciences and the technology consulttancy Sweco. The current waste management system in Kutai Kartanegara consists of landfills in the cities and open burnings and dumping in the lesser developed sub-districts. This is a growing problem both environmentally and logistically. The electrification in the sub-districts is sometimes as low as 17 % and access to electricity is often limited to a couple of hours per day. The current electricity production in the region is mainly from fossil fuels. Data was collected during a two month long field study in Tenggarong, the capital of Kutai Kartanegara. From the collected data, various waste-to-energy systems and collection areas were simulated in Matlab. Results from the simulations show that a system using both a waste incineration and biogas plant would be the best solution for the region. The chosen system is designed to handle a total of 250,000 tons of waste annually, collected from Tenggarong and neighbouring districts. The system will provide between 155 and 200 GWh electricity and between 207 and 314 GWh of excess heat energy annually. Some of this is used in a district heating system with an absorption-cooling machine. The system investment cost is around 42.5 MUSD and it is expected to generate an annual profit of 16 MUSD. The recommended solution will decrease the emissions of CO2-equivalents compared to the current waste system and fossil electricity production with 50%. The results in the study clearly show that there are both economic and environmental potential for waste-to-energy technologies in the region. But the waste management and infrastructure has to be improved to be able to utilize these technologies. By implementing waste-to-energy technologies, the supplied waste can be seen as a resource instead of a problem. This would give incentives for further actions and investments regarding waste management.

Idag slängs stora mängder fullt fungerande material inom nyproduktionen i byggbranschen. Detta är ett dolt problem då materialet inte dokumenteras som överblivet material utan i vikt tillsammans med det övriga avfallet. Anledningen till att materialen slängs är den höga tidspressen inom produktionen och att det inte finns en standardiserad process för att ta tillvara på fullt fungerande överblivet material när det inträffar. Kassering av material anses vara lättare, vilket kräver mindre tid och resurser än att med eget initiativ och engagemang ta tillvara på det. Att återanvända material är en enorm miljövinst. Materialtillverkningen står för den största miljöpåverkan inom byggbranschen. Genom att hoppa över materialtillverkningsprocessen, tillsammans med all hantering och transport som denna process innefattar, kan miljöpåverkan minskas. Direkt återanvändning av material och produkter betyder att nytillverkningsprocessen kan undvikas samt hantering och transporter reduceras. För att göra direkt återanvändning av överblivet material möjlig behöver en rutin införas hos företagen och de olika projekten. Denna rutin behöver vara praktisk genomförbar och inom rimliga ekonomiska ramar. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka om det är möjligt att uppföra ett logistikcenter där handel av fullt fungerande överblivet material kan ske. Miljömässiga och ekonomiska aspekter har granskats och vägts mot varandra. Att det överblivna materialet ska samlas på ett lager för att sedan kunna distribueras ut till försäljning och återanvändning. En granskning av de kostnader och intäkter som detta innefattar har utförts i form av en kalkyl. Intresse och efterfrågan har även undersökts. För att motivera till engagemang inom återanvändning av material har kopplingar dragits mellan hållbar utveckling, cirkulär ekonomi och miljömål. Studien har utförts på Skanska och avgränsats till nyproduktion av bostäder i Stockholmsområdet. Intervjuer och platsbesök står till grund för den insamlade informationen. Berörda personer i produktionsledningen från olika projekt har fått svara på frågor om egna erfarenheter angående överblivet material, avfallshantering, beställningar och planering av material men även om egna tankar och åsikter angående potentiella lösningar på problemet. Platsbesök har utförts på olika Skanska-projekt, en avfallsanläggning och på en uthyrningsenhet som Skanska själva driver. Svaren från dessa intervjuer och informationen från platsbesöken har sammanställts och analyserats. Slutsatsen blev att insamling av överblivet material från byggarbetsplatser visade sig, att åtminstone i teorin, vara genomförbart med avseende på ekonomiska och miljömässiga aspekter. Logistikcentret anses ha möjlighet att vara självförsörjande men även att gå med ekonomisk vinst. Genom att utveckla ett system för återanvändning av material tar byggbranschen ett stort kliv framåt inom hållbar utveckling.
Today, large amounts of fully functional materials are being thrown away within the construction industry of new buildings. This is a hidden problem, as the materials are not documented as leftover materials but in weight together with the other waste. The reason for disposal of materials is the pressure of time in the production; also, that there is no standard process to utilize the fully functional leftover materials when it occurs. Disposal of materials is considered to be easier, which requires less time and resources than by own initiative and commitment to take care of the materials. Recycling by reuse of materials is a huge gain for the environment. Production of materials accounts for the biggest environmental impact in the construction industry. By skipping the material manufacturing process, along with the managing and transportation that it entails, reduction of the environmental impact can be achieved. Recycling by reuse of materials and products implies that the manufacturing process can be avoided and the managing and transportation of materials would be reduced. In order to make reusing of leftover materials possible, a routine needs to be introduced at the companies and the different projects. This routine needs to be practically feasible and within reasonable financial limits.The purpose of this study is to investigate whether it is possible to establish a logistics centre where trading of fully functional material can be done. Environmental and economic aspects have been reviewed and compared with each other. Leftover materials and products will be gathered in a warehouse and then distributed for sale and reuse. A review of the costs and revenues that the logistics centre includes has been carried out in the form of a calculation. Interest and demand have been investigated as well. To motivate commitment to the reuse of materials, connections have been made between sustainable development, circular economics and environmental goals. The study has been carried out in cooperation with Skanska and is delimited to production of new residential buildings in the Stockholm area. The collected information is based on interviews and site visits. People that are involved in the production management of different projects have answered questions about their own experience regarding leftover materials, waste management, order and planning of materials, but also their own thoughts and opinions regarding potential solutions to the problem. Site visits have been carried out on a waste facility, various Skanska projects and a rental unit that Skanska itself operates. The answers from these interviews and the information from the site visits have been compiled and analysed.

This project is a study of the wastescape - a network of waste - of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack in Odisha, India.  The study incorporates key locations, e.g. landfills, urban wastelands and waste warehouses; major actors in the formal and informal waste sector; and flows of waste through economic and social systems. Drawing from the studies, multiple interventions within the wastescape are proposed for improvement of the economic, ecologic and social situation. An important aspect of the project is the development of an approach for how to, as architects, work with big, complex, contingent networks; how to map and understand such a system; and how to determine where to intervene. To improve the existing wastescape, interventions must consciously and holistically address multiple scales; levels of formal-informal; and phases within the waste cycle. The study includes a vast amount of possible interventions. Some of the interventions are further detailed to show feasibility; impact on the wastescape; and synergies with other interventions within the wastescape.
Projektet “Wastescape of Bhubaneswar & Cuttack” är en studie av ett nätverk av skräpflöden genom Bhubaneswar och Cuttack i Odisha, Indien. Studien inkorporerar viktiga platser, t.ex. deponier, urbana ödemarker och lokaler för skräphandel; stora aktörer i den formella och informella skräpsektorn; och flöden av skräp genom ekonomiska och sociala system. Utifrån dessa studier, ett flertal interventioner i “the wastescape” föreslås för att förbättra den ekonomiska, ekologiska och sociala situationen. En viktig aspekt av arbetet är utvecklingen av ett sätt att, som arkitekt, arbeta med storskaliga, komplexa och inter-beroende nätverk; hur sådana system kan kartläggas och förstås; samt hur det går att avgöra vart och hur interventioner passar in i “the wastescape”. För att förbättra “the wastescape”, interventioner måste medvetet och holistiskt adressera multipla skalor; nivåer av formell-informell; och faser i skräpets kretslopp. Studien innehåller ett stort nummer av möjliga interventioner. Några av dessa interventioner är ytterligare detaljerade för att visa på genomförbarhet; påverkan på “the wastescape”; och synergier gentemot andra interventioner i “the wastescape”.

CNPq, CAPES
Com o novo cenário mundial voltado às práticas sustentáveis está se tornando um foco importante de pesquisa a busca por tecnologias que utilizem recursos renováveis e que diminuam ou eliminem a produção de contaminantes e poluentes ambientais em processos de obtenção de energia. A partir disto, esta dissertação focou a purificação de biogás produzido em aterro sanitário desativado na cidade de Curitiba (Caximba) para avaliar a sua utilização na produção de energia, melhorando o seu poder calorífico. Durante o estudo foi desenvolvido um calorímetro para determinar o poder calórico do biogás. Para comparação dos resultados foram feitas análises das concentrações de metano, dióxido de carbono, amônia e gás sulfídrico através de um kit comercial para análise de biogás. As coletas e análises do biogás foram realizadas em dois locais no aterro com diferentes idades de resíduo confinado. Foram identificadas diferenças significativas nos teores de metano e gás sulfídrico nos gases estudados. A purificação do biogás foi realizada através da aplicação de colunas recheadas com solução de acetato de chumbo, solução de hidróxido de sódio, sílica gel e carvão ativo. A purificação atingiu até 73% de teor de metano. A eficiência de purificação foi maior ainda para o tratamento do biogás com menor teor de metano (23%), aonde a eficiência chegou a 145% em relação ao valor inicial. A utilização de indicadores de saturação mostrou-se bastante interessante no uso das colunas de purificação, pois a saturação podia ser determinada visualmente. Uma vez calculadas os percentuais de purificação do biogás foram estimadas a produção de energia, a venda da mesma com geração de receita e os custos relacionados ao processo de purificação. Através destas estimativas verificou-se que a renda da venda de energia elétrica produzida seria suficiente para arcar com os custos da aplicação do processo de purificação.
Given the new global scenario turned to sustainable practices it is becoming a major focus of research the search for technologies that use renewable resources reducing or eliminating the production of environmental pollutants and contaminants in energy production process. This project focused on the purification of biogas in Curitiba’s closed landfill of to evaluate its use for energy production, aiming to improve its calorific value. During the study, a calorimeter was developed and optimized to evaluate the calorific value of the biogas. For results comparison, analyses were made to determinate the concentrations of methane, carbon dioxide, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide using a commercial kit for analysis of biogas. Landfill biogas sampling and analysis were conducted at two sites where the waste was confined at different times. We identified significant differences in the levels of methane and hydrogen sulfide in the analyzed gases. Biogas purification was performed by applying columns packed with lead acetate solution, sodium hydroxide solution, silica gel and activated carbon. A higher efficiency of biogas purification (145%) was attained with a lower initial methane content (23%). The use of saturation indicators proved to be very interesting in the use of purification column, since the saturation could be determined visually. With the purification percentage calculated, it was estimated the energy production, revenue through energy sale and costs related to the purification process. Through this estimation it is possible to note that the profits from the electricity produced sale would be sufficient to meet the costs of the purification process application.

Il concetto di rete dell'informazione può diventare uno schema logico con cui descrivere l'evoluzione delle politiche sulle energie rinnovabili e sulla sostenibilità? La ricerca è stata svolta analizzando l'architettura delle due reti (internet e reti energetiche) e l'evoluzione del bene prodotto e distribuito nella rete energetica, l'energia, esplicitando l'accessibilità da parte della distribuzione mondiale delle risorse petrolifere tradizionali e delle risorse rinnovabili. La struttura metodologica del progetto di ricerca si basa due tipi di analisi teorica: 1) l'analisi della nascita delle società in rete attraverso le teorie di Manuel Castells (concetto di spazio di flussi) e di Saskia Sassen e l'evoluzione delle città (cap.2 e cap.5) 2) le analisi dei flussi dei materiali e delle energie avendo come riferimento metodologico l'approccio ecologico ideato dai ricercatori dell'istituto per il Clima, l'Ambiente e l'Energia di Wuppertal, Germania (cap.3 e cap.4) La contraddizione tra città innovative e città che sono ai livelli di enormi discariche o di baraccopoli è esposta nel cap.6 attraverso casi studio e progetto dei Programmi Europei. Nell'ultimo capitolo (cap.7) si riassumono le ipotesi di partenza e i risultati della ricerca e si espongono le questioni aperte.
Can internet logic scheme be used as a basis to describe public policies evolution on renewable energies production and sharing in urban areas all over the world? The research project analyses the two networks (internet and energetic grids) architectures in actual and future urban areas. This analysis is connected with present and future forecasts energy productions from traditional fuels and from renewable sources. Theoretical analysis is conducted following a double conceptual pathway: - societal networks (Manuel Castells theory) and urban areas evolution (Saskia Sassen and Mike Davis) in order to picture the evolution of cities and towns in modern economies and in developing countries (Chapters 2 and 5); - Material and Energy Flow Analysis (approach by Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy) applied to renewable energy (Chapters 3 and 4) In Chapter 6 case studies are exposed on the deep cleavage between two different worlds: innovative, rich towns on a side and the landfills cities, slums on the other side. In the last part hypothesis and thesis are put together and open questions are explained (Chapter 7).

Dumping of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated due to anthropogenic activities in any barren land or out fields causes severe hazards to human populations, ecosystems and the environment. In order to avoid this, it is required to design landfills in an engineered and scientific manner. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the behaviour of landfills over a period of time, to design landfills for site specific conditions. In this thesis such an attempt is made to evaluate performance of conventional landfill system using a large scale anaerobic reactor in the laboratory. The performance of the containment (bottom liner and final cover) systems is evaluated through numerical modelling and reliability based analysis. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is used to develop linear regression models. Influence of various parameters and their uncertainty on the reliability of the containment systems are studied for various scenarios and conditions. Reliability assessment of containment systems play a decisive role in taking remedial measures in order to reduce its adverse affects on the environment and human health in the vicinity of landfill sites. On the other hand, pre-assessment of risk guides the engineers, planners and decision makers in achieving the goal of sustainable solid waste management as well as safe landfills. The thesis also includes assessment of vulnerability of groundwater to contamination, identification and ranking of suitable sites for municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal in the Bengaluru district, using remote sensing and Geographic information system (GIS) integrated with analytical hierarchy process (AHP), a multi criteria decision making tool. The study considers various land use, geological, hydrogeological and environmental factors as criteria. As a result, two most suitable locations are identified around the Bengaluru city and their descriptions are provided. Further, reliability analysis of the suitability of sites is evaluated considering criteria as random variables. The proposed reliability based approach helps the decision makers and planners to choose site locations having low probability of environmental pollution. The provided methods in the thesis can be effectively used for engineered design of landfills.

The objective of this thesis is to evaluate the engineering properties of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) that are necessary in the design of landfills. The engineering properties of MSW such as compressibility, shear strength, stiffness and hydraulic conductivity are crucial in design and construction of landfills. The variation of the engineering properties with time, age and degradation are of paramount importance in the field of landfill engineering. There is a need to address the role of the engineering properties in landfill engineering as it is not apparent how the engineering characteristics vary with time. The thesis presents the results of study of the engineering properties of MSW comprehensively and develops experimental data for design of MSW landfills. The work includes the study of the index properties and the engineering properties of MSW such as compressibility, shear strength, shear modulus and damping ratio and a detailed experimental study of the bioreactor landfill. The components of settlements, variation of shear strength with respect to unit weight and particle size are determined experimentally and analyzed. The dynamic properties such as shear modulus and material damping ratio and its variation with parameters such as unit weight, load, amplitude, degradation and moisture content are studied and analyzed. The normalized shear modulus reduction curve which is used in the seismic analysis of the landfills is developed for MSW based on the experimental results and previous studies. A pilot-scale bioreactor was setup in the laboratory for long term monitoring of the settlement, temperature variation and gas production simultaneously. The parameters of interest viz, pH, BOD, COD, conductivity, alkalinity, methane and carbon-di-oxide were determined. The generated data can be effectively used in the engineered design of landfills. For a better understanding, the present thesis is divided into the following eight chapter Chapter 1 provides a general introduction to the thesis with respect to the importance of engineering properties of MSW and presents the organization of the thesis. Chapter 2 presents a detailed review of literature pertaining to the basic, index and the engineering properties of MSW namely compressibility, shear strength, shear modulus and damping ratio, bioreactor landfill and also the scope of the study. Chapter 3 includes the materials and methods followed in the thesis. Chapter 4 presents the evaluation of compressibility characteristics of MSW including the components of settlement and the settlement model parameters. Chapter 5 presents the determination of the shear strength properties of MSW using direct shear tests and triaxial tests. The variation of the strength with respect to unit weight and the particle size is examined. The results are examined in terms of strength ratio and stiffness ratio and the implications are discussed. Chapter 6 presents the study of the dynamic characters of MSW. The variation of the shear modulus and damping ratio with respect to unit weight, confining pressure, loading frequency, decomposition and moisture content are analyzed. Normalized shear modulus reduction and damping curves are proposed for seismic analysis. Chapter 7 presents the study of the conventional and the bioreactor landfill in a small scale laboratory setup. A large scale experimental setup is fabricated to study the characteristics of a bioreactor landfill and includes the long term monitoring and analysis of temperature, gas, settlement and leachate characteristics periodically. The results of the comprehensive study are presented in this chapter. Chapter 8 summarizes the important conclusions from the various experimental studies reported in this dissertation. Conclusions and the scope of future work are presented. A detailed list of references and the list of publications from the thesis are presented at the end. Appendix A presents the life cycle analysis and life cycle cost analysis of MSW land disposal options. The land disposal options such as open dumps, engineered landfills and bioreactor landfills are analyzed in this study.

碩士
國立中央大學
國際環境永續發展碩士在職專班國際專班
98
Solid waste management has become a major priority practice for many developing countries in order to secure the public health and environment while promoting justifiable economic and social development. In Belize, waste management is a multidimensional problem that has been aggravated by rapid urbanization and population growth rate. Therefore, the state environmental agencies are continuously faced with an increasing amount of solid wastes to handle. The goal of solid waste management is to minimize waste generation in the production process through the implementation of more appropriate collection systems for each situation and the employment of recovery and recycling, treatment, and refuse disposal processes and technologies. This paper highlights the need of constructing adequate sanitary landfill site in Belize City. Currently in Belize, there is an initiative to build a central sanitary landfill, and try to close all existing open-dump facilities for refuse disposal. The refuse open-dump method may have serious danger to public health with its breeding of terrible flies and rats, which can transmit lots of diseases. The uncontrolled leachate from the open-dump refuse site may also pollute surface and ground waters. This study aims at assessing the establishment of Fukuoka semi-aerobic landfill site with the comparison of open-dump sites in the measure of a benefit-cost analysis. The Fukuoka landfill site will service five major districts including San Pedro Town, Caye Caulker, Belize City, San Ignacio and Santa Elena. The municipal solid wastes generated from these five districts are estimated in this study to be 45,758 tons per year (125 tons per day) in 2030. The Fukuoka landfill site, which designed capacity is 125 tons/day, is assessed by benefit-costs analysis with three factors: the decreased costs of mortality and morbidity due to the reduction of sulphur dioxide from spontaneous burning and the lead emissions from open-dump sites and land use recycling. The results showed that, according to the designed conditions and economic assumption, the total construction cost of the Fukuoka sanitary landfill is US$4,312,895, and the total operation costs for 20-year duration is US$18,618,912. However, the total benefit is estimated to be US$US$142,879,624 that much surpasses the construction costs plus operation expenses. This study has estimated that there will have a benefit of US$131,113,792 getting from decreasing the damage costs of mortality and morbidity, that is because of the elimination of sulphur dioxide from spontaneous burning as well as the reduction of lead emissions from open-dump sites. The other benefit could be from restoring closed open-dump sites, and the restored land value to be US$11,765,832. According to the analysis with cash-flow sheet, the financial benefit of the Fukuoka landfill investment for 20-year duration is that the net present value (NPV) is US $ 2,241,594 and internal rate of return (IRR) is 19%.

A widespread phenomenon on dumpsites in the developing world, subsistence waste picking is also a common practice at the city-owned Coastal Park Landfill (CPL) in Muizenberg. Poor unemployed people from the townships of Capricorn, Vrygrond and Hillview, situated at the foot of the tip “skarrel for scrap” every day. The word skarreling is an Afrikaans term meaning to rummage or scrabble, scuttle or scurry. Thus, if one talks of “skarreling for scrap”, it generally refers to poor peo-ple trying to eke out a living by looking for recyclables in the waste that can be put to personal use or turned into money.In the two decades since the transition to democracy, South Africa and the City of Cape Town (CCT) have formulated a number of framework and subordinate policies which express their commitment to sustainable development (SD). SD aims to achieve a balance between its three components, econom-ic, environmental and social sustainability. Thus, SD is not only about increased economic efficiency and stability, while at the same time reducing pollution and handling natural resources more thought-fully; it is also about promoting social equity by reducing poverty and empowering the poor. This study is guided by the assumption that waste pickers in developing countries play an important part in recycling efforts, and that recycling in turn is an integral component of SD, which is the guid-ing principle of South African policy-making. In an ideal scenario – as implicitly promised by the policies on SD – the management of solid waste should pursue the economic and environmental goals of SD by promoting recycling and should be aligned with the goal of creating sustainable livelihoods.However, the reality in the CCT is a different one. Landfill skarreling in the CCT, and particularly at CPL, is accompanied by conflict and a criminalisation of the skarrelaars. The CCT decided to phase out landfill salvaging in 2008, and subsequently has put a lot of effort into keeping skarrelaars away from its landfills. The implications of this decision – job losses for poor people and a potential in-crease in crime – have not been thought through. There is thus a dysfunctional triangular relationship around waste recycling in the CCT, leading to tensions between (1) the City’s commitment to SD; (2) its approach towards recycling (as part of solid waste management) in policy and practice; and (3) the livelihoods of the poor in adjacent townships. In the CCT the goals of SD are undermined by the City’s recycling strategies, with adverse effects for the livelihoods of the people who live off skarrel-ing.There are several causes for this disjuncture between policy and reality. The first has to do with igno-rance on the side of the policymakers. They seem to be badly informed about the extent and nature of skarreling, perhaps assuming that this activity is performed only by a few people who need quick cash for drugs. The second cause can be attributed to the neoliberal macro-policies pursued in South Africa, as well as to the global competition between cities for investment. This neoliberal urbanism leads cities like Cape Town to re-imagine themselves as “world (-class) cities”, in which poor waste pickers are perceived as a disturbing factor. In the CCT, this goes hand in hand with an approach reminiscent of the apartheid mindset, which saw the need to control poor, black (and potentially unru-ly) people.The dissertation therefore focuses on the core themes of sustainable development, (urban) neoliberal-ism, and informality in combination with a case study of the informal waste pickers at the chosen landfill site. Writing from a political studies angle, this study is framed as a policy critique: it argues that the policies around SWM ignore South African realities, and that the SD policies and their im-plementation lack coherence. Moreover, the conflict between the skarrelaars and the CCT at the CPL is rooted in inadequate national and local legislation which does not acknowledge the role of informal waste pickers in SWM and aims at excluding rather than including them. If waste pickers were sup-ported in their recycling efforts in both policy and practice, this would be a win-win situation for the state/city (economic benefits and less crime), the skarrelaars (regular employment and incomes) and the environment (less waste buried on landfills).The case study is primarily designed as a qualitative study, but also includes quantitative elements as it attempts a first quantification of the extent and nature of skarreling at the CPL site, one of only three operating dumpsites in Cape Town. The aim on the one hand is to estimate the contribution of the skarrelaars to waste reduction (and therefore to sustainability) in the City, especially since the waste they collect is not buried on the landfill, thereby prolonging the operational life span of the landfill. The other aim is to assess the role of the skarrelaars as an economic factor in the township, in particular the question of how important the incomes generated from skarreling are for their individu-al livelihoods and for the community as a whole.
Magister Artium - MA

Magister Artium - MA
A widespread phenomenon on dumpsites in the developing world, subsistence waste picking is also a common practice at the city-owned Coastal Park Landfill (CPL) in Muizenberg. Poor unemployed people from the townships of Capricorn, Vrygrond and Hillview, situated at the foot of the tip ―skarrel for scrap‖ every day. The word skarreling is an Afrikaans term meaning to rummage or scrabble, scuttle or scurry. Thus, if one talks of ―skarreling for scrap‖, it generally refers to poor people trying to eke out a living by looking for recyclables in the waste that can be put to personal use or turned into money. In the two decades since the transition to democracy, South Africa and the City of Cape Town (CCT) have formulated a number of framework and subordinate policies which express their commitment to sustainable development (SD). SD aims to achieve a balance between its three components, economic, environmental and social sustainability. Thus, SD is not only about increased economic efficiency and stability, while at the same time reducing pollution and handling natural resources more thoughtfully; it is also about promoting social equity by reducing poverty and empowering the poor. This study is guided by the assumption that waste pickers in developing countries play an important part in recycling efforts, and that recycling in turn is an integral component of SD, which is the guiding principle of South African policy-making. In an ideal scenario – as implicitly promised by the policies on SD – the management of solid waste should pursue the economic and environmental goals of SD by promoting recycling and should be aligned with the goal of creating sustainable livelihoods. However, the reality in the CCT is a different one. Landfill skarreling in the CCT, and particularly at CPL, is accompanied by conflict and a criminalisation of the skarrelaars. The CCT decided to phase out landfill salvaging in 2008, and subsequently has put a lot of effort into keeping skarrelaars away from its landfills. The implications of this decision – job losses for poor people and a potential increase in crime – have not been thought through. There is thus a dysfunctional triangular relationship around waste recycling in the CCT, leading to tensions between (1) the City‘s commitment to SD; (2) 5 its approach towards recycling (as part of solid waste management) in policy and practice; and (3) the livelihoods of the poor in adjacent townships. In the CCT the goals of SD are undermined by the City‘s recycling strategies, with adverse effects for the livelihoods of the people who live off skarreling. There are several causes for this disjuncture between policy and reality. The first has to do with ignorance on the side of the policymakers. They seem to be badly informed about the extent and nature of skarreling, perhaps assuming that this activity is performed only by a few people who need quick cash for drugs. The second cause can be attributed to the neoliberal macro-policies pursued in South Africa, as well as to the global competition between cities for investment. This neoliberal urbanism leads cities like Cape Town to re-imagine themselves as ―world (-class) cities‖, in which poor waste pickers are perceived as a disturbing factor. In the CCT, this goes hand in hand with an approach reminiscent of the apartheid mindset, which saw the need to control poor, black (and potentially unruly) people. The dissertation therefore focuses on the core themes of sustainable development, (urban) neoliberalism, and informality in combination with a case study of the informal waste pickers at the chosen landfill site. Writing from a political studies angle, this study is framed as a policy critique: it argues that the policies around SWM ignore South African realities, and that the SD policies and their implementation lack coherence. Moreover, the conflict between the skarrelaars and the CCT at the CPL is rooted in inadequate national and local legislation which does not acknowledge the role of informal waste pickers in SWM and aims at excluding rather than including them. If waste pickers were supported in their recycling efforts in both policy and practice, this would be a win-win situation for the state/city (economic benefits and less crime), the skarrelaars (regular employment and incomes) and the environment (less waste buried on landfills). The case study is primarily designed as a qualitative study, but also includes quantitative elements as it attempts a first quantification of the extent and nature of skarreling at the CPL site, one of only three operating dumpsites in Cape Town. The aim on the one hand is to estimate the contribution of the skarrelaars to waste reduction (and therefore to sustainability) in the City, especially since the waste they collect is not buried on the landfill, thereby prolonging the operational life span of the landfill. The other aim is to assess the role of the skarrelaars as an economic factor in the township, in particular the question of how important the incomes generated from skarreling are for their individual livelihoods and for the community as a whole.

Landfills in British Columbia are reaching capacity; this has sparked renewed efforts to curb the output of household waste. Extending previous quantitative studies, I use a qualitative grounded theory approach to explore what influences the perception of waste and activates the intention to recycle and compost. Participants from Ucluelet, British Columbia, accumulated their refuse, recyclables, and compost during a four week period; simultaneously, I interviewed them about the meanings and feelings they associated with the process. My results suggest that participants attitudes about waste are strongly influenced by what they see. Because garbage is regularly hauled away and dumped out of sight, participants were relatively unaware of how much they produce and its environmental impact. Increasing awareness appears to be a key factor in changing waste diversion intentions; incorporating small pro-environmental changes may lead to further changes. This reaffirms previous findings that adopting one environmental behaviour can empower further change.