MODULE 11

Disposal of Solid Waste

FUNCTIONAL ELEMENT OF MSWM TO BE DISCUSSED

Primary collection

Secondary
collection
 Lecture 36
Design of Landfill
Example 1
Estimate the required landfill area for a community with a population of 31,000 assuming the following conditions:

1. Solid waste generation = 2.9 kg per capita per day

2. Compacted specific weight of solid wastes in landfill = 475 kg/m3

3. Average depth of compacted solid wastes = 6 m

Solution:

1. Determine the daily solid wastes generation rate in tons per day
31000 people x 2.9 kg per capita per day
Generation rate =
1000
= 89.9 tons/day
2. Required area
ton
Volume required 89.9 x 1000 kg
day
=
day 475 kg/m3
= 190 m3 /day
 m3 days
Area required 190 x 365 year
Now, day
= hectare/year
day 6 m x 10000

= 1.15 hectare/year

Comments-

i. Additional land is required for a buffer zone, office and service buildings, access roads, utility access etc.
Typically, this allowance varies from 20 to 40 %.

ii. A more rigorous approach to the determination of the required landfill area involves consideration of the
contours of the completed landfill and the effects of gas production and overburden compaction.
Example 2 Component Typical % Specific Compaction
Determination of density of compacted solid by weight Weight(Kg/m3) factor

wastes without and with waste diversion Food waste 9 291 0.33
Paper 34 89 0.15
 Determine the specific weight in a well-
Cardboard 6 50 0.18
compacted landfill for solid wastes with the
Plastics 7 65 0.10
characteristics given in table.
Textiles 2 65 0.15
 Also, determine the impact of resource recovery Rubber 0.5 0.3
131
program on landfill area requirements in which Leather 0.5 0.3
160
50 percent of the paper and 80 percent of the Yard waste 18.5 101 0.2
glass and tin cans are recovered. Wood 2.0 237 0.3
 Assume that the wastes have characteristics Glass 8 196 0.4

reported in the given table- Tin can 6 89 0.15

Aluminium 0.5 160 0.15
Organic fraction Inorganic fraction Other metal 3.0 320 0.3
Dirt, ash etc. 3.0 481 0.75
Solution: Component Weight (kg) Volume as Compacted
1. Set up a computation table with separate discarded (m3) volume (m3)
Food waste 90 0.31 0.102
columns for-
Paper 340 3.82 0.573
a) The weight of the individual solid waste
Cardboard 60 1.2 0.216
components.
Plastics 70 1.08 0.108
b) The volume of the wastes as discarded.
Textiles 20 0.31 0.047
c) The compaction factors for well-compacted Rubber 5 0.04 0.012
solid wastes. Leather 5 0.03 0.009
d) The compacted volume in the landfill. Yard waste 185 1.83 0.366
Required table, based on a total weight of 1000 kg, is Wood 20 0.08 0.024
calculated. Glass 80 0.41 0.164
Weight (kg) Tin can 60 0.67 0.101
Volume as discarded =
kg Aluminium
Specific weight ( ) 5 0.03 0.005
m3
90 kg Other metal 30 0.09 0.027
3
For food waste = = 0.31 m
291 kg/m3 Dirt, ash etc. 30 0.06 0.045
Total 1000 1.8
 Compacted volume m3 = Compaction factor x Volume as discarded
= 0.33 x 0.31 = 0.102m3 (for food waste)
2. Compute the compacted specific weight of the solid wastes
Total weight 1000 kg 3
Compacted specific weight = = = 556 kg/m
Total compacted volume 1.8 m3
3. Determine the compacted specific weight of the wastes in the landfill in which 50 % of the paper and 80 % of
the glass and tin cans are recovered
a) Determine the weight of waste after resource recovery
Weight remaining = 1000 kg − (340 kg x 0.5 + 80 kg x 0.80 + 60 kg x 0.80) = 718 kg
b) Determine the volume and compacted specific weight of waste after resource recovery

Volume remaining = 1.8 m3 − (0.573 m3 x 0.5 + 0.164 m3 x 0.80

+ 0.101 m3 x 0.80)

= 1.30 m3
Example 3
Determination of waste to soil ratio

 Determine the ratio of waste to cover material (volume basis) as a function of the initial compacted specific
weight for a solid waste stream of 70 tons/d to be placed in 3 m lifts with a cell width of 5m. Slope of the
working faces is 3:1.

 Assume that the waste is compacted initially to an average specific weight of 350, 480, and 600 kg/m3. The daily
cover thickness is 15cm.

Solution

1. Determine the daily volume of the deposited solid waste

a) For 350 kg/m3

70 tons x 1000 kg 3
Vd = = 200 m
350 kg/m3
b) For 480 kg/m3
Vd = 145.8 m3
Cont.
c) For 600 kg/m3
𝑉𝑑 = 116.6 𝑚3
2. Determine the length of each daily cell
a) For 350 kg/m3
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 (𝑚3 ) 200 𝑚3
𝐿= = = 13.3 𝑚
ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑚 𝑥 𝑤𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ(𝑚) 3 𝑚 𝑥 5 𝑚

b) For 480 kg/m3

L = 9.7 m
c) For 600 kg/m3

L = 7.8 m
3. Determine the cell surface areas
a) For top of the cell

𝐴𝑇 350 = 13.3𝑚 𝑥 5𝑚 = 66.5 𝑚2

Cont.
𝐴𝑇480 = 9.7𝑚 𝑥 5𝑚 = 48.5 𝑚2

𝐴𝑇600 = 7.8 𝑚 𝑥 5𝑚 = 39 𝑚2

b) For the face of the cell

𝐴𝐹350 = 13.3𝑚 𝑥 3𝑚 2 + 3 ∗ 3𝑚 2 = 126.2 𝑚2

𝐴𝐹480 = 9.7𝑚 𝑥 3𝑚 2 + 3 ∗ 3𝑚 2 = 92 𝑚2

𝐴𝐹600 = 7.8𝑚 𝑥 3𝑚 2 + 3 ∗ 3𝑚 2 = 74 𝑚2

c) For the side of the cell

𝐴𝑆 = 5𝑚 𝑥 3𝑚 2 + 3 ∗ 3𝑚 2 = 47.4 𝑚2
Cont.
4) Determine volume of soil for daily cover
Vc = Thickness of daily cover x (AT + AS + AF)

Vc350 = 0.15 m x 66.5 + 47.4 + 126.2 = 36 m3

Vc480 = 0.15 m x 48.5 + 47.4 + 92 = 28.2 m3

Vc600 = 0.15 m x 39 + 47.4 + 74 = 24.1 m3

5) Determine ratio of waste to cover soil

For 350 kg/m3
200 𝑚3
𝑅𝑊: 𝐶 = = 5.55: 1
36 𝑚3
For 450 kg/m3
145.8 𝑚3
𝑅𝑊: 𝐶 = = 5.17: 1
28.2 𝑚3
For 600 kg/m3
116.6 𝑚3
𝑅𝑊: 𝐶 = = 4.84: 1
24.1 𝑚3
 Cont.
Additional comments-

i. As the initial compacted specific weight of the waste placed in the landfill increases, the ratio of the waste to
cover material decreases.

ii. The total volume occupied by the waste that has been compacted to an initial specific weight of 600 kg/m3 is
0.58 times the volume occupied by the waste compacted to an initial specific weight of 350 kg/m3 .
 Present status of legacy in waste & its impact on environment
 There are two major challenges of solid waste management in our cities/towns:

 Managing the continuous flow of solid waste on a daily basis.

 Dealing with the legacy of neglect which has resulted in garbage heaps having been built up at dumpsites that were
meant for waste processing and landfills.

 The sites for landfills were originally located outside of the cities, but as the cities have expanded the dumpsites are now
almost in the cities.

 Delhi’s open dumps at Ghazipur (69 meters high)

 Okhla (55 meters high)

 Bhalswa (56 meters high), e.g., are all much higher than the permissible height limit of up to 20 meters.

 It is estimated that more than 10,000 hectares of urban land is locked in these dumpsites in India.

 Landfill sites generate methane (a greenhouse gas) and other landfill gases, which contribute to global warming. They also
produce leachate (liquid generated by airless waste) which pollutes groundwater.
Present status of legacy in waste & its impact on environment (Cont.)
 Many municipal authorities across the country are opting for “capping” as a solution to the legacy of mixed waste,
which is not the first option in the order of priority for environmentally save legacy waste management as per Clause
‘J’ of Schedule–I of the SWM Rules, 2016.

Open dumping site

Provisions of SWM Rules, 2016
• The Government of India has notified the Solid Waste Management Rules (SWM) Rules, 2016 for proper and effective
management of municipal solid waste (MSW). Under the SWM Rules, 2016, following provisions have been made to
manage old dumps of MSW.

Rule 15 - Duties and responsibilities of local authorities and village Panchayats of census towns and urban
agglomerations. - The local authorities and Panchayats shall-

• Investigate and analyze all old open dumpsites and existing operational dumpsites for their potential of bio-mining and
bio-remediation and wheresoever feasible, take necessary actions to bio-mine or bio-remediate the sites.

• In absence of the potential of bio-mining and bio-remediation of dumpsite, it shall be scientifically capped as per
landfill capping norms to prevent further damage to the environment.

• The by-laws shall apply to every urban local body, outgrowths in urban agglomerations, Cantonment boards,
Panchayat, Industrial and Institutional Townships, railways and defense establishments.
Bio-remediation & bio-mining of old municipal dumpsites
Mining of
• It refers to the excavation of old dumped waste andLegacy
makeWaste
windrow of legacy waste thereafter stabilization of the waste
through bio-remediation i.e. exposure of all the waste to air along with use of composting bio-cultures, i.e. screening
Stabilizing waste (bio
of the stabilized waste to recover all 11 valuable resources
cultures and(like organic
aeration) fines, bricks, stones, plastics, metals, clothes,
rags etc.) followed by its sustainable management through recycling, co-processing, road making etc.
Screening of
waste

80 – 100
>150 mm 30 – 50 mm <30 mm 4 – 6 mm
mm

Contains bricks, Shredding as per

Bio-earth/Good
coconut shell, footwear requirement/industry need
earth
cloths, large plastic,
etc.

Density Farmers/Landscaping/soil
RDF/Recycling/Road Making
Separator conditioner

Overview of Bio-remediation and Bio-mining of Legacy Waste

Processing equipments for processing of legacy waste
 The major equipment that would come in use would fall under the following heads of processes like excavation,
shredding, screening, air classification and ferrous separation. As per suitability and requirement the appropriate
choices should be made.
Screening

 Trommel

 Vibrating screen

 Disc/ Star

Handling Equipment

 Loader (Front Load)

 Conveyers

 Fork lifts
Process of bio-remediation and bio-mining
Step:1 Schematic representation of bio-mining through excavator by making windrows

Excavator to dig 2-2.5 meter deep

trenches

Hand pick large objects

Make windrows from remaining

waste

Mist-spray bio-culture (5% of Cow dung mix in water and spray on the waste

Turn windrow 2-3 days

After 20 days, do screening

Schedule (I) - Closure and rehabilitation of old dumps
• Solid waste dumps which have reached their full capacity or those which will not receive additional waste after
setting up of new and properly designed landfills should be closed and rehabilitated by examining the following
options:

 Reduction of waste by bio-mining and waste processing followed by placement of residues in new landfills.

 Capping with solid waste cover or solid waste cover enhanced with geomembrane to enable collection and
flaring / utilisation of greenhouse gases.

 Capping as in (ii) above with additional measures (in alluvial and other coarse grained soils) such as cut-off
walls and extraction wells for pumping and treating contaminated ground water.
Excavators

Excavation of waste
Dumpsite

• Excavator to dig 2-2.5 meter deep trenches

Handpick up objects

Hand-pick out large objects like-

• Rocks

• coconut-shells

• long pieces of cloth

• Large plastic bags

Windrow management
• Windrow consists of placing the mixture of raw materials in long narrow piles called windrows.
• Almost all of them involve forming the waste into long low heaps of about one meter height called wind-rows, to get
maximum surface area to volume.
• Usually 3-4 turnings of legacy waste are necessary to stabilize it.
• Use an excavator to dig 2-2.5 meter deep trenches downwards from the top of a legacy waste.

Single windrows Multiple windrows

Screening of old waste through trommel
Use of screened fractions
• When planning for bio-remediation and bio-mining, it is important at the same time to identify where the screened
fractions will go.

• Look for nearest industries using solid fuel.

• Look for the nearest bitumen hot-mix plants and also specify plastic roads in road tenders to ensure offtake of the thin-
film plastic fractions.

• Start a dialogue with all kabadiwalas within the local body to see who will be willing to pick up or accept which items.

• Plan for offsite aggregation space for different fractions and types of waste that will result from screening.

• Identify aggregation and storage sheds for use by waste-picker groups or kabadiwalas.

• Identify transporters who can transport different fractions out on their return trips.

• For the bio-earth or good earth finest fraction, test periodically for heavy metals, then look for farmers willing to
accept it.
PROCESS MANAGEMENT
Space management
• For all waste-stabilising methods, management of space is the biggest challenge, as aeration, stabilizing and screening
mostly needs to be done within the boundaries of an already overloaded dumpsite.
• Onsite earth-mover operators often come up with the best solutions, so seek their opinions.
• Every dumpsite poses a case-by-case challenge, but there is no above-ground dump that cannot be successfully bio-
remediated and bio-mined.
Leachate management
• Most high heaps of legacy waste are water-logged with leachate even near the topmost layers and all the way to the
bottom, like a dhokla.
• This is not just from rainwater entering the heap but is produced by airless rotting within the entire waste heap.
• So, when legacy waste heaps are opened up, some leachate almost always trickles out.
• This is not produced by the formation of windrows or cones, which in fact help to dry out the waste by aerated
decomposition.
 Leachate management (Cont.)

• Channels must be created to lead the oozing leachate rivulets to a lined depression or pond for treatment or for leachate
recirculation onto windrows as a type of bio culture.

• Leachate can also be treated in collection ponds by underwater composting.

• Bio-cultures that have been proved successful at other locations can be sprinkled onto the leachate pools.

• Intermittent aeration is a must, using small compressor pumps or aerators or airlift aeration or even simple manual or
mechanical agitation.

• Aeration is necessary for the added microbes to do their work of digesting the polluting solids suspended in the dark and
turbid leachate.

• Success is noticed by a progressive change in colour from dark to light, by reduction or absence of odour and by fine
bubbles rising to the surface from digested solids.
Fire control and safety

• Most large dumpsites are smouldering from hidden fires. Methane itself is flammable with a blue flame, and supports
the yellow-flame burning of combustible plastics, cloth and oily rags. Sometimes flammable industrial waste find its
way onto dumpsites, aggravating the problem.

• It is difficult to begin bio-remediation work on a smoking dump.

• Sometimes digging into the dump awakens hidden fires. So, fire control is important.

• Adding water increases the generation of both methane and leachate and is counter-productive, not a long-term
solution, Adding soil cover to smother the flames adds more material to a heap that one is trying to bring down.
SCHEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF SCREEN COMPONENTS AND ITS SUSTAINABLE DISPOSABLE

Landscaping/Farming/
Final organic composted Soil conditioner/ fill it
waste back to dumpsite

After separation of waste by

Light and medium fractions
screens Shredding as per
(Plastic Textiles etc.)
requirement/industry need/
Options for
compact it in the dumpsite
treatment of
processed old
waste Heavy fraction (C&D,
Recycled/Crushed
Stones and glass
and used onsite

Inert material Landfill

USE OF RECOVERED SPACE

• The benefit of bio-mining lies in abatement of ongoing and future pollution and ill health and in the recovery and re-use
of valuable space.

• If a dump is surrounded within a growing city and its continued use for waste management is unsuitable, identify in
advance the planned future use of that site and put up a signboard indicating that use, to ensure public acceptance of the
biomining operations which will be temporarily noisy and dusty.

• This will also protect the site from land-grabbers. Cleared dumps are not permitted for habitation for at least 15 years
(SWM Rules Schedule I, H (2)).

• This is because of unhealthy leachate below the site and formation of flammable and offensive landfill gases from
waste pockets that may remain unexcavated.

• Permissible options are reuse for SWM, open stadia, sports grounds, parks and gardens, parking lots, container yards,
warehouses of non-flammables and similar facilities where people are not living or working all day and night.
Some Case Studies on Biomining in India
Case study (I): Bio mining of Indore, Madhya Pradesh

 The 100 acre dumpsite in Devguradiya was home for 15 Lakh Metric Tons (MT) of legacy waste that accumulated

over decades.

 The recyclables obtained from the biomining process :

 Recycling, recyclable polythene was used for making roads.

 The soil recovered was used for refilling the ground.

 The construction and demolition (C&D) waste were recovered and sent to produce building materials.

Indore treats 15 lakh metric tones of waste in 3 years

Case study (II): Bio mining of Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu
 Municipality reclaim 12 acres of prime land that was laid waste after being turned into a garbage dump yard over the

years.

 The status of Kumbakonam dumpsite, out of 1,31,250 m3 more than 1, 00,000 m3 has been processed and successfully

disposed and 7.5 acres old dumpsite with garbage more than 5 acres has been reclaimed.

 The project cost estimated to be Rs. 7 crore is being viewed favorably against the cost of the land reclaimed.

 The plan achieved 0% rejects which means none of the aggregates are considered as rejects and dumped back into

sanitary landfill.
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