BIOCOM-MSW: A composting system for Sri Lankan solid waste management

Abstract

Municipal solid waste has become a major problem in every country in terms of public health and environmental damage. As a developing country, Sri Lanka too faces the same challenge not only through public health and environmental damage, but also in finding an affordable yet effective technology, which is socially and economically acceptable. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is qualitatively heterogeneous. Therefore it is difficult to find a unique solution for proper treatment, i.e. the solution is always an integrated one, which consists of sorting, biological/thermal/chemical treatment, recycling and land filling." However quantification and characterization of solid waste in a given area are important factors prior to selecting the suitable technology. Therefore, it is required to find waste quantity, composition, density, moisture content, annual growth rate of waste generation and calorific value of waste etc. in a given area. In Sri Lanka, moisture content and organic fraction being reasonably high, and lack of high thermal value materials in the solid waste stream have lead to an overall low calorific value of MSW. The general practice for handling the MSW is low rate composting systems. Most have failed due to poor process management, lack of knowledge of proper operation (feedstock formulation, process control, end point indicators), poor product quality, long lead-time, weaker community participation and lack of public awareness. In all systems existing at present bad odour and leachate are unsolved issues. These systems have largely been controlled by default rather than by design. Thus, losing public confidence on composting is inevitable.