MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT AND ENERGY PRODUCTION (A CASE STUDY OF UMUAHIA METROPOLIS)

Title Page

Declaration 

Certification 

Dedication 

Acknowledgement 

Table of Contents 

List of Tables

List of Figures 

1.1 Background of the Study

1.2 Statement of Problem

1.3 Aim and Objective of the Study

1.4 Significance of the Study

2.1 Solid Waste

2.1.1 Types of solid waste

2.2 Municipal Solid Waste

2.2.1 Effect of Municipal Solid Waste Pollution

2.3 Municipal Solid Waste as Fuel

2.3.1 Energy Content of Waste

2.3.2 Waste to Energy Methods

2.3.2.1 Composting

2.3.2.2 Gasification

2.3.2.2 Pyrolysis

2.3.2.4 Incineration

3.1 Area of Study

3.2 Sorting of Municipal Waste

3.3 Method of Data Analysis

3.3.1 Projected future MSW generation

3.3.2 MSW physical and chemical properties

 

 

Waste is an undesirable substance or material which can be in solid, liquid or gaseous form. Solid waste is a term frequently used to describe materials that are non-liquid realized from trade, agricultural, commercial, industrial and domestic activities, also from public services (Sasikumar, 2009). Recently, there has been increasing pressure on advanced countries to reduce their waste associated with single-use discarded materials. The aim is to protect natural capitals, comprising energy (which is used for the manufacture of such materials), and minimize the amount of substances castoff to sanitary landfills. The goal of waste management is the lessening of the quantity of waste produced by civilization and sensitization on the importance of  reutilization and reclamation of its energy content, when reutilization/recycling is not promising through biochemical or thermochemical routes (José et al., 2018).

Owing to the escalating number of the world population and progressive increase in living standards, the depletion of goods and energy has also increased, along with land use change and deforestation, agricultural practices, industrialization and energy usage from fossil fuels. These have contributed to the accumulating amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, from the time of the industrial era (José et al., 2018). 

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is defined as the generation of solid waste ("trash" or "garbage") by households and communities, institutions, industries and commercial establishments. MSW comprises of daily items such as newspapers, product packages, bottles, food leftovers, furniture, clothing, appliances, paint, batteries and grass clippings, (Power, 2003). 

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Municipal solid waste (MSW) is the outcome of the untenable depletion of natural capitals by man, which has led to—and continues to—the reduction of natural capital and ecological degradation. Present global MSW production levels are roughly 1.3 billion tons per year, and by the year 2025, these are expected to increase to roughly 2.2 billion tons per year. This represents a significant upsurge in per capita waste production rates, from 1.20kg to 1.42 kg each person each day, in 15 years to come (2018–2033). Nevertheless, worldwide averages are comprehensive estimates only, as rates vary significantly by area, nation, and even in cities (The World Bank Group (2018).

Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW) management remains one of the most abandoned aspects of urban improvement in Nigeria and some other developing nations. Heaps of refuse and wastes of different category littered everywhere is now a normal sight in urban life. In Nigeria, solid waste is a foremost concern that has gotten to alarming magnitudes demanding management initiatives on this health challenging problem. Though management of solid waste is one of the basic essential services that is supposed to be provided by local authorities in Nigeria, the present scenario provides rather a clumsy picture in terms of service delivery as evidenced by absence of adequate overall waste management mechanism. Present level of amenity in numerous urban areas is so little that there exists a threat to the health of the public in particular and ecological quality in general (Dimpal, 2012).

Management of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is one furthermost thought-provoking technical problems of our era given the high level of urbanization. The constant growth in number of technologies and the countless variety in the possible paths from pick-up point to point of disposal significantly advances the difficulty of finding the optimum solution. In addition, MSW management has great importance also from the energy perspective (George et al., 2015).  MSW can be utilized in energy generation through various technologies. Thus, in many countries management of MSW and energy system are interlinked by manipulating the economic and ecofriendly benefits from this synergy. Furthermore, a great part of the energy generated from MSW is referred to as a source of renewable energy (IPCC, 2012). 

Major difficulties facing modern day society include the availability of energy with the minutest generation of contamination, and the ecologically friendly disposal of refuse. Advanced countries generate up to one ton of municipal waste per individual each year. The expensive nature and heightened energy requirement of reuse and recycling limit the implementation of these apparently necessary techniques to a few precise components of the waste. The continuing choice is to recuperate as much of the energy content of the refuse as possible. It is of importance to distinguish that much of the waste consists of organic materials such as paper, fabrics and wood. 

Since these substances form part of a bicycle, their incineration does not donate to the net amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. Moreover, any plastics that cannot be recuperated from the waste and reutilized economically can be incinerated to recover their high energy value. They thus dislodge any other fossil fuels that should have been otherwise burned. When the energy makeup of wastes is recuperated neatly and efficiently, their incineration represents a reutilization of substances and by this means donates to our energy needs in an eco-friendly manner (Swithenbank et al. 2000).

The process of creating energy through waste treatment in the form of electricity, heat, or transport fuels is referred to as waste to energy (WtE) option. Yearly 2.3 billion tons of MSW will be produced by 2025, and this is comparable to MJ of energy. Thus WtE is a very hopeful substitute energy choice for the future since with this amount of energy 10% of annual electricity needed worldwide can be satisfied (World Energy Council, 2013). Actually, a report by the world economic forum “Green Capitalizing: En route for a Clean Energy Infrastructure” distributed in 2009, WtE is recognized as one out of the eight technologies having the potential to contribute significantly to future low-carbon energy systems (Greenwood, 2009). Agreeing to some estimation, WtE alternative by 2022 will treat not less than 261 million tons of MSW each year to generate 283 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity and heat (World Energy Council, 2013). The greatest two regular practices for WtE technique are mixed MSW incineration and recovery system for landfill gas (LFG) (Tan, et al., 2014).), but the most cautiously feasible solutions to be utilized in the future energy system is the mixed MSW incineration (Münster and Meibom, 2011). 

Energy availability to a great extent inspires the economic and social progress as well as standard of living in a society (Noor, et al., 2013; Kotcioğlu, 2011). Umuahia is an energy insufficiency town and the energy source is noting close to sustainable due to the main share of fossil fuel in the energy mix. Umuahia is an energy dependent town due to the presence of higher institutions of learning, factories and massive automobile transportation system which are energy dependent, and an increase in the energy supply has a positive impact on economic development. In circumstances like these, WtE for MSW management in Umuahia can be a feasible opportunity for alternate and renewable electricity production. Additionally, using WtE strategy will support Umuahia to move towards a zero waste civilization and to adopt a circular economic principle at the national level.

Sustainable MSW controlling in Umuahia is still a predicament in spite of incessant government effort (Nazmul, 2016).). This has been reflected in the environmental conditions due to the high rate of littering of solid waste around the towns of Umuahia. Studies have not been carried out to expansively assess the practicality of WtE approaches in terms of conversion of energy and reduction if carbon from MSW management in Umiahia. Hence, to overcome this energy deficit situation, this research aims at converting municipal waste solid in Umuahia metropolis into energy.

Municipal Solid Waste can generate substantial health problems and a very unfriendly living environment if not disposed of carefully and correctly. Incorrectly disposed waste may provide breeding sites for insect disease vectors, snakes, pests and rodents that upsurges the probability of disease spread. It may also pollute sources of water also the environment. As the result of speedy upsurge in manufacture and consumption, urban civilization discards and generates solid substances regularly which gives way to a considerable upsurge in the amount of waste produced from numerous sources for instance, wastes from domestic areas, commercial wastes, institutional wastes and industrial wastes. Modern urban living brings on the problem of waste due to increase in demand and packaging. 

Constant energy availability is a necessity especially in Umuahia metropolis due to the presence of educational institutions, health institutions and other industrial corporation who are in dire need of it. Generation of energy from waste is a cheap source of energy production which is suitable for the town as the government incessantly complain of allocation for energy generation. Therefore this study is carried out with the goal to assess the prospective of WtE strategy for renewable energy production from MSW in Umuahia. 

The aim of this study is to assess the municipal solid waste in Umuahia metropolis and the process of generating energy from these wastes. This can be achieved through the following objectives 

The current status of solid waste generation in Umuahia metropolis is really alarming. Almost every corner of the city turns out to be a dumping especially the recent opening of eateries, super markets and shopping malls

. Therefore this research will enhance the various ways in which these waste are being managed, hence providing the inhabitants with a cleaner, safer and healthier environment. 

Also the conversion of municipal solid waste to energy especially electricity will solve one of the tough problems of Umuahia which is energy generation, which has prevented the small and medium scale industries from contributing their quota in the economic development of the city. Furthermore, the cost of energy generation for the city will reduce because these waste materials which are the raw materials for the energy generation has no cost of purchase. 

This study on the municipal solid waste management and energy production is limited to Umuahia metropolis – the Abia State capital.