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Evaluating an anaerobic digestion (AD) feedstock derived from a novel non-source segregated municipal solid waste (MSW) product

Blake, L.I.; Halim, F.A.; Gray, C.; Mair, R.; Manning, D.A.C.; Sallis, P.; Hutchinson, H.; Gray, N.D.

Evaluating an anaerobic digestion (AD) feedstock derived from a novel non-source segregated municipal solid waste (MSW) product Thumbnail


Authors

L.I. Blake

F.A. Halim

C. Gray

R. Mair

D.A.C. Manning

P. Sallis

H. Hutchinson

N.D. Gray



Abstract

In many nations industrial scale AD of non-agricultural waste materials (such as MSW) has not yet reached its full potential, often constrained by the lack of secure, inexpensive, high quality AD feedstocks, and markets for the resulting digestate material. We tested the output material of a high throughput novel industrial process to define its potential as an AD feedstock (based on quality and consistency). This process, designed to circumvent the constraints of source segregation while still generating segregated waste streams, resulted in the production of a temporally homogenous fibrous material with: an average moisture content of 44.2 (±2.33)%; C:N ratio of ∼32.9:1 (±3.46:1), C:P ratio of ∼228:1 and gross calorific value of 17.4 (±0.29) MJ/kg(DM). This material provided a CH4 yield of between 201 and 297 m3 CH4/tonne(DM) (271–401 m3 CH4/tonne(vs)) comparable to commonly used AD feedstocks. Material contaminant levels were temporally consistent (P > 0.05), (average values being Cd 0.63 (±0.19), Cu 56.3 (±7.45), Crtot 51.4 (±4.41), Hg < 0.3, Ni 28.9 (±5.17), Pb 79.2 (±23.71), Zn 202 (±44.5), total polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) 2.2 (±0.3), and total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) (<0.2) mg/kg(DM)). Calculated digestate contaminant levels were below the median contaminant threshold limits for anaerobic digestates of all countries within the European Union i.e. of Cd 3.35, Cu 535, Crtot 535, Hg 8.15, Ni 185, Pb 397.5, Zn 2100 mg/kg(DM). We suggest that novel high throughput processes that produce high quality AD feedstocks, may have a place in further diversion of waste from landfill.

Citation

Blake, L., Halim, F., Gray, C., Mair, R., Manning, D., Sallis, P., …Gray, N. (2017). Evaluating an anaerobic digestion (AD) feedstock derived from a novel non-source segregated municipal solid waste (MSW) product. Waste Management, 59, 149-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2016.10.031

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Oct 21, 2016
Online Publication Date Nov 3, 2016
Publication Date Jan 1, 2017
Deposit Date Aug 8, 2018
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Waste Management
Print ISSN 0956-053X
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 59
Pages 149-159
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2016.10.031
Related Public URLs https://eprint.ncl.ac.uk/226998

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