Title: Assessing upcoming touristic town's municipal solid waste flows and characterisation: a case of Phetchaburi Province, Thailand

Authors: Prakriti Kashyap; Paul Jacob; Wiratchapan Suthapanich; Chettiyappan Visvanathan

Addresses: Environmental Engineering and Management Program, Asian Institute of Technology, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand ' Environmental Engineering and Management Program, Asian Institute of Technology, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand ' Environmental Engineering and Management Program, Asian Institute of Technology, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand ' Environmental Engineering and Management Program, Asian Institute of Technology, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand

Abstract: Understanding the quantity and characteristics of waste generation in a locality is important for an appropriate estimation of the recyclability potential and overall waste management. Detailed municipal solid waste characterisations were conducted in three municipalities in Phetchaburi Province, Thailand. Physical composition (% wet basis) indicated the dominance of organic waste with 31.8% of food waste, and 20.04% of yard wastes. The average moisture content was as high as 64.75%. Average carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulphur and oxygen content constituted approximately 47.94, 6.90, 0.92, 0.16 and 26.77%, respectively. The gross calorific value (dry basis) was observed to be 4,561.13 kcal/kg. A material flow analysis conducted in the three study sites showed a linear pattern of waste flows, with large quantities of waste generated were being stocked in the landfill sites with minimal waste recovery. The composition and characteristics of waste, however, showed vast potential for waste diversion from landfills through either material recycling or energy recovery.

Keywords: energy recovery; landfilling; material flow analysis; material recycling; municipal solid waste; waste characterisation; Thailand.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2019.101284

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2019 Vol.24 No.2, pp.178 - 194

Accepted: 09 Dec 2018
Published online: 30 Jul 2019 *

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