Solid/Liquid Waste Control

Combustion of RDF produces fly ash and bottom ash, just as is the case when coal is burnt. The total amount of ash produced by municipal solid waste combustion ranges from 4 to 10% by volume and 15–20% by weight of the original quantity of waste and the fly ash amounts to about 10–20% of the total ash. Volume reduction of MSW by upto 90% is possible with combustion plants, thereby almost eliminating the requirement of landfill.

Leachate is the water-based complex liquid, comprising of innumerable organic and inorganic compounds, which percolates through landfills and accumulates at the bottom. The water from interstitial moisture of the decomposing waste and also due to precipitation subsequently moves through the waste deposit collecting the leached chemicals thereby forming leachate. Leachate contains a host of chemicals that may be toxic to both humans and environment. Also, the high Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of leachate makes its treatment inevitable.

Leachate when escapes to nearby environment poses an enormous threat to the groundwater and surface water contamination hence making the process of Leachate Management exceptionally critical.

While the characteristic of leachate depends considerably on the waste deposit, age of the landfill, temperature and moisture content, it is significantly concentrated in terms of toxic chemicals and thus the treatment of leachate becomes crucial in preventing the high-risk contamination.

Effluent is generated due to draining of leachate from the waste bins and waste water from air pollution control and cooling water system. Technology is available for minimising the water requirement in various processes and recycling the waste after treatment for applications such as floor washing, gardening and ash quenching. Bulk quantity of leachate collected is recycled for compost curing process. Balance is treated and only treated water is used as service water.

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