Determination of Residual Municipal Solid Waste Composition from Rural and Urban Areas: A Step toward the Optimization of a Waste Management System for Efficient Material Recovery

Maria Triassi, Bruna De Simone, Paolo Montuori (), Immacolata Russo, Elvira De Rosa, Fabiana Di Duca, Claudio Crivaro, Vittorio Cerullo, Patrizia Pontillo and Sergi Díez
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Maria Triassi: Department of Public Health, University “Federico II”, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
Bruna De Simone: Department of Public Health, University “Federico II”, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
Paolo Montuori: Department of Public Health, University “Federico II”, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
Immacolata Russo: Department of Public Health, University “Federico II”, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
Elvira De Rosa: Department of Public Health, University “Federico II”, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
Fabiana Di Duca: Department of Public Health, University “Federico II”, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
Claudio Crivaro: IrpiniAmbiente S.p.A., Via Cannaviello 57, 83100 Avellino, Italy
Vittorio Cerullo: IrpiniAmbiente S.p.A., Via Cannaviello 57, 83100 Avellino, Italy
Patrizia Pontillo: IrpiniAmbiente S.p.A., Via Cannaviello 57, 83100 Avellino, Italy
Sergi Díez: Environmental Chemistry Department, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)—Instituto de Diagnostico Ambiental y Estudios del Agua (IDAEA), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 18, 1-21

Abstract: Residual municipal solid waste (RMSW) is a rapidly expanding problem worldwide and a good waste management system could reduce concerns about its correct treatment. The purpose of this study was to characterize RMSW from urban and rural areas with the ultimate goal of estimating the recycling potential of the identified fractions and implementing waste collection and recovery methods according to the type of area that generates them. A direct sampling campaign of RMSW was performed. The results showed that the highest organic waste rate was found in the rural area (11.9%); urban-area-produced RMSW mainly constituted recyclable fractions such as plastic (26.3%), paper (21.8%), glass (3.5%) and metals (3.3%). The physical-chemical characteristics of RMSW showed levels of heavy metals below the detection threshold. The conditions necessary for composting could be met only for the organic fraction coming from rural areas as demonstrated by a pH value of 6.9 and a moisture content of 46.5%. These data will be extended to all the urban and rural areas to design appropriate disposal and/or recovery plants with profitable economic interventions that will lead to a reduction in costs in the planning of the integrated solid waste management.

Keywords: waste characterization; material recovery; waste management; residual municipal solid waste; urban and rural areas; recycling potential (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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