title: The operation of cost-effective on-site process for the bio-treatment of mixed municipal solid waste in rural areas.
abstract: The application of on-site waste treatment significantly reduces the need for expensive waste collection and transportation in rural areas; hence, it is considered of fundamental importance in developing countries. In this study, the effects of in-field operation of two types of mini-scale on-site solid waste treatment facilities on de-centralized communities, one using mesophilic two-phase anaerobic digestion combined with composting (TPAD, 50 kg/d) and another using decentralized composting (DC, 0.6-2 t/d), were investigated. Source-separated collection was applied to provide organic waste for combined process, in which the amount of waste showed significant seasonal variation. The highest collection amount was 0.18 kg/capital day and 0.6 kg/household day. Both sites showed good performance after operating for more than 6 months, with peak waste reduction rates of 53.5% in TPAD process and 63.2% in DC process. Additionally, the windrow temperature exceeded 55 °C for >5 days, indicating that the composting products from both facilities were safe. These results were supported by 4 days aerobic static respiration rate tests. The emissions were low enough to avoid any impact on nearby communities (distance <100 m). Partial energy could be recovered by the combined process but with complicated operation. Hence, the choice of process must be considered in case separately.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China.
authors.forename: Duo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China.
authors.forename: Chunyan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China. Electronic address: lvfan.rhodea@tongji.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lü
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Technology Research and Training on Household Waste in Small Towns & Rural Area, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of PR China (MOHURD), PR China.
authors.forename: Liming
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Waste Treatment and Reclamation, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Centre for the Technology Research and Training on Household Waste in Small Towns & Rural Area, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of PR China (MOHURD), PR China. Electronic address: solidwaste@tongji.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Pinjing
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D019149:Bioreactors; D002681:China; D002947:Cities; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D012424:Rural Population; D062611:Solid Waste / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D062611:Solid Waste
keywords: Anaerobic digestion; Composting; On-site treatment; Rural household waste