21.04.2020

Recycling of solid household waste: thermal and biothermal. We recycle waste and get... energy resources. Effective waste recycling methods Which method of solid waste disposal is the most environmentally friendly

The main purpose of composting is the disinfection of solid waste and processing into fertilizer - compost - due to the biochemical decomposition of the organic part of solid waste by microorganisms. The use of compost as a fertilizer in agriculture can increase the yield of crops, improve the structure of the soil and increase the humus content in it. It is also very significant that during composting, a smaller amount of “greenhouse” gases (primarily carbon dioxide) is released into the atmosphere than when burned or disposed of in landfills. The main disadvantage of compost is the high content of heavy non-ferrous metals in it.

Optimal composting conditions are: pH from 6 to 8, humidity 40 – 60%, composting time is carried out in special indoor pools or tunnels for a month.

The technological scheme provides for the unloading of garbage trucks into receiving bins, from which the waste is fed onto belt conveyors using apron feeders or grab cranes, and then into rotating biothermal drums.

In biodrums, with a constant supply of air, the vital activity of microorganisms is stimulated, the result of which is an active biothermal process. During this process, the temperature of the waste increased to 60 °C, which contributed to the death of pathogenic bacteria.

Compost is a loose, odorless product. Based on dry matter, compost contains 0.5 - 1% nitrogen, 0.3% potassium and phosphorus and 75% organic humus matter.

The sifted compost undergoes magnetic separation and is sent to crushers to grind mineral components, and then transported to a warehouse finished products. The separated metal is pressed. The screened non-compostable part of solid waste - leather, rubber, wood, plastic, textiles and others - is sent to a pyrolysis plant.

The technological scheme of this installation provided for the supply of non-compostable waste to a storage hopper, from which it was sent to the loading hopper of the drying drum. After drying, the waste entered the pyrolysis furnace, in which, without air access, its thermal decomposition occurred. As a result, a vapor-gas mixture and a solid carbonaceous residue - pyrocarbon - were obtained. The vapor-gas mixture was sent to the thermomechanical part of the installation for cooling and separation, and pyrocarbon was sent for cooling and further processing. The final products of pyrolysis were pyrocarbon, tar and gas. Pyrocarbon is used in metallurgical and some other industries, gas and resin are used as fuel.

Combustion with and without heat

The combustion method (or, in general, thermal methods of solid waste disposal) has both undoubted advantages (the combustion heat of solid waste can be used to generate electricity and heat buildings, reliable waste disposal), and significant shortcomings. A good flue gas purification system is necessary, since when burning solid waste, hydrogen chloride and fluoride, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, as well as metals and their compounds (Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg, etc., mainly in the form of aerosols) are released into the atmosphere ) and, what is especially important, during the combustion of waste, dioxins and biphenyls are formed, the presence of which in the exhaust gases significantly complicates their purification due to the low concentration of these highly toxic compounds.

A type of combustion process is pyrolysis - thermal decomposition of solid waste without air access. The use of pyrolysis makes it possible to reduce the impact of solid waste on the environment and obtain useful products such as flammable gas, oil, resins and solid residue (pyrocarbon).

The process of high-temperature processing of household and industrial waste in a bubbled slag melt is widely advertised (Fig. 1). The main unit of the technological scheme is a bubble furnace, the design of which was developed in collaboration with specialists from the Stalproekt Institute (Moscow).

Rice. 1. Furnace for heat treatment of household and industrial waste in a bubbled molten slag:
1 – layer of slag through which air bubbles; 2 – layer of quiet slag; 3 – metal layer; 4 – fireproof hearth; 5 – siphon for releasing slag; 6 – siphon for releasing metal; 7 – flow; 8 – water-cooled walls; 9 – water-cooled vault; 10 – tuyeres for air supply; 11 – lances for fuel supply; 12 – loading device; 13 – cover; 14 – loading funnel; 15 – gas outlet pipe.

The furnace is simple and has small dimensions, high performance and high operational reliability.

The process is carried out as follows. Household waste is fed into the loading device periodically. The pusher throws them into a slag bath, blown with oxygen-enriched air. In the bath, waste is quickly immersed in an intensively mixed foam melt. The slag temperature is 1400 – 1500 °C. Due to intense heat transfer, waste undergoes high-speed pyrolysis and gasification. Their mineral part dissolves in the slag, and the metal objects melt, and the liquid metal falls onto the hearth. When the caloric content of the waste is low, thermal coal is supplied in small quantities to the furnace to stabilize the thermal regime as additional fuel. Natural gas can be used instead of coal. To obtain slag of a given composition, flux is loaded.

The slag is discharged from the furnace through a siphon continuously or periodically and sent for processing. The chemical composition of the slag can be adjusted within wide limits, obtaining compositions suitable for the production of various building materials– stone casting, crushed stone, fillers for concrete, mineral fiber, cement. The metal enters the siphon through the overflow and is continuously or in portions poured into a ladle and then transferred for processing or poured into pigs directly at the furnace or granulated.

Combustible gases - products of pyrolysis and gasification of waste and coal, released from the bath - are burned above the bath by supplying oxygen-enriched air or pure oxygen.

High process temperatures, rational combustion scheme, consisting of a combination of the redox potential of the gas phase and temperature regime, cause low levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and other impurities in flue gases.

Due to high-temperature combustion, flue gases contain significantly less organic compounds, in particular dioxins.

Instead of a large amount of ash residue (up to 25% during conventional combustion), containing heavy non-ferrous metals and dioxins, inert slag is formed, which is a raw material for the production of building materials.

Dust carried out from the furnace with flue gases is selectively captured at different cleaning stages. The amount of dust is 2–4 times less than when using traditional ovens. Coarse dust (up to 60%) is returned to the furnace, fine dust, which is a concentrate of heavy non-ferrous metals (Zn, Pb Cd, Sn, etc.), is suitable for further use.

Modern methods of thermal processing of solid waste

Institute "Gintsvetmet" together with others Russian organizations a technology for thermal processing of solid waste in a bubbled slag melt has been developed. Its main advantage is the solution to the current global dioxin problem: already at the outlet of the bubbling unit there are practically no highly toxic compounds (dioxins, furans, polyaromatic hydrocarbons). At the same time, there are now a number of domestic and foreign methods for thermal processing of solid waste, which are at different stages of development. The table shows the main indicators of thermal methods for processing solid waste, most known to ecologists and specialists in the disposal of such waste. These methods have either already been industrialized or have undergone large-scale testing. The essence of the processes used:

KR process – combustion of solid waste in a furnace with grates (KR) or a boiler unit on grates of different designs;
FS process – combustion of waste in a fluidized bed (FB) of inert material (usually sand of a certain size);
the “Piroksel” process is an electrometallurgical process, including drying, pyrolysis (combustion) of waste, processing of mineral combustion residue in a molten slag, as well as dust and gas purification of flue gases;
process in a unit such as a Vanyukov furnace (PV) - smelting in a bubbled melt;
a process developed at the Institute of Chemical Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences - combustion - gasification of waste in a dense layer of lump material without its forced mixing and movement;
The Thermoselect process is a combined process, including the stages of waste compaction, pyrolysis and high-temperature gasification (to produce synthesis gas, inert and some mineral products and metals);
Siemens process – pyrolysis – combustion of pyro-gas and separated carbonaceous residue using non-oxygen-enriched blast.

Combustion of solid waste in furnace-boiler units (KR process) due to the relatively low temperatures(600 – 900 °C) practically does not solve the dioxin problem.

In addition, this results in the formation of secondary (solid unburned) slags and dusts, which require separate processing or are sent for disposal with subsequent negative consequences for the environment. environment. These shortcomings are to a certain extent inherent in the QE process. Here we add the need to prepare raw materials for processing in order to maintain the particle size distribution.

The disadvantages of the process developed by the Institute of Chemical Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences include:

the need to sort and crush waste to certain sizes; addition and subsequent separation of coolant of a given granulometric composition;
the need to develop an expensive flue gas purification system - synthesis gas, which is a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

The process of melting solid waste in a bubbled melt (in a PV furnace) should be noted (in addition to dioxin safety) two more advantages: relatively high specific productivity and low dust removal. These indicators are due to the bubbling effect (intensive gas purging of the melt bath and splash saturation of the furnace working space above the bath). An important positive factor is the presence of industrial experience in their operation at non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises in Russia and Kazakhstan. In general, it can be stated that the latest domestic development is superior in key indicators to other domestic and foreign technologies for processing solid waste and is a definite scientific and technical breakthrough in solving the global environmental problem.

Currently, one of the authors, under the guidance of the thesis project director, is developing a design for a solid waste landfill for the station. Arkhonskaya North Ossetia-Alania, where the issue of unsatisfactory management of solid household waste is acute. When developing this project, the outlined solutions for the management of solid waste and, first of all, the preliminary sorting of this waste and the extraction of polymer and other waste for further processing will be taken into account.

Cand. tech. Sciences, Associate Professor Tsgoev T.F.,
stud. Shevereva M.
Department of Ecology.
North Caucasus Mining and Metallurgical Institute
(state University of Technology)
"Works of young scientists" No. 2, 2011

LITERATURE
1. Zaitsev V.A. Industrial ecology: textbook. M., DeLi, 1999. 140 p.
2. Azarov V. N., Grachev V. A., Denisov V. V., Pavlikhin G. P. Industrial ecology: a textbook for higher educational institutions of the Ministry of Education and Science Russian Federation under general ed. V.V. Guteneva. M., Volgograd: PrintTerra, 2009. 840 p.
3. Kalygin V. G. Industrial ecology: textbook. aid for students higher textbook establishments, erased M.: Publishing house. Center "Academy", 2007. 432 p.
4. Kalygin V. G., Bondar V. A., Dedeyan R. Ya. Life safety. Industrial and environmental safety, safety in man-made emergency situations. Course of lectures / Ed. V. G. Kalygina. M., Koloss, 2006. 520 p.
5. Grechko A.V. Modern methods of thermal processing of solid waste. // Prom. Energy. 2006. No. 9.
6. Babushkin D.A., Kuznetsova A.V. Methods for recycling oil-containing waste // EI Resource-saving technologies. 2006. No. 6.

The garbage business continues to be a very profitable business in Russia. This is not only due to the lack of competition as such. With the depletion of earthly reserves, as well as their rise in price, the demand for recyclable materials is growing. It is possible to quickly recoup investments and achieve a profitability of 40-80% in waste recycling, but the main thing that is necessary for this is to organize sales channels. To do this, in turn, you need to study the demand for each individual type of recyclable material at least in the nearest region.

Methods for selling raw materials after processing

Solid waste can be recycled into alternative fuels, fertilizers, glass and new types of paper. The industry is generating demand for RDF (garbage derived fuel), building materials from toxic waste, glass and non-ferrous metals from e-waste. The cost of purchasing processed and compressed recyclables today is approximately:

waste paper - 5 thousand rubles/ton;
PET bottles - 20 thousand rubles/ton;
bottles household chemicals- 16 thousand rubles/ton;
aluminum cans - 50 thousand rubles/ton.

Municipal authorities will provide indirect assistance in the sale of raw materials after processing, as this will help them solve their problems of eliminating the city landfill. Recyclable materials can be not only industrial, but also for individual purposes. Online exchanges for solid household waste help you stay up to date with the situation on the sales market, as well as find new opportunities for this.

Waste paper is well used to make waste-free product packaging. It's easy to set up a line and find distribution channels for recycled PET bottles. All plastic waste, which makes up a significant part of solid waste, is the most interesting type of waste today. The reasons for this are the widespread use of polyethylene, the slow decomposition of the material, and also the fact that no one is sorting it.

Competition in the sales market

To achieve the highest possible profitability, it is necessary to strive for deep processing of solid waste. The result is components that are no different from primary raw materials, but at the same time they are cheaper. This means that problems with sales and competition will be easily overcome by lower prices for raw materials. Successful Entrepreneurs in this area they are mastering the independent production of products from their own recycled materials.

There are now quite a lot of hunters for quality waste. Environmental authorities confirm that there are many more factories capable of using recyclable materials compared to the supply of raw materials. Since Russia’s share in the global recycling market is only 3%, our garbage is a profit in the future for foreign companies.

Many Russian entrepreneurs have already realized the profitability of waste disposal, but only a few have reached deep processing. If there is competition with the removal of solid waste that restrains prices for these activities, then it does not extend beyond this area.

Progressive options for solving your requests will allow you to lead in this market, produce recyclable materials at such prices and at such a level that there will be a queue for your products. Not only small domestic producers, but also large Russian and foreign companies are interested in such products. the site will help you design a line that can easily expand and transform in the future, which will allow your clients to cooperate with you on a long-term basis.

The most common method of solid waste disposal is incineration followed by disposal of the resulting ash in a special landfill. There are quite a few waste incineration technologies - chamber, layer, fluidized bed. Garbage can be burned mixed with natural fuel.

Thermal processing: process, advantages and disadvantages

Combustion method(or in general, thermal methods of solid waste disposal) has both undoubted advantages (the combustion heat of solid waste can be used to generate electricity and heat buildings, reliable waste disposal) and significant disadvantages. A good flue gas purification system is necessary, since when burning solid waste, hydrogen chloride and fluoride, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, as well as metals and their compounds (Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg, etc., mainly in the form of aerosols) are released into the atmosphere ) and, what is especially important, during the combustion of waste, dioxins and biphenyls are formed, the presence of which in the exhaust gases significantly complicates their purification due to the low concentration of these highly toxic compounds.

The furnace is simple and has small dimensions, high performance and high operational reliability.

The metal enters the siphon through the overflow and is continuously or in portions poured into a ladle and then transferred for processing or poured into pigs directly at the furnace or granulated. Combustible gases - products of pyrolysis and gasification of waste and coal, released from the bath - are burned above the bath by supplying oxygen-enriched air or pure oxygen.

High-temperature (1400 – 1600 °C) furnace gases are sucked by a smoke exhauster into a steam boiler for cooling and beneficial use of their energy. The boiler carries out complete combustion of gases. The cooled gases are then sent to the purification system. Before they are discharged into the atmosphere, they are cleaned from dust and harmful impurities. High process temperatures and a rational combustion scheme, consisting of a combination of the redox potential of the gas phase and temperature conditions, determine the low content of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and other impurities in the flue gases.

Due to high-temperature combustion, flue gases contain significantly less organic compounds, in particular dioxins.

The transfer of alkali and alkaline earth metals into the vapor-gas phase under process conditions promotes the binding of chlorine, fluorine and sulfur oxides into safe compounds that are captured during gas cleaning in the form of solid dust particles. Replacing air with oxygen allows you to reduce the volume of flue gases by 2–4 times, facilitate their cleaning and reduce the discharge of toxic substances into the atmosphere. Instead of a large amount of ash residue (up to 25% during conventional combustion), containing heavy non-ferrous metals and dioxins, inert slag is formed, which is a raw material for the production of building materials. Dust carried out from the furnace with flue gases is selectively captured at different cleaning stages. The amount of dust is 2–4 times less than when using traditional ovens. Coarse dust (up to 60%) is returned to the furnace, fine dust, which is a concentrate of heavy non-ferrous metals (Zn, Pb Cd, Sn, etc.), is suitable for further use.

Modern methods of thermal processing of solid waste

The Gintsvetmet Institute, together with other Russian organizations, has developed a technology for thermal processing of solid waste in a bubbled slag melt. Its main advantage is the solution to the current global dioxin problem: already at the outlet of the bubbling unit there are practically no highly toxic compounds (dioxins, furans, polyaromatic hydrocarbons). At the same time, there are now a number of domestic and foreign methods for thermal processing of solid waste, which are at different stages of development. The table shows the main indicators of thermal methods for processing solid waste, most known to ecologists and specialists in the disposal of such waste. These methods have either already been industrialized or have undergone large-scale testing. The essence of the processes used:

CD process– combustion of solid waste in a furnace with grates (KR) or a boiler unit on grates of different designs;
CS process– combustion of waste in a fluidized bed (FB) of inert material (usually sand of a certain size);
Pyroxel process– electrometallurgical, including drying, pyrolysis (combustion) of waste, processing of mineral combustion residue in molten slag, as well as dust and gas purification of flue gases;
process in a unit such as a Vanyukov furnace (PV)– melting in a bubbled melt;
process developed at the Institute of Chemical Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences - combustion– gasification of waste in a dense layer of lump material without its forced mixing and movement;
Thermoselect process– combined, including the stages of waste compaction, pyrolysis and high-temperature gasification (to produce synthesis gas, inert and some mineral products and metals);
Siemens process - pyrolysis– combustion of pyrogas and separated carbonaceous residue using non-oxygen-enriched blast.

Combustion of solid waste in boiler furnaces (KR process) due to relatively low temperatures (600 – 900 °C) practically does not solve the dioxin problem. In addition, this generates secondary (solid, unburned) slags and dust, which require separate processing or are sent for disposal with subsequent negative consequences for the environment. These shortcomings are to a certain extent inherent in the QE process. Here we add the need to prepare raw materials for processing in order to maintain the particle size distribution.

The disadvantages of the process developed by the Institute of Chemical Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences include:

the need to sort and crush waste to certain sizes; addition and subsequent separation of coolant of a given granulometric composition;
the need to develop an expensive flue gas purification system - synthesis gas, which is a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

Biothermal processing of solid waste: Aerobic fermentation

Of the biothermal methods in practice, the most widely used is aerobic fermentation, which is often called composting (after the name of the final fermentation product - compost, used in agriculture).

Fermentation is a biochemical process of decomposition of the organic part of waste by microorganisms. In biochemical reactions, organic material, oxygen and bacteria (saprophytic aerobic microorganisms present in MSW in sufficient quantities) interact, and carbon dioxide, water and heat are released (the material self-heats to 60-70°C). The process is accompanied by the synthesis of humus. Reproduction of microorganisms that destroy waste is possible at a certain ratio of carbon and nitrogen.

The best contact between organic matter and microorganisms is ensured by mixing the material, as a result of which self-heating during the fermentation process destroys most pathogenic microorganisms, helminth eggs, and fly larvae.

According to the results of research by English specialists, at the initial stage of fermentation, mineralization of the mixture occurs, as evidenced by a decrease in the total carbon content of organic matter and humic acids. The resulting biomass has a high degree of polymerization and is characterized by a significant (compared to soil) nitrogen concentration. During the fermentation process, the content of phenolic groups in the biomass decreases and the content of HOOC and C=0 groups increases.

As a result of the completed fermentation process, the mass of biodegradable material is halved and a solid, stabilized product is obtained.

Composting after disposal of solid waste has developed in world practice as an alternative to incineration. The environmental goal of composting can be considered the return of part of the waste to the natural cycle.

Composting of solid waste developed most intensively from the late 60s to the early 80s, mainly in Western European countries (Italy, France, the Netherlands). In Germany, the peak of plant construction occurred in the second half of the 80s (in 1985, 3% of solid waste was processed into compost, in 1988 - about 5%). Interest in composting increased again in the mid-90s based on the involvement in processing not of solid waste, but of selectively collected food and plant waste, as well as gardening waste (thermal processing of this waste is difficult due to high humidity, and burial is associated with uncontrolled formation of filtrate and biogas). In European practice, by 2000, about 4.5 million tons of waste were processed annually using aerobic fermentation at more than 100 plants (of which 60 plants were built in 1992-95).

In the CIS countries, direct composting of initial solid waste is used at nine plants: in St. Petersburg (the first plant in former USSR, built in 1971; at the end of 1994, a second plant was put into operation in St. Petersburg), Nizhny Novgorod, Minsk and Mogilev, Tashkent, Alma-Ata, Tbilisi and Baku (all plants were designed by the Giprokomunstroy Institute, Mogilev - by the Belkommunproekt Institute), In In 1998, a plant was put into operation in Tolyatti, where preliminary but ineffective sorting of solid waste was implemented.

It should be noted that due to the heterogeneous composition of waste, direct composting of solid waste is impractical, since the resulting compost is contaminated with glass and heavy metals (the latter, as noted, are contained in hazardous household waste - waste galvanic cells, fluorescent lamps).

In the first mechanized industrial plants, solid waste was most often composted in piles, periodically subjecting the material to tedding.

Currently, three aerobic fermentation methods are most common in industry:

fermentation (composting) in biodrums;
tunnel composting (fermentation);
fermentation (composting) in a holding pool.

In the CIS, since 1971, composting in bio-drums has been practiced exclusively (in the mode of loading and unloading material, the rotation speed of the bio-drum is 1.5 min1, the rest of the time 0.2 min1). In Russia (plant in Togliatti), based on cement kilns, biodrums are produced in two sizes - 36 and 60 m long; diameter of biodrums - 4 m.

In our world, due to the fact that the population is constantly increasing, the consumption of resources is also growing steadily. And the consumption of renewable and non-renewable resources is accompanied by an increase in the amount of waste. Garbage dumps, pollution of water bodies - this is all what human activity leads to. And it is logical that without the use of innovative methods of waste processing, there is a high probability of turning the planet into one huge landfill. And it is not surprising that scientists are constantly coming up with and putting into practice new ways of processing solid waste. What methods are used today?

Disposal of waste at landfills. This includes

Garbage sorting
Earth backfill

Natural methods of decomposition of solid waste. This includes

Composting

Thermal processing of solid waste. This includes

Burning
Low temperature pyrolysis,
High temperature pyrolysis (plasma processing)

Let's talk about everything briefly.

Garbage disposal

Landfill disposal is the most common method of waste disposal in the world today. This method applies to non-combustible waste and waste that releases toxic substances during combustion.

A landfill (MSW) is not an ordinary landfill. Modern disposal sites are complex engineering structures equipped with systems for combating groundwater and atmospheric air pollution. Some landfills are able to process gas generated during the decay of waste gas into electricity and heat. Unfortunately, today this applies to a greater extent to European countries, since in Russia a very small percentage of landfills meet these characteristics.

The main disadvantage of traditional waste disposal is that even with the use of numerous purification systems and filters, this type of disposal does not make it possible to completely get rid of such negative effects of waste decomposition as rotting and fermentation, which pollute the air and water. Therefore, although relative to other disposal methods, solid waste disposal is quite cheap, environmentalists recommend recycling waste, thereby minimizing the risks of environmental pollution.

Garbage composting

Composting is a waste processing technology that is based on its natural biodegradation. For this reason, composting is widely used for processing waste of organic origin. Today, there are technologies for composting both food waste and the unseparated stream of solid waste.

In our country, composting is not widespread enough, and it is usually used by the population in individual homes or garden plots. However, the composting process can also be centralized and carried out at special sites, which are a processing plant (MSW) for organic waste. The end product of this process is compost, which can be used in various agricultural applications.

Thermal waste processing (MSW)

Since household waste contains a fairly high percentage of organic fraction, thermal methods are often used to process solid waste. Thermal waste processing (MSW) is a set of processes of thermal influence on waste necessary to reduce its volume and weight, neutralize it, and obtain energy carriers and inert materials (with the possibility of disposal).

Important advantages of modern thermal processing methods are:

effective waste disposal (complete destruction of pathogenic microflora).
reduction of waste volume up to 10 times.
use of the energy potential of organic waste.

Of all the variety that MSW processing methods can boast, incineration is the most common. The main advantages of combustion are:

high level of technology testing
serially produced equipment.
long warranty period
high level of automation.

The main trend in the development of waste incineration is the transition from direct combustion of waste to optimized combustion of the fuel fraction obtained from solid waste and a smooth transition from combustion as a waste disposal process to combustion as a process that provides additional generation of electrical and thermal energy. And the most promising today is the use of plasma technologies, which provide a temperature higher than the melting point of the slag, which makes it possible to obtain a harmless vitrified product and useful energy at the output.

Plasma waste processing (MSW)

Plasma waste processing (MPW) is essentially nothing more than a waste gasification procedure. The technological scheme of this method involves obtaining gas from the biological component of waste in order to use it to produce steam and electricity. An integral part of the plasma processing process are solid products in the form of non-pyrolyzable residues or slag.

A clear advantage of high-temperature pyrolysis is that this technique makes it possible to process and destroy a wide variety of household waste in an environmentally friendly and relatively technically simple manner without the need for their preliminary preparation, i.e. drying, sorting, etc. And of course, the use of this technique today is more profitable from an economic point of view than the use of other, more outdated techniques.

In addition, when using this technology, the resulting slag is a completely safe product, and it can subsequently be used for a variety of purposes.

Waste recycling technology (MSW)

Today, more than ever, the problem of recycling household waste, which is invariably generated in the process of human activity, is more pressing. This waste, gradually accumulating, has already become a real disaster. Therefore, governments of technologically developed countries are beginning to pay increasing attention to environmental issues, encouraging new technologies for recycling waste.

This happens because traditional waste incineration technologies, widespread in our country, are essentially a dead end, since their use does not ensure the preservation of the environment and enormous amounts of money are spent.

Fortunately, thanks to modern technologies, today there is a fundamental opportunity not only to significantly reduce the costs of waste disposal, but also to achieve a certain economic effect.

So, let’s look at the most popular solid waste disposal methods in our country today, which include:

Garbage sorting
Combustion of solid waste
Composting of solid waste
Earthfill waste
Thermal waste treatment
Plasma waste processing

What are these methods and methods for recycling waste?

Ways to recycle waste

Garbage sorting involves separating solid household waste into small fractions. This includes the process of extracting the most valuable secondary raw materials from the garbage and then reducing the size of the garbage components by crushing and sifting them.

As a rule, the sorting of solid waste precedes further waste disposal, and since this procedure is truly of the utmost importance, today almost every landfill has its own waste processing plant (MSW). Such a plant is directly involved in separating fractions of various useful substances from waste: metals, glass, plastics, paper and other materials for the purpose of their further separate recycling.

Incineration of solid waste is the most common method of disposal of solid household waste, which has been used in practice for more than a hundred years. Burning household waste allows you to achieve a significant reduction in the volume and weight of waste and allows you to obtain additional energy resources during the recycling process, which can be used to generate electricity. Naturally, this method has many advantages, but it is also not without its disadvantages.

The disadvantages of this method include the fact that during the combustion process, harmful substances are released into the atmosphere, and valuable materials are destroyed. organic components, which are contained in household waste.

And today, when the requirements for emission standards for the gas component of waste incineration plants have sharply tightened, such enterprises have become unprofitable. In this regard, technologies for processing solid household waste that allow not only recycling waste, but also reusing useful components contained in it, have become more relevant.

Garbage composting is a method of solid waste disposal based on natural reactions of waste transformation. During the recycling process, solid waste turns into compost. However, to implement such a technological scheme, the initial waste must be cleared of large objects, as well as metals, ceramics, plastics, glass and rubber, since the content of such substances in compost is simply unacceptable. However, even despite this, modern technologies composting does not allow complete removal of heavy metal salts, and therefore compost from solid waste is in practice of little use for agricultural use, but it can be used to produce biogas.

Sanitary earth filling is an approach to the disposal of solid waste, which is inextricably linked with the production of biogas and its further use as an environmentally friendly fuel. With this technique, household waste is covered with a layer of soil approximately 0.6-0.8 meters thick. Landfills of this type are equipped with ventilation pipes, gas blowers and containers designed to collect biogas.

The presence of organic components in the debris and the presence of pores create the prerequisites for the development of microbiological processes, resulting in the formation of biogas. Thus, landfills are the largest biogas production systems. We can safely assume that in the near future the number of landfills will only increase, so the extraction of biogas from garbage for the purpose of its further use will remain relevant for a long time.

Now let's move on to more modern methods of processing solid waste.

Thermal waste processing is a process in which pre-shredded waste is subjected to thermal decomposition. The advantage that this technology for processing solid waste has over traditional waste incineration is, first of all, that this technology is more effective in terms of preventing environmental pollution.

Using thermal processing, it is possible to process any waste components, since with this method no biologically active substances remain in the garbage, and subsequent underground storage of waste does not harm the environment. Also, this method generates a lot of thermal energy, which can be used for a variety of purposes.

Plasma waste processing (MSW) is the newest method of solid waste disposal, which is essentially gasification of waste. This method is the most promising, since the technological scheme of such production does not impose any strict requirements on the feedstock, and makes it possible to obtain secondary energy in the form of heated steam or hot water and supply it to the end user, as well as secondary products in the form of granulated slag or ceramic tiles.

In fact, this is the optimal option for comprehensive waste processing, which is a complete environmentally friendly waste disposal with the production of thermal energy and various useful products from the most “waste” raw materials - household waste.

Problems of waste processing (MSW)

Similar materials

Methods and methods for recycling waste (MSW)
Recycling waste (MSW) into fuel
Waste recycling (MSW) in Russia
Waste recycling (MSW) in Germany

Everyone knows how the recycling and collection of solid household waste is organized in Western Europe. In these countries, the bet was made on separate collection, the maximum possible extraction of secondary raw materials and comprehensive waste processing, thanks to which any European landfill differs from the domestic one like heaven and earth.

But why is our approach to solid waste disposal extremely far from the European one in terms of environmental safety and efficiency?

This article provides several obvious reasons that can answer this question.

The main problems of waste recycling.

Financial problem.

Today, the main source of compensation for the costs of removal and disposal of solid waste is payments from the population. Moreover, it is quite obvious that the existing tariffs for the disposal of household waste are inadequately low, and they are not even able to cover the costs of waste disposal and removal.

The lack of funds for recycling is compensated by subsidies from the state budget, but still, housing and communal services authorities do not have money for the development of a separate collection system, such as has long been used in Europe. In addition, today the tariff for handling solid waste is not differentiated - it does not matter at all whether you collect waste separately or simply dump everything into one common container - you will pay the same for waste disposal.

Structural problem.

Today, the disposal and recycling of waste (MSW) falls on the shoulders of such organizations, which already “hang” many other types of public services, which are mainly unprofitable. Therefore, all the income of these companies is spent on other urgent purposes, and not at all on the development of the European waste management system.

Therefore, specialized enterprises should be involved in collecting and processing waste, and only in this case will there be a chance to plan, optimize income and expenses, and improve the current solid waste management system.

Systemic problem.

Currently, the situation is such that management in the field of household waste management is carried out by various ministries that are not connected with each other. At the same time, in European countries Absolutely all activities related to the management of solid waste management are carried out by Environmental Protection Agencies (analogues of our Ministry of Natural Resources).

The current system in our country prevents the solution of the problem of solid waste processing due to shifting all responsibility onto each other, lobbying for one’s personal interests, and the long process of approving bills.

Corporate problem.

As is known, in European countries, solid waste management is carried out by private companies in alliance with municipalities, while in our country private initiative in this area is limited. Government agencies work under the motto: “This is our garbage, we will not give it to anyone,” continuing to zealously bury valuable resources in landfills, apparently planning “someday” in the future to start making money on their own from waste.

But as European experience shows, it is private firms, thanks to their mobility, that can create a much more effective system for handling solid waste, having the opportunity to build their own waste processing plant and attract foreign investment.

5. Information problem.

Currently, there is practically no awareness of the population about the problem of solid waste disposal, and the population of Russia knows nothing about what opportunities the separate collection system offers. And since there is no work to raise the consciousness of citizens, what kind of public understanding of the problem of waste disposal can we talk about?

Construction problem.

A huge obstacle to separate waste collection is the ordinary garbage chute. It has already become obvious that the willingness of residents to throw away waste separately depends on the presence of a garbage chute in the house. Therefore, it is highly advisable to weld all existing garbage chutes.

Sealing up garbage chutes, in addition to making it possible to establish a separate waste collection system, will also improve the sanitary condition in the entrances. New houses should be designed without garbage chutes.

Marketing problem.

Another problem of the existing solid waste management system in our country is the rather limited market for secondary raw materials - many waste recyclers face problems in selling raw materials that were obtained from waste.

To increase this market in developed foreign countries, various influence mechanisms are used today - requirements for the mandatory use of recyclable materials when producing new goods (in percentage) and preferential lending for such industries. Also, the European public procurement system provides benefits for such enterprises and organizations that produce or supply goods and products that are made from recycled materials or using recyclable materials.

Strategic problem.

A big problem in the area of solid waste processing is the almost complete lack of long-term planning in this area at the district level.

Very few areas can boast of not a formal, but a real plan for the use of waste for the long term, which clearly states quantitative goals, the necessary measures to achieve them, deadlines, resources, and those responsible for their implementation. And without such detailed plans any actions will be unsystematic and episodic, which will not allow achieving the desired result.

Instead of output

Summarizing everything written above, we can say with confidence that the main reason for the ineffective work on solid waste disposal is that environmental problems rational use resources and the continuous development of the waste disposal system are still not a priority for government authorities in our country. And we can only hope that

In the near future, the state will take the steps necessary to create a new, more environmentally friendly and efficient solid waste management system.

Recycling waste (MSW) into fuel

The road of civilization is paved with mountains of garbage. This is not surprising, because the consumption of the benefits of civilization is constantly growing, and with it the amount of waste is growing. Colorful packaging, disposable products and much more that is made for mass consumption invariably turns into waste.

And, as life experience shows, no matter how much you manage to compact a garbage can, you will still have to take out the garbage. This means that there is an urgent need to invent new ways of recycling waste.

You will be surprised, but in essence, household waste, which is a mixture of organic substances of various origins, is nothing more than a high-calorie fuel, not inferior in energy to traditional brown coal. To confirm these words, one can turn to the experience of Western European countries, where in recent years the problem of solid waste disposal has been solved most successfully. For example, in Copenhagen (the capital of Denmark), about 30% of the heat for district heating systems is obtained through thermal waste recycling!

Considering household waste as a renewable energy source, we primarily take into account the economic interest of the population. Given the constant increase in energy tariffs, household waste as a type of alternative fuel is becoming more relevant than ever.

By obtaining energy from garbage, we simultaneously solve the problem of solid waste disposal and obtain cheap, one might say, practically free thermal energy, which can be used to provide municipal heat resources. Well, the use of modern waste disposal technologies in the process of solving the problem of waste disposal will reduce the negative impact that landfills (MSW) have on the environment.

What types of fuel can be obtained from ordinary solid waste.

If everything is quite clear and predictable with the thermal energy generated during the thermal processing of waste, then we move on. You will be surprised, but not only energy, but also fuel can be obtained from waste. Fuel obtained from ordinary waste can be:

Gaseous (biogas containing methane)
Solid
Liquid

So, let's look at the methods by which these types of fuel are obtained from solid waste in more detail.

Gaseous fuel can be obtained primarily from organic waste. In developed countries, where biogas technologies are quite well developed, entire residential neighborhoods are heated using gas obtained from food and plant waste.

It is therefore not surprising that currently various countries Waste processing plants are being created, equipped with special storage facilities for the proper disposal of solid household waste in order to obtain biogas from it. However, it is worth noting that gaseous fuel is difficult to transport, and therefore it is, as a rule, used directly at the place of its extraction for the production of thermal and electrical energy.

Solid fuel from MSW (or RDF) is a high-calorie fraction consisting of household waste. This type of fuel has found wide application as a cheap substitute for combustible minerals. It can replace resources such as:

brown coal
coal
petroleum products
wood

The replacement of fossil fuels with similar solid fuels from household waste has been one of the most striking indicators of the modern technical level for many years. This trend is most clearly evident in the cement industry.

Today, many cement plants use solid fuel from waste in the technological process, so they are the main buyer of this raw material. However, in addition to such enterprises, RDF can use heat and power plants. Recycling waste (MSW) into solid fuel is very promising, since the negative impact on the environment arising from the combustion of such fuel is relatively low compared to the combustion of traditional coolants.

The undeniable advantages of solid fuel from solid waste include its constant (not changing) calorific value and standard form. All this significantly simplifies the management and control of combustion processes, since the use of this fuel ensures the highest quality combustion, which is also practically waste-free. It is not surprising that recycling waste by producing solid fuel from it and then burning it (instead of the traditional combustion of solid waste itself) is today one of the most effective ways of recycling waste.

They learned how to produce liquid fuel from solid waste relatively recently, but the result exceeded all the expectations of scientists, because the output was synthetic diesel fuel, which can be used in internal combustion engines. Moreover, it compares favorably with diesel fuel obtained from oil refining, since it does not contain sulfur, which clogs engines, which negatively affects their durability.

The use of fuel from solid waste not only significantly extends the service life of the engine, but also has a positive effect on the environment, since the waste product from the combustion of such fuel is carbon dioxide, which is converted into oxygen during photosynthesis. Well, the fact that the flammability of this fuel is no worse than that of a traditional diesel engine, it is not surprising that such technologies are beginning to become more widespread.

Recycling waste at home

We live in a consumer society. Every day we throw away a significant amount of garbage, without thinking at all what happens to it next. Since the standard of living, and with it the volume of consumption, is constantly growing, the volume of waste is also increasing every year.

Huge areas of land allocated for landfills have long become an integral part of any modern populated area. And one of the most important problems facing civilization today is the problem of recycling solid household waste, since only this will not allow humanity to drown in piles of garbage and be poisoned by the products of its decomposition.

It is for this reason that each of us simply must deal with the problem of waste disposal, starting at least with sorting the waste before sending it to containers. Anyone can do the simplest waste disposal at home, because to do this it is enough to simply distribute all household waste into categories: food waste, glass, plastic, metal, waste paper.

Some of this waste can be recycled, although, due to the small number of recycling collection points in our country, the income from the delivery of sorted waste may exceed the costs of its transportation. Well, the other part of the garbage can be recycled, especially if you live in a rural area. In our country, waste recycling at home is not yet very widespread, although it should be noted that today waste disposal in many countries of the world is a fairly profitable type of business.

So, what are the most relevant methods and methods for recycling waste at home? In fact, the most effective are two methods of solid waste disposal:

Composting
Biogas production

Let's talk about them in more detail.

Composting as a method of recycling household waste.

Composting is an ideal way to recycle solid waste at home and has been known to mankind since time immemorial. This is not surprising, because from ordinary garbage you can get compost, which is an indispensable organic fertilizer for the garden. During the composting process, the organic substances contained in the garbage are broken down by beneficial microorganisms and converted into valuable organic fertilizers. Moreover, in order to start processing household waste in this way, you don’t need to make any serious efforts at all, you just need to equip a compost pit.

In one or two summers, organic waste completely rots, turning into fertile inorganic humus, which is rich in minerals and is an excellent fertilizer for many types of plants. It is also convenient that you can add anything to the compost that can rot quickly enough: food debris, weeded weeds, fallen leaves, manure, paper and other household waste.

In addition, gardeners noticed that on Compost plants such as zucchini, pumpkin and squash grow well. Therefore, you can combine business with pleasure and plant these crops directly on the compost heap so that the land does not go to waste.

The composting method, provided it is implemented correctly, is good for its “waste-free” nature, since it allows you to kill two birds with one stone: firstly, it makes it possible to constantly maintain order in the house and on the site, getting rid of garbage in a timely manner, and secondly, - Thanks to it, you can recycle unnecessary waste into high-quality fertilizer for free.

Bioreactor for the destruction of household waste.

The simplest biogas plants can be used as treatment facilities for recycling waste at home. The advantage of using them is that, in addition to simply processing solid household waste, with such a device you can obtain energy that can be used for a variety of purposes - heating the installation itself, organizing domestic gas supply, generating thermal and electrical energy. Well, if you start enriching the biogas obtained at home from household waste (increasing the methane content in it), then you can even refuel cars with it.

The benefits of a biogas plant are as follows:

Ecological. Thanks to waste disposal in this way, it is possible to significantly reduce emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere that enter as a result of traditional waste incineration;
Energy. When recycling household waste in this way, heat and electricity can be obtained from the resulting biogas;
Economic. Thanks to the construction of a biogas plant, you can significantly save money on waste disposal;
The installation can be used as an autonomous energy source for remote regions. After all, it is far from a secret that even today many houses in remote corners of Russia are heated with wood. And the installation of such a biogas station would be an excellent solution for residents of such regions;
Biogas plants, ideal for recycling household waste, can be freely located in any region since they do not require the construction of complex infrastructure;
A biogas plant operating on household waste, subject to the constant availability of raw materials, can partially provide small villages with heat and electricity, making them completely independent;
Biogas obtained from household waste can be used as an excellent fuel for internal combustion engines.

As you can see, a biogas plant is perfect option for those people who want to engage in waste disposal and recycling at home, because cheap fuel can be obtained from waste raw materials.

"Garbage Market"

The problem of solid waste disposal is becoming more acute and acute every year, affecting the environmental situation of our planet. The activity of collecting and recycling waste has long become a profitable activity in Western countries However, in Russia and the CIS this market sector is not well developed, even though there is a waste recycling plant in almost every major city today.

Today, the business associated with waste processing is promising and favorable for investment, because there are relatively few companies involved in the collection and further processing of waste with its subsequent resale, while today there is simply a huge amount of waste itself. And, therefore, this is a truly inexhaustible source of income.

According to statistics, today there is at least 200 kg of waste per person per year. And the possibility of recycling waste turns waste recycling into a very profitable business. The more developed countries of the world have been dealing with this issue for a long time, which is confirmed by the fact that in European cities special garbage containers designed for one specific type of garbage are installed everywhere. This is explained by the fact that this method of collecting waste is the most convenient for further processing. Let's see what business opportunities the waste market in Russia and the world has today.

Garbage market in Russia

The Russian authorities are seriously concerned that there is simply not enough space in household waste landfills today, and are taking various measures in the hope of making waste recycling and disposal a burdensome responsibility. state enterprises. However, many experts doubt that modern Russian waste processors will be able to comply with increasing environmental requirements without the use of private companies.

To stimulate the waste recycling market, a “Waste Law” was adopted several years ago, which, according to parliamentarians, forced manufacturers and importers to fulfill certain obligations regarding the disposal of waste from their products or production. Enterprises were actually offered a choice: either contribute to a special state fund money for waste disposal, or deal with your own waste.

The official refusal of government participation in waste disposal actually means that the company is obliged to build collection points for used goods, attract its customers there and dispose of the collected waste. And naturally, this option did not suit all manufacturers. However, there is a simpler option - concluding a contract with an operator company that will undertake the responsibility for collecting and removing production waste to recycling.

Naturally, the activities of such a company must be profitable, otherwise waste processing will not be attractive for investment. However, the authors of the bill themselves and the heads of specialized companies are very optimistic, since according to rough estimates by Rostekhnologii, the waste recycling market could grow to 50 billion rubles. And, therefore, waste recycling promises to turn into a fairly profitable business in the near future.

Garbage market in the CIS

The garbage market in the CIS countries is experiencing the same problems as in Russia - the amount of garbage is steadily growing, and existing recycling plants simply cannot cope with such volumes. But, nevertheless, waste recycling (MSW) in these countries is a fairly profitable business, since the equipment necessary for waste disposal, taking into account the fact that environmental requirements in these countries are quite lenient, is relatively inexpensive. Almost all leading CIS countries, which include:

Ukraine
Kazakhstan
Belarus

They are actively searching for new technologies that make it possible to turn household waste into recyclable raw materials.

Garbage market in the world

One of the clear world leaders in the field of waste recycling is Sweden. This country's national waste-to-electricity program has been incredibly successful. About 250 thousand homes in the country are supplied with electricity obtained from household waste, and according to experts, this is far from the limit.

Waste provides about 20% of the operation of Swedish district heating systems, which in our conditions seems like something out of science fiction. However, the Swedes had to face a completely expected problem, which Russia can only dream of - the waste recycling industry began to experience a serious shortage of raw materials, since the country had too little waste for the normal functioning of the industry. And the thing is that thanks to the developed recycling system, in Sweden only 4% of waste from total number. And Swedish energy workers quickly exhausted this resource.

The Swedes quickly found out that this issue can be resolved quite simply - they can import waste. And today Sweden imports approximately 800 thousand tons of garbage per year. The main supplier of garbage is Norway, and the Norwegians pay money to the Swedes for ridding them of waste. However, there are other promising waste markets, including Bulgaria, Romania and Italy, which the Swedes plan to develop in the near future.

As for the world's waste reserves, they are quite difficult to estimate. The United States alone annually produces 250 million tons of waste, and only about 34% of it is recycled. In this regard, many analysts are already predicting that in the very near future garbage will become one of the most valuable resources. And those countries that have enough of this resource will be able to earn quite a lot simply by selling it.

Equipment for waste disposal: presses, compactors, shredders, containers, sorting lines

Waste disposal in our country has gradually transformed from an activity aimed solely at protecting the environment into a promising, highly profitable business. This is understandable, because many resources today are much easier not to extract from the bowels of the earth, but to be obtained by recycling waste.

And that is why the number of waste processing plants is growing every day, as well as the amount of modern equipment used to process solid household waste. Let's look at the most popular equipment for waste recycling plants today.

The most common equipment today includes:

Presses
Compactors
Shredders
Containers
Sorting lines

Let's look at each type of equipment in a little more detail.

Waste compactors

The press is a truly indispensable assistant in the field of household waste disposal, since this equipment allows you to compress waste, making it more compact, and, therefore, more convenient for transportation and storage. Today there are many different types of presses, from huge ones installed in large waste treatment plants, to relatively small ones that can be installed in small enterprises or even in stores. So, all waste presses supplied to the domestic market are divided into:

Baling presses
Briquetting presses

In turn, these types of presses are:

Vertical
Horizontal

A vertical press differs from a horizontal one in the way of loading (in vertical presses it is frontal). In addition, vertical presses usually have more compact dimensions, making them better suited for installation in small spaces. And in large factories, horizontal presses are usually installed, since the bales produced by such a press, as a rule, have a much higher density.

Presses also vary in purpose. There are universal presses suitable for all types of waste, and specialized ones suitable for one type of waste.

Garbage compactors

Compactors in their operating principle are very similar to presses. This equipment is used in enterprises where it is necessary to compact such types of waste as: polyethylene film, PET bottles, paper and cardboard, aluminum cans, and other waste. Thus, compactors are indispensable for modern shopping malls and large manufacturing enterprises, since in such places there is usually a need to compact a significant amount of waste.

The effectiveness of this equipment was highly appreciated by companies involved in the field of waste removal and subsequent processing, since the high degree of waste compaction in compactors allows reducing costs associated with waste transportation and storage.

Today on the domestic market there are such types of compactors as:

Stationary compactors
Mobile compactors

The stationary compactor includes a stationary press and a replaceable container. This design allows you to load and transport a larger volume of waste compared to monoblocks (mobile compactors). In addition, such equipment makes it possible to carry out waste compaction work continuously, by replacing a filled container with an empty one.

Mobile compactors are made in one unit, that is, the container and the press are made as a single unit. And this allows for mobile and extensive use of this equipment in various places, without the need for dismantling work. Mobile units are completely sealed, which allows them to effectively compact any wet waste. And the disposal of construction and household waste with such a device becomes quite convenient.

Garbage shredders

Shredders, or crushers as they are also called, are equipment that allows you to crush waste. And since shredding waste is necessary for its further processing, without a shredder it is impossible to establish the normal functioning of any waste processing plant.

Modern crushers allow you to crush materials such as:

tree
plastic
paper and cardboard
rubber
metal
mixed waste
organic waste
glass
hazardous substances

There are both universal shredders suitable for shredding various types of waste, and special ones suitable for any certain type waste.

Garbage containers

We are all very familiar with such simple equipment as garbage containers, since it is in containers that we throw garbage. Modern containers come in metal and plastic and can be designed for mixed waste or for a specific type of waste. Today, for ease of loading into garbage trucks, many containers are equipped with wheels.

Sorting lines

Since waste disposal methods can differ significantly depending on its composition, special sorting lines are installed at waste processing plants. The main purpose of this equipment is to sort municipal solid waste into fractions for their subsequent pressing and sale of secondary raw materials. This equipment greatly simplifies the sorting process.

Of course, modern waste treatment plants use many other types of equipment, which can take a lot of time to list. Therefore, if you decide to start this business, you should be very careful in choosing all the necessary equipment.

Waste disposal in Russia

The recycling of household waste, used today in most developed countries of the world, is the most important link in the long chain of household waste disposal procedures. But if in Europe, America, China and other countries with a high level of technical development, this practice has been used for quite a long time, then in Russia the introduction of new technologies in the field of processing recyclable materials is in its infancy and is only gaining momentum.

Until recently, waste removal and its subsequent disposal in our country was carried out in a traditional way, which implied the removal of waste to specialized landfills for subsequent burial, or thermal treatment (ordinary combustion) in waste incineration plants. However, the use of such outdated technologies on all sides did not allow us to talk about basic compliance with environmental safety, let alone the profitability of this activity.

If we take, for example, the traditional disposal of waste at landfills, then such a practice leads to the further unsuitability of huge areas of land, contamination and contamination of flood and groundwater. As for our usual burning of household waste, the result of the work of waste incineration plants is the systematic pollution of the atmosphere with various harmful and toxic components contained in garbage, which poses a direct threat to human life.

Today, recycling of solid household waste primarily implies not only the process of destroying household waste, which in fact is of great value, but, on the contrary, a well-established production that can not only bring profit to the owner companies, but also make an invaluable contribution to environmental compliance. security.

The work of modern waste recycling enterprises is based on the principle not of thoughtless destruction of household waste, but of maximizing profit from the process of waste destruction. Throughout the civilized world, it has long been understood that ordinary household garbage is an incredibly valuable material that contains many useful components. And now in our country we have learned to successfully extract these components during the processing process. But in addition to economic benefits, the work of enterprises whose main activity is the disposal of household and construction waste ensures a normal state of the environmental situation, which is important for both small towns and large cities.

What benefits do new methods of waste recycling bring?

It is very profitable to recycle garbage rather than burn it for the simple reason that you can do anything you want from the materials contained in it. Most of the garbage, for example waste such as:

Plastic
Rubber
Paper
Metal
Glass

They are recyclable, and extracting them from garbage is much cheaper than obtaining them by any other means. However, this is not all, since in the process of destroying garbage you can also get such things as:

Thermal energy
Electricity
Solid, liquid and gaseous fuels

Thus, garbage is an excellent source of energy, and by burning it and disposing of it in landfills, we are acting at least unsustainably, since this useless raw material can supply small cities with heat and electricity.

Trends in the development of waste management in Russia.

If we talk only about Russia, then the practice of rational use of waste is only gaining momentum. Modern waste processing enterprises are just emerging in our country, mainly in the central regions of our country. This is understandable, because, first of all, companies are trying to satisfy the need for waste disposal in the capital region, St. Petersburg and other large cities in the European part of the country.

Here, waste processors have quite large capabilities and reserves of raw materials, which makes such a business very profitable. However, in most cities located on the periphery, household waste is still processed the old fashioned way, rendering the lands surrounding our cities completely unusable and destroying all living things around. But this is fundamentally wrong, since recycling ordinary household waste is a very profitable business that can and should be done while this niche is still relatively empty. And we are confident that in the very near future even small Russian cities will have their own waste processing plants.

Problems hindering the development of the waste processing industry in Russia.

The main problem preventing normal waste recycling in our country is the banal reluctance of local authorities to pay attention to this problem. If we look at foreign experience, we can see that the main problems of waste disposal - the need to sort it - have been solved in a fairly simple way - by installing containers for separate waste collection. Thanks to the introduction of this technology for separate waste collection, different types of waste do not mix with each other.

Thus, such waste collection allows you to significantly increase the percentage of waste suitable for recycling without additional effort. Those who oppose the introduction of separate waste collection explain this by the mentality of Russians, who are unlikely to want to sort their own waste at home. However numerous studies public opinion showed that today half of Moscow residents are ready to introduce separate waste collection. Therefore, subject to the participation of the state, the transition to such technologies may well be introduced in our country. And this would help the development of the waste processing industry in Russia.

Waste disposal in the world

Since the end of the 19th century, humanity has realized that waste removal and disposal are extremely important tasks, since it was then that people began to think about the prospects of cities from a “garbage” point of view. At the same time, the first attempts to obtain energy from waste processing began. Thanks to this, the first steam engine using combustible household waste as fuel was born in the city of Nottingham in 1874.

However, this was just the very first step of humanity towards solving the problem of waste disposal. And finally and very urgently, the need for such a procedure as recycling solid household waste arose in the middle of the last century, when major cities a shortage of landfills began to threaten. The problem became so acute that in 1965 the United States adopted the world's first law on solid waste disposal.

Since then, all civilized countries have acquired legislation regulating this issue, and this is precisely what has become evidence of the exceptional importance of this problem. The problem is extremely acute today, which can best be said by the fact that in 2008 alone there were over 2 billion tons of waste on earth, which is simply an unimaginable figure.

How is municipal solid waste disposed of today?

The most optimal way to dispose of solid household waste today is waste incineration, and it is popular not only in Russia, but also in Europe. For example, in Switzerland there are 14 waste incineration plants, in the center of Paris alone there are two, and in Germany in the coming years it is planned to build 28 new plants and improve six existing ones. Don't forget Asia: Beijing currently has 32 factories, and their number will only increase.

The Moscow government is also planning the construction of several new waste incineration plants, but one important fact should be noted that distinguishes us from more developed countries. In Europe, all waste is recycled before burning. This means that the part of the garbage that is intended for combustion does not contain harmful substances, so the smoke from the plant can be cleaned of up to 99% of substances harmful to humans. In our capital, alas, the garbage that arrives at the plant is sorted only 10%, and everything else, due to the high degree of mixing and compaction, is not subject to deep sorting.

Some developed countries, which due to their geographical location are deprived of mineral resources, have begun to openly make money from garbage. This is the case even for such an advanced country as Germany, which annually processes and burns about 2 million tons of waste imported from abroad.

Moreover, as we said above, in the near future Germany plans to increase the number of waste incineration plants and increase their capacity. Experts believe that such a garbage management policy will lead to a constant increase in the amount of imported garbage. At this rate, Germany risks becoming the main waste incinerator in all of Europe. And all because German scientists have made great progress in such an area as the disposal of construction and household waste, and today the Germans obtain most useful substances from seemingly useless waste.

What measures are being taken to reduce the amount of waste.

From time to time, some European country comes up with the idea of artificially limiting the use of disposable items and reducing the amount of packaging. Thus, the constant increase in prosperity is forcing Scandinavian residents to get rid of old things much faster than before.

For example, today furniture in Scandinavian countries is often sent to a landfill after literally three years of its use, whereas more recently such products served their owner for 20 years. Another nightmare of European garbage collectors is technological progress, thanks to which obsolete equipment, for example, ends up in landfills. , TVs with kinescope and old monitors.

And although today they have already learned to extract various useful substances from such equipment, including even gold, the cost of recycling such waste exceeds the benefits of its processing.

Reports of efforts to reduce waste are also increasingly coming from the Chinese capital Beijing, where local hotels are running a "Green Hotel" campaign. At first, 109 large hotels decided to take part in the campaign, but their guests were so unhappy with the lack of disposable, fresh toothbrushes and hair combs that some of the hotels had to abandon their participation in the venture, the purpose of which was to reduce the number of disposable items.

A rather interesting solution to the problem of waste disposal was found in Rome, where in 2003 all residents were imposed a double tax on garbage - the Romans pay not only for all residents, but also for square meters your home. A new generation waste incineration plant was built here in 2006, which receives waste that was first collected separately by citizens and then carefully sorted at a nearby sorting complex. Thanks to deep recycling of waste, the mayor of Rome promised his voters that the number of city landfills will soon decrease by 80%.

The problem of the need to recycle waste is so pressing that, at the initiative of the American Recycling Coalition, starting in 1997, November 15 in the United States was named Recycling Day. This holiday is dedicated to the problem of waste disposal, and draws the attention of ordinary Americans to the need to reuse and recycle waste, because this problem has never been as relevant as it is today, when the world population already numbers 7 billion people. And it is natural that with population growth, the amount of garbage will only increase if you and I do not take measures to prevent this.

Sorting and collecting garbage: systems, problems, rules

Pollution of the environment with solid household waste invariably leads to disruption of the ecological balance not only in some regions, but throughout the planet as a whole. And it is not surprising that the liquidation harmful influence on the nature of this kind of pollution is a problem that worries not only Russia, but the entire world community.

According to the information available to scientists, Each person on Earth produces approximately 1 ton of garbage per year.. And if all the garbage accumulated in one year were not destroyed, but dumped in one heap, then it would form a mountain with a height approximately as high as Elbrus (5642 m). Therefore, it is not surprising that today recycling of solid waste is a real necessity for the inhabitants of the earth.

Waste sorting systems

Today, Russia lags significantly behind more developed European countries in terms of processing solid household waste. This is primarily due to the fact that in our country modern waste sorting systems are practically not used near its direct source. Citizens do not sort household waste, as a result of which it goes unsorted to waste processing plants, where the sorting process also leaves much to be desired. Because of this, the depth of waste recycling in our country differs markedly from European countries.

Let's look at how the separate waste collection system works using the example of Germany.

German cities have their own container for each type of solid waste. To facilitate the work of garbage collectors, these containers should be installed no further than 15 m from the edge of the roadway.

Only paper waste, such as old newspapers, magazines and cardboard boxes, is placed in the gray container. Cans, bottles, paper and plastic packaging are thrown into the yellow container. The green container is designed to collect organic waste, which is subsequently processed into compost.

Those glass containers that for some reason did not end up in the yellow packaging container must be placed in large containers, which are also located next to the other containers. Green, white and brown bottles are sorted on site for easy recycling.

Every German supermarket has specialized collection points for recycling old batteries. Medicines with an expired date are also not thrown away with household waste, but are handed over to pharmacies. The removal of large waste, such as refrigerators, must be agreed upon with utility companies in advance.

Garbage collection and sorting

Separate collection and sorting of waste in Germany greatly facilitates the task of processing it, since all waste collected in the city, depending on the distance between the landfill and the collection point, is delivered either directly to a solid waste processing plant, or to a sorting center, or to a waste transfer station.

In sorting centers, sorted waste is reloaded into large vehicle containers using a waste receptacle. Thanks to this, transportation costs associated with delivering waste to a landfill for disposal are significantly reduced.

Well, since the waste arrives at the processing plant already pre-sorted, the costs of sorting it are also reduced, which makes recycling of solid waste quite profitable.

Problems of waste sorting

Compared to Germany, waste recycling in Russia is in its infancy, since this industry is still in its infancy. And in order to make waste recycling a profitable business, it is necessary to solve certain problems of waste sorting.

To do this you need to do the following things:

Provide the population with containers for separate waste collection, and for this it is not enough to simply place containers of different colors in the yards. It is necessary to place detailed information on it about what kind of garbage can be thrown into each container and how best to do it. For example, in a container intended for plastic bottles It is necessary to throw away compressed bottles with the caps unscrewed, since this eliminates the need for waste recycling plant workers to unscrew the caps from each bottle for subsequent compaction. In addition, many more loose bottles can fit into a garbage truck, eliminating the need for garbage collectors to carry air.
It is necessary to inform the population about the benefits of separate waste collection by attracting attention through publication in the media. It is also necessary to monitor the separate collection of waste by citizens and encourage them for this. In addition, it is necessary to clearly tell the population exactly how waste should be sorted and what kind of waste should be thrown away where.
It is necessary to build specialized waste sorting plants, which would be engaged in further sorting of waste received from citizens. This would help to sort household waste more thoroughly, which in turn would have a positive effect on the depth of waste recycling.

Garbage sorting rules

Rules for sorting garbage may differ significantly depending on the country, especially the color of the container for each type of garbage, but they all have more similarities than differences. So what are the basic rules for sorting?

All food waste, as well as other organic waste such as grass, leaves, and paper napkins and towels must be thrown away together.
Glass should be disposed of in a separate container.
Paper and cardboard should also be collected separately from all other waste.
Plastic and metal packaging is recyclable and should be collected in a separate container.
Batteries, mercury lamps and other environmentally hazardous items should be collected in separate containers.
Unrecyclable waste must also be collected separately.

Waste sorting in Russia

Every year in Russia approximately 7 billion tons of waste of industrial and domestic origin are generated, and approximately 2 billion tons of it, mainly industrial, are reused. And naturally, the biggest problem is municipal solid waste (MSW), which is practically not processed in our country.

According to Rosprirodnadzor, almost the entire volume of solid household waste is disposed of in landfills and solid waste landfills, where it is not processed, but simply buried.

This is primarily due to the lack of infrastructure and waste processing enterprises necessary for waste processing, of which as of 2012 there were 389 throughout the country, of which:

Waste processing complexes - 243
Waste sorting complexes - 53
Waste incineration plants - approximately 10

The existing waste management system in Russia at this stage of development, focused mainly on their disposal, is very imperfect, since it leads to environmental pollution and, as a consequence, a decrease in living standards. Moreover, such a system is not consistent with the principles sustainable development economy and requires serious modernization.

What methods of recycling solid household waste are most relevant for Russia?

There are two obvious ways to solve the problem:

Separate collection and sorting of waste for further processing following the example of Europe
Thermal processing (combustion) of solid waste at specialized plants

The first of these options is not suitable for Russia at this stage of development. This is explained by the fact that selective collection, deep sorting and processing of raw materials extracted from garbage requires considerable time and significant financial resources. And at the moment there is demand for the majority secondary products are very low.

Rosprirodnadzor noted in its report that the experience of separate collection of solid household waste (the experiment was carried out in St. Petersburg, Moscow and Smolensk) turned out to be negative due to the factors listed above. The development of such modern technologies requires serious financial investments and a long period of restructuring of the country's economy.

“It is enough to note the fact that for a 2.5-fold increase in the share of household waste exposed reuse, in the European Union it took about 15 years,” Rosprirodnadzor states in its report. AND this organization recommends limiting the organization of separate collection only to such secondary resources that are in demand and the recycling of which is economically beneficial, since it does not require significant costs and does not cause any environmental harm. Such waste includes glass containers and metal cans.

Thermal processing of waste by combustion, according to Rosprirodnadzor, is much better suited for Russian conditions. From waste that is used as fuel, steam can be produced, which is used to significantly save natural energy resources, such as:

Coal
Oil

This is explained by the fact that when household waste is used as an alternative, constantly renewable energy source, the need for traditional fuel is reduced. In this way, each incinerator not only makes a significant contribution to environmentally friendly waste disposal, but also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereby doing its part in the fight against global warming.

Which solid waste disposal technology is more profitable in our conditions?

Summing up its report, Rosprirodnadzor states that the technology of burning unsorted solid waste at specialized waste incineration plants today is the best available technology that should be recommended for widespread use in the Russian Federation, both to solve such a problem as solid waste disposal, and to solve problems of energy saving and increasing energy efficiency.

However, Greenpeace Russia, as well as many other independent experts, are categorically against the construction of new waste incineration plants, arguing that a solid waste processing plant that receives recycled materials from garbage is much more efficient and causes less harm to the environment.

This is explained by the fact that as a result of the waste incineration process, toxic substances are formed that must be stored in landfills specially designed for this purpose. But at the present time, there are only a few such landfills in Russia, and no one will transport toxins there from the entire territory of the vast country.

According to experts, the experience of separate collection of household waste can in no way be called unsuccessful: “when local authorities helped environmentalists in organizing, the experience of separate waste collection was always successful,” says Alexey Kiselev, head of the toxic program of Greenpeace Russia.

He also noted the fact that numerous campaigns for separate waste collection were quite often successful, since Russian citizens understand the fact that waste recycling provides a unique opportunity to preserve natural resources. Therefore, according to the expert, separate collection and sorting of waste in Russia is a very promising activity, and the state needs to pay special attention to this issue.

The expert also noted the fact that, according to available data, investments in sorting municipal solid waste amount to approximately €200 per ton, while burning waste at an incinerator will require at least €500-600 per ton. Thus, the introduction of separate collection and sorting of waste is not only safer for the environment, but also cheaper for the state budget as a whole.

Waste sorting in Germany

Garbage collection and sorting in Germany This is an incredibly complex and responsible process. To do this and not break a single rule, you probably need to be born in this country or, at a minimum, live in Germany for more than one year. Therefore, most Russians have a very difficult time, because German violators are subject to rather strict sanctions for improper disposal of household waste. If, for example, employees of a waste recycling company notice that household waste is being thrown away without complying with the sorting rules defined by the company, then sanctions are imposed on the entire house in the form of a significant increase in service rates. If the violation is repeated, the garbage company may stop servicing the building. Accordingly, residents of the house are extremely interested in strictly observing the rules for sorting household waste.

How waste is sorted in Germany

In Germany, garbage must be sorted according to strict rules before being thrown away. Therefore, every German home has several personal garbage bins, which, depending on the rules of the garbage company, can be from three to eight. To make it easier for residents to navigate which garbage should be thrown in which container, the containers differ in color.Naturally, dumping different types of waste into one tank is strictly prohibited. It is therefore only logical that to simplify the sorting process, every German family also uses several separate waste bins. The simplest way is to sort garbage into two types - all food waste and other garbage. But it should be noted that such a gradation is rather arbitrary and the categories of solid household waste can differ fundamentally in neighboring houses. Let's look at the main types of sorted waste.

Glass. Germans will never throw a glass bottle or jar into a general trash container. Each family has a separate waste bin for glass, which is collected by a special glass cleaning machine once every two weeks. Germans living in big cities This is somewhat easier, since there are special containers for glass waste that can be used at any time. It is also worth noting that in Germany, glass bottles, as a rule, are not thrown into the trash bin, but are handed over to the store, since the price of the product initially includes a deposit for the container (Pfand). Therefore, returning glass bottles there is really profitable.
Plastic. The Germans throw plastic containers into a special container, which is usually painted yellow. The contents of these containers are recycled, so before throwing anything here, you must thoroughly clean the garbage of foreign objects, such as paper.
Paper and cardboard. Into container of blue color Germans throw away paper and cardboard. Moreover, in some cases, there are separate containers for paper and cardboard, since the processing of solid household waste of this type is somewhat different.
Food waste. Tree branches, leaves, eggshells and food debris are thrown into containers, which are usually brown in color. Under no circumstances should such waste be thrown into plastic bags, and can only be wrapped in paper, which decomposes very quickly, unlike polymers.
Another type of household waste can be called old furniture and household appliances. In Germany, like ours, it is not customary to simply throw away outdated things. On certain days, such items are simply carefully placed in designated places, from where they are collected by waste company workers. But before the utility workers arrive, low-income residents can pick up any of these things for free. In order to make it clear whether discarded equipment is in working condition, prudent Germans cut off the cord from damaged electrical household appliances. Every poor person knows that the absence of a cord means the thing is faulty. Thanks to such a good tradition, even the most low-income residents of Germany can purchase all the necessary household appliances completely free of charge, even if they are not new.

General trash. Garbage that does not fall into any of the categories listed above is called “other garbage.” Since it is necessary to pay extra for its removal and subsequent processing, all German residents try to save their money by distributing it into bins appropriate for this type of waste. It is worth noting that not everything can be thrown into a general container; for example, there is even a special day for removing an item such as a Christmas tree. If you do not throw away the Christmas tree on time, you will have to decide on its disposal on your own for additional money.
Thus, in order to throw away an ordinary milk bottle, a German needs to have three different baskets: the first for the foil cap, the second for the paper wrapper, and the third for the glass. For us this seems something incredible, but for a resident of Germany it is quite normal. Moreover, in this amazing country, waste sorting occurs not only at home.

Special containers are installed on city streets, which have compartments for various categories waste. In addition, almost all stores, so that their customers can get rid of packaging materials, place garbage cans nearby. Pragmatic Germans, not wanting to carry garbage home, can get rid of it by leaving the store.
This increased attention paid to the problem of waste sorting and removal is primarily aimed at saving resources. This is not surprising, because solid household waste collected in accordance with all the rules significantly simplifies the processing and disposal processes.

The natural resources that humanity consumes can be divided into two parts: renewable and non-renewable. Renewable resources include all those resources that can be restored using photosynthesis in a foreseeable period of time. We are talking primarily about all types of vegetation and the resources that can be obtained from it. Non-renewable minerals include minerals that will not be restored in the foreseeable geological time.

The technologies used by mankind are focused primarily on the use of non-renewable natural resources. These are oil, coal, ores, etc. At the same time, their use technologically entails disturbances in the surrounding world: soil fertility and the amount of fresh water, the atmosphere is polluted, etc.

Today, using established technologies, humanity has a diverse structure of all kinds of waste of domestic and industrial origin. This waste, gradually accumulating, has become a real disaster. Governments of developed countries are beginning to pay increasing attention to environmental issues and are encouraging the creation of appropriate technologies. Systems for cleaning areas from waste and technologies for burning it are being developed. However, there are many reasons to believe that waste incineration technologies are a dead end. Already, the cost of burning 1 kg of garbage is 65 cents. If you do not switch to other waste disposal technologies, costs will rise. It should be borne in mind that new technologies are needed that over time could ensure, on the one hand, the consumer needs of the population, and on the other hand, the preservation of the environment.

Currently, such technologies have already appeared. There is a fundamental opportunity not only to significantly reduce waste disposal costs, but also to obtain an economic effect.

The disadvantage of thermal fractionation technologies is the need to pre-classify waste by type of waste, which requires the introduction of waste collection technologies at the state level. There are already positive examples in this area. For example, Austria. But for most countries such technologies still need to be created.

Therefore, technologies for recycling waste (city landfills, etc.) with the production of useful products and a positive economic effect are of great interest.

In addition to causing serious air pollution, waste disposal technologies through incineration, according to environmental organizations, “burn not only garbage, but also real money.” An alternative to this method is recycling waste, followed by sorting it into components. The technology used at ZAO Belekocom, a Belgorod waste processing plant, meets all environmental control standards applicable to similar plants. There are no chemical or thermal waste processing processes here, which significantly increases environmental safety. And the compressed waste is sold on the market for recycled materials.

According to experts, more than 60% of city waste is potential secondary raw materials that can be recycled and profitably sold. Another 30% is organic waste that can be turned into compost.

The problem of complete destruction or partial disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) - household garbage - is relevant, first of all, from the point of view of negative impact on the environment. Municipal solid waste is a rich source of secondary resources (including ferrous, non-ferrous, rare and dispersed metals), as well as a “free” energy carrier, since household waste is a renewable carbon-containing energy raw material for fuel energy. However, for any city or town, the problem of removing or neutralizing solid household waste is always primarily an environmental problem. It is very important that the processes of recycling household waste do not violate the environmental safety of the city, the normal functioning of the city economy from the point of view of public sanitation and hygiene, as well as the living conditions of the population as a whole. As is known, the overwhelming mass of solid waste in the world is still stored in landfills, spontaneous or specially organized in the form of " landfills"However, this is the most ineffective way to combat solid waste, since landfills, which occupy vast areas of often fertile land and are characterized by a high concentration of carbon-containing materials (paper, polyethylene, plastic, wood, rubber), often burn, polluting the environment with waste gases. In addition, In addition, landfills are a source of pollution of both surface and groundwater due to the drainage of landfills by precipitation. Foreign experience shows that the rational organization of solid waste recycling makes it possible to use up to 90% of recycling products in the construction industry, for example, as concrete filler.

According to specialized companies that currently carry out even unpromising technologies for the direct combustion of solid waste, the implementation of thermal methods when burning 1000 kg of solid waste will produce thermal energy equivalent to the combustion of 250 kg of fuel oil. However, the real savings will be even greater, since they do not take into account the very fact of preserving primary raw materials and the costs of extracting them, i.e., oil and obtaining fuel oil from it. In addition, in developed countries there is a legal restriction on the content of no more than 0.1x10-9 g of nitrogen dioxide and furans in 1 m3 of flue gas emitted into the atmosphere during waste combustion. These limitations dictate the need to search for technological ways to disinfect solid waste with the least negative impact on the environment, especially landfills. Consequently, the presence of household waste in open dumps has an extremely negative impact on the environment and, as a result, on humans.

Currently, there are a number of methods for storing and processing municipal solid waste, namely: pre-sorting, sanitary earth filling, combustion, biothermal composting, low-temperature pyrolysis, high-temperature pyrolysis.

Pre-sorting.

This technological process provides for the separation of solid household waste into fractions at waste treatment plants manually or using automated conveyors. This includes the process of reducing the size of waste components by crushing and sifting them, as well as extracting more or less large ones metal objects, such as tin cans. Their selection as the most valuable secondary raw materials precedes further recycling of solid waste (for example, incineration). Since sorting solid waste is one of the components of waste disposal, there are special plants to solve this problem, i.e., to separate fractions of various substances from waste: metals, plastics, glass, bones, paper and other materials for the purpose of their further separate processing.

Sanitary earth filling.

This technological approach to the disposal of solid household waste is associated with the production of biogas and its subsequent use as fuel. For this purpose, household waste is covered using a certain technology with a compacted layer of soil 0.6-0.8 m thick. Biogas landfills are equipped with ventilation pipes, gas blowers and containers for collecting biogas. The presence of porosity and organic components in the thickness of garbage in landfills will create the prerequisites for the active development of microbiological processes. The thickness of the landfill can be conditionally divided into several zones (aerobic, transitional and anaerobic), differing in the nature of microbiological processes. In the very top layer, aerobic (up to 1-1.5 m), household waste, thanks to microbial oxidation, is gradually mineralized to carbon dioxide, water, nitrates, sulfates and a number of others simple connections. In the transition zone, nitrates and nitrites are reduced to gaseous nitrogen and its oxides, i.e., the process of denitrification. The largest volume is occupied by the lower anaerobic zone, in which intense microbiological processes occur at low (below 2%) oxygen content. Under these conditions, a wide variety of gases and volatile organic compounds are formed. However, the central process of this zone is the formation of methane. The constantly maintained temperature here (30-40° C) becomes optimal for the development of methane-producing bacteria. Thus, landfills represent the largest modern biogas production systems. It can be assumed that in the future the role of landfills will not noticeably decrease, so the extraction of biogas from them for the purpose of its beneficial use will remain relevant. However, it is also possible to significantly reduce landfills through the maximum possible recycling of household waste through selective collection of its constituent components - waste paper, glass, metals, etc.

Burning.

This is a widespread method of disposal of municipal solid waste, which has been widely used since the end of the 19th century. The difficulty of direct disposal of solid waste is due, on the one hand, to its exceptional multicomponent nature, and on the other hand, to increased sanitary requirements for the process of their processing. In this regard, incineration is still the most common method of primary treatment of household waste. Burning household waste, in addition to reducing volume and weight, allows you to obtain additional energy resources that can be used for centralized heating and electricity production. The disadvantages of this method include the release of harmful substances into the atmosphere, as well as the destruction of valuable organic and other components contained in household waste. Combustion can be divided into two types: direct combustion, which produces only heat and energy, and pyrolysis, which produces liquid and gaseous fuels. Currently, the level of incineration of household waste varies in individual countries. Thus, of the total volumes of household waste, the share of incineration varies in countries such as Austria, Italy, France, Germany, from 20 to 40%; Belgium, Sweden - 48-50%; Japan - 70%; Denmark, Switzerland 80%; England and USA - 10%. In Russia, only about 2% of household waste is currently incinerated, and in Moscow - about 10%. To improve environmental safety, a necessary condition for burning waste is compliance with a number of principles. The main ones include combustion temperature, which depends on the type of substances being burned; the duration of high-temperature combustion, which also depends on the type of waste being burned; creation of turbulent air flows for complete waste combustion. The difference in waste by sources of formation and physical and chemical properties determines the variety of technical means and equipment for combustion. In recent years, research has been carried out to improve combustion processes, which is associated with changes in the composition of household waste and stricter environmental standards. Modernized methods of waste incineration include replacing the air supplied to the waste incineration site to speed up the process with oxygen. This makes it possible to reduce the volume of combustible waste, change its composition, obtain glassy slag and completely eliminate filtration dust that must be stored underground. This also includes the method of burning waste in a fluidized bed. In this case, high combustion efficiency is achieved with a minimum of harmful substances. According to foreign data, it is advisable to use waste incineration in cities with a population of at least 15 thousand inhabitants with a furnace productivity of about 100 tons/day. From each ton of waste, about 300-400 kWh of electricity can be generated. Currently, fuel from household waste is obtained in a crushed state, in the form of granules and briquettes. Preference is given to granular fuel, since the combustion of crushed fuel is accompanied by large dust emissions, and the use of briquettes creates difficulties when loading into the furnace and maintaining stable combustion. In addition, when burning granular fuel, the efficiency of the boiler is much higher. Waste incineration ensures a minimum content of decomposing substances in the slag and ash, but it is a source of emissions into the atmosphere. Waste incineration plants (WIP) emit gaseous hydrogen chloride and fluoride, sulfur dioxide, as well as solid particles of various metals: lead, zinc, iron, manganese, antimony, cobalt, copper, nickel, silver, cadmium, chromium, tin, mercury and etc. It has been established that the content of cadmium, lead, zinc and tin in soot and dust released during the combustion of solid combustible waste varies in proportion to the content of plastic waste in the garbage. Mercury emissions are caused by the presence of thermometers, dry galvanic cells and fluorescent lamps in waste. The largest amount of cadmium is found in synthetic materials, as well as glass, leather, and rubber. US studies have revealed that during the direct combustion of municipal solid waste, most of the antimony, cobalt, mercury, nickel and some other metals enter the exhaust gases from non-combustible components, i.e., the removal of the non-combustible fraction from household waste reduces the concentration of these metals in the atmosphere. Sources of air pollution with cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, tin, and zinc are equally both combustible and non-combustible fractions of solid household waste. A significant reduction in atmospheric air pollution with cadmium and copper is possible due to the separation of polymer materials from the flammable fraction.

Thus, it can be stated that the main direction in reducing the release of harmful substances into the environment is the sorting or separate collection of household waste. Recently, the method of co-incineration of municipal solid waste and sewage sludge has become increasingly widespread. This ensures the absence of an unpleasant odor and the use of heat from waste combustion to dry sewage sludge. It should be noted that solid waste technology developed in a period when the emission standards for the gas component had not yet been tightened. However, now the cost of gas purification at waste incineration plants has increased sharply. All waste incineration enterprises are unprofitable. In this regard, methods for processing household waste are being developed that would make it possible to recycle and reuse the valuable components contained in them.

Biothermal composting. This method of recycling solid household waste is based on natural but accelerated reactions of waste transformation with the access of oxygen in the form of hot air at a temperature of about 60°C. Biomass of solid waste as a result of these reactions in a biothermal installation (drum) turns into compost. However, to implement this technological scheme, the initial waste must be cleared of large objects, as well as metals, glass, ceramics, plastics, and rubber. The resulting waste fraction is loaded into biothermal drums, where it is kept for 2 days. in order to obtain a marketable product. After this, the composted waste is again cleaned of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, further crushed and then stored for further use as compost in agriculture or biofuel in the fuel energy industry. Biothermal composting is usually carried out in plants for mechanical processing of household waste and is an integral part of the technological chain of these plants. However, modern composting technologies do not make it possible to get rid of heavy metal salts, so compost from solid waste is actually of little use for use in agriculture. In addition, most of these factories are unprofitable. Therefore, concepts are being developed for producing synthetic gaseous and liquid fuels for vehicles from composting products isolated at waste processing plants. For example, it is planned to sell the resulting compost as a semi-finished product for further processing into gas.

The method of recycling household waste by pyrolysis is quite little known, especially in our country, due to its high cost. It can become a cheap and environmentally friendly method of waste disinfection. Pyrolysis technology involves an irreversible chemical change in waste under the influence of temperature without access to oxygen. Based on the degree of temperature impact on the waste matter, pyrolysis as a process is conventionally divided into low-temperature (up to 900°C) and high-temperature (over 900°C).

Low temperature pyrolysis is a process in which crushed waste material undergoes thermal decomposition. In this case, the process of pyrolysis of household waste has several options: pyrolysis of the organic part of the waste under the influence of temperature in the absence of air; pyrolysis in the presence of air, which ensures incomplete combustion of waste at a temperature of 760°C; pyrolysis using oxygen instead of air to obtain a higher calorific value of gas; pyrolysis without separating waste into organic and inorganic fractions at a temperature of 850°C, etc. An increase in temperature leads to an increase in gas yield and a decrease in the yield of liquid and solid products. The advantage of pyrolysis over direct waste incineration lies primarily in its effectiveness in terms of preventing environmental pollution. Using pyrolysis, it is possible to process waste components that cannot be recycled, such as tires, plastics, waste oils, and sludge. After pyrolysis, no biologically active substances remain, so underground storage of pyrolysis waste does not cause harm natural environment. The resulting ash has a high density, which sharply reduces the volume of waste subjected to underground storage. During pyrolysis there is no reduction (smelting) of heavy metals. The advantages of pyrolysis include the ease of storage and transportation of the resulting products, as well as the fact that the equipment has low power. Overall the process requires less capital investment. Installations or plants for processing municipal solid waste by pyrolysis operate in Denmark, the USA, Germany, Japan and other countries. The intensification of scientific research and practical developments in this area began in the 70s of the twentieth century, during the period of the “oil boom”. Since that time, the production of energy and heat from plastic, rubber and other combustible waste by pyrolysis began to be considered as one of the sources of energy resources. This process is especially important in Japan.

High temperature pyrolysis. This method of solid waste disposal is essentially nothing more than gasification of garbage. The technological scheme of this method involves the production of secondary synthesis gas from the biological component (biomass) of waste in order to use it to produce steam, hot water, and electricity. An integral part of the high-temperature pyrolysis process are solid products in the form of slag, i.e. non-pyrolyzable residues. The technological chain of this recycling method consists of four successive stages: selection of large-sized objects, non-ferrous and ferrous metals from waste using an electromagnet and by induction separation; processing of prepared waste in a gasifier to produce synthesis gas and by-product chemical compounds - chlorine, nitrogen, fluorine, as well as a scale for melting metals, glass, ceramics; purification of synthesis gas in order to increase its environmental properties and energy intensity, cooling and entering it into a scrubber for cleaning with an alkaline solution from pollutants of chlorine, fluorine, sulfur, cyanide compounds; combustion of purified synthesis gas in waste heat boilers to produce steam, hot water or electricity. The scientific and production company "Thermoecology" of the joint-stock company "VNIIETO" (Moscow) has proposed a combined technology for processing slag and ash dumps from thermal power plants with the addition of some solid waste. This method of high-temperature pyrolysis of waste processing is based on a combination of processes in the chain: drying—pyrolysis—combustion, electroslag treatment. It is proposed to use an ore-thermal electric furnace in a sealed version as the main unit, in which the supplied slag and ash will be melted, carbon residues will be burned out of them, and metal inclusions will be deposited. The electric furnace must have separate output of metal, which is subsequently processed, and slag, from which it is intended to make building blocks or granulate them for subsequent use in the construction industry. At the same time, solid waste will be fed into the electric furnace, where it will be gasified under the influence of the high temperature of the molten slag. The amount of air supplied to the molten slag must be sufficient to oxidize carbon raw materials and solid waste. The research and production enterprise "Sibekotherm" (Novosibirsk) has developed an environmentally friendly technology for high-temperature (plasma) processing of solid waste. The technological scheme of this production does not impose strict requirements on the moisture content of the feedstock - household waste in the process of preliminary preparation, morphological and chemical composition and state of aggregation. The design of the equipment and technological support makes it possible to obtain secondary energy in the form of hot water or superheated water steam and supply it to the consumer, as well as secondary products in the form of ceramic tiles or granulated slag and metal. Essentially, this is an option for the comprehensive processing of solid waste, its complete environmentally friendly disposal with the production of useful products and thermal energy from “waste” raw materials - household waste.

High-temperature pyrolysis is one of the most promising areas for processing municipal solid waste from the point of view of both environmental safety and the production of secondary useful products of synthesis gas, slag, metals and other materials that can be widely used in the national economy. High-temperature gasification makes it possible to process municipal solid waste in an economically profitable, environmentally friendly and technically relatively simple manner without their preliminary preparation, i.e. sorting, drying, etc.

Traditional landfills of unprocessed municipal waste not only spoil the landscape, but also pose a potential threat to human health. Pollution occurs not only in the immediate vicinity of landfills; if groundwater is contaminated, a huge area can become contaminated.

The main task facing solid waste processing systems is to most fully utilize the waste generated in a certain area. When selecting technologies for ongoing projects, one must be guided by two important requirements: to ensure a minimum or complete absence of emissions and to produce a maximum of valuable final products for their sale on the market. These tasks can be most fully achieved by using systems for automatic sorting and separated processing of various types of waste using modern technologies.

Combinations of these technological solutions are installed at several sites in the region to ensure minimal transportation of waste to the processing site and direct supply of valuable end products to related industries. A complete solid waste processing plant consists of modules of all types and may include associated production. The number of process lines in each module is determined by the plant's productivity requirements. The minimum optimal ratio is achieved for a plant with a capacity of 90,000 tons of solid waste per year.

Recycling of combustible waste.

The proposed gasification technology makes it possible to process flammable waste in a closed reactor to produce combustible gas. The following types of waste can be recycled:

* combustible fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW), separated during sorting;
* industrial solid waste - non-toxic solid waste produced by industrial, commercial and other centers, for example: plastic, cardboard, paper, etc.;
* solid flammable products from automobile recycling: most automotive plastics, rubber, foam, fabric, wood, etc.;
* wastewater after drying (the most effective wastewater processing is achieved using biothermal technology);
* dry biomass such as wood waste, sawdust, bark, etc.

The gasification process is a modular technology. The valuable processing product is flammable gas, produced in volumes from 85 to 100 m3 per minute (for a processing module of 3,000 kg/h), with an approximate energy value of 950 to 2,895 kcal/m3 depending on the feedstock. Gas can be used to produce heat/electricity for related industries or for sale. The gasification module produces no emissions into the atmosphere and has no pipe: the product of the technology is combustible gas directed to energy production, and thus emissions are generated only at the output of engines, boilers or gas turbines that process combustible gas. The main equipment is mounted on frames with overall external dimensions of 10 x 13 x 5 m. The technology is easy to manage and operate and can be used as part of integrated waste treatment schemes.

Recycling rotting waste.

The organic fraction of solid waste obtained as a result of sorting, as well as waste from farms and wastewater treatment plants, can be subjected to anaerobic processing to produce methane and compost, suitable for agricultural and horticultural work.

The processing of organic matter occurs in reactors where methane-producing bacteria process the organic substance into biogas and humus. The substance is kept in a reactor at a certain temperature for 15-20 days. A plant usually consists of two or more parallel lines. Bioreactors are stationary and located vertically. The size of one reactor can reach 5000 cubic meters. m. This roughly corresponds to the waste produced by a population of 200,000 people. To process larger volumes of waste, two or more parallel reactors are required. If necessary, at the end of anaerobic processing, the substance is pasteurized and then completely dried into a solid mass amounting to 35-45% of the original volume. At the next stage, the mass can be subjected to post-aeration and sieving to improve storage properties, aesthetic appearance and ease of use.

The final product, humus, is completely processed, stabilized and suitable for landscaping, gardening and Agriculture. Methane can be used to produce heat/electricity.

Recycling of used tires.

To recycle tires, low-temperature pyrolysis technology is used to produce electricity, sorbent for water purification or high-quality soot suitable for the production of tires.

Dismantling lines for old cars.

To recycle old cars, industrial dismantling technology is used, which allows individual parts to be reused. The standard line of the industrial dismantling line is capable of processing 10,000 old cars per year or up to 60 cars per day with a shift of 12 people (a total of 24 people at the plant). The line is designed for optimal dismantling of parts in safe working conditions. The main elements of the line are an automatic conveyor that moves cars, a vehicle turning device for dismantling underbody parts and preparing the car for engine removal, as well as equipment for dismantling parts and storing removed materials. The enterprise consists of a dismantling line workshop, an area for removing batteries and draining automobile fluids, covered storage facilities and office building. The economic efficiency of the enterprise is ensured by the sale of automotive parts and sorted materials. For efficient operation of the plant, depending on transport tariffs, 25,000 old car wrecks must be available within a radius of 25-30 km from the plant. In general, a plant requires a site of at least 20,000 m2. The supply of an industrial dismantling line includes training of operating personnel at the customer’s site and in Western Europe, training in plant management and training in organizing the collection of old cars and selling spare parts and materials.

Disposal of medical waste.

The proposed medical waste treatment technology sterilizes such types of medical waste as needles, lancets, medical containers, metal probes, glass, biological cultures, physiological substances, medications, syringes, filters, vials, diapers, catheters, laboratory waste, etc. Medical waste treatment technology crushes and sterilizes waste so that it turns into dry, homogeneous, odorless dust (pellets with a diameter of 1-2 mm). This residue is a completely inert product, does not contain microorganisms and does not have bactericidal properties. The remainder can be disposed of as normal municipal waste or used for landscaping. Medical waste processing technology is a closed process. Standard equipment operates in semi-automatic mode; the operator’s functions include loading the installation using a lift and starting the process. Once the process has started, all operations are carried out automatically and controlled by the programmable module, while messages about the status of the process and signals about possible faults are displayed on the control panel. A fully automatic system can be supplied. Taking into account the specific weight of the material and processing time, the installation productivity is 100 kg/hour.

The proposed modern technologies make it possible to simultaneously solve the problem of waste disposal and create local energy sources. Thus, garbage will return to us not in the form of growing landfills and polluted water, but in the form of electricity through wires, heat in radiators, or vegetables and fruits grown in greenhouses.

Taken here: http://www.waste.ru/modules/section/item.php?itemid=61

Makeup

1 0 0

If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter.

Recycling of solid household waste: thermal and biothermal. We recycle waste and get... energy resources. Effective waste recycling methods Which method of solid waste disposal is the most environmentally friendly

Combustion with and without heat

Modern methods of thermal processing of solid waste

Methods for selling raw materials after processing

Competition in the sales market

Thermal processing: process, advantages and disadvantages

Modern methods of thermal processing of solid waste

Biothermal processing of solid waste: Aerobic fermentation

Editor's Choice