Seasonality of Municipal Waste Generation and Composition and Corresponding Fluctuations of Various Environmental Indicators for Waste Management and Treatment Facilities

The composition of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a result of regional and cultural aspects as well as social behavior, and it is strongly influenced by economic factors. In Eastern Europe there is currently a lack of well developed separate collection systems, and in contrast to the situation in Switzerland, we therefore expect strong seasonal changes in MSW composition. The changes in composition may strongly influence the quality of the wastes, what affects emissions from landfills, but also in case of incineration, the quality of incineration residues. Today, little is known about the waste composition and flows in Eastern Europe. Seasonal changes have not been studied, yet. Moreover, no methods exists to tackle this problem. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a methodology for the assessment of MSW management systems and waste composition with respect to seasonal influences and changes. Further, the installation and implementation of waste collection systems will take time, and in urban areas it can be expected that incineration will become more popular. This project has two major scientific objectives. Firstly, the waste composition as function of economic, social and seasonal changes will be investigated, and secondly, future material and contaminant flows (e.g. heavy metals), considering different scenarios will be predicted and assessed. Possible scenarios would be a) continuation of landfilling, b) replacing landfilling by mechanical-biological treatment and/or incineration, and c) combined treatment with an improved separate collection system, similar to the situation in Switzerland. In a first step waste compositions in the different partner countries will be determined. In a second step seasonal sampling of wastes will be performed using a methode which is currently tested in Lithuania and will be applied for the situation of the partners in Ukraine, Georgia, and Russia. In a last step the influence of seasonal changes and waste composition on the quality of incineration residues will be investigated at Paul Scherrer Institute. Here analytical methods will be used which allow to characterize the thermal behavior of trace elements during pyrolysis, gasification, and incineration. These methods have been invented during the Integrated Project Waste of the Priority Programme Environment of SNF (1996-1999). In the last years these methods have been further developed in projects supported by SNF, other foundations, and the industry. The objectives and tasks of the project have been adapted to make valuable contributions to educate students of a future waste management generation in Eastern Europe, to obtain scientific knowledge necessary to understand waste generation and composition in different regions of Eastern Europe, to gain basic information which is needed to avoid future emissions to the environment resulting from current waste treatment practice in Eastern Europe, to generate a flow of information between Switzerland and the partners in Eastern Europe, and between partners of A and B countries. Where possible sampling will take place in collaboration with professionals from waste treatment facilities and authorities. This project will contribute to a better understanding of natural, social and economic factors influencing the quality and quantity of MSW in Eastern Europe.