Assessment of key parameters in municipal solid waste management: a prerequisite for sustainability

Abstract

Municipal solid waste management was studied for 1 year in a representative urban area of Lahore city for environmental sustainability. The effects of financial status of the household and the seasonal variations on generation rate and compositions of municipal solid waste (MSW) were determined. MSW generation rate and the economic status of the households were positively correlated (p < 0.05). Seasonal variations observed were significant only for organics (p = 0.001), plastics (p = 0.008) and food waste fractions (p = 0.009) in MSW. Response surface regression model developed and analysed by Minitab-15® showed that the interaction of season and different economic zones of the town on the MSW generation rate was non-significant (p = 0.334). Elemental and heating value analyses of the mixed organic fractions in kitchen waste had carbon 47.93%, hydrogen 6.20%, nitrogen 2.24%, sulphur 0.23%, oxygen 39.01%, and C and N ratio 27.78. Findings concluded that food waste was 56% of total MSW with 71.03% moisture content and a modest heating value of 5566 J/g. Existing temporary storage capacity of MSW is 51% of the total MSW generated considering the weighted MSW generation rate of 0.57 kg/person/day calculated in this study. Composting could be a possible final disposal option due to high moisture and organic content and can be studied in future research. Development of a transfer station, introduction of home composting programmes and awareness towards proper segregation and reduction of waste at the household level is suggested to attain sustainability in the MSW management system.

Keywords:

• municipal solid waste
• generation rate
• correlation
• donkey cart collection system
• Lahore
• weighted average
• sustainability

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan, under Indigenous Fellowship #074-2410-Ps4-514. We thank the staff at Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) and Town Municipal Administration (TMA-ABT) for their support during sampling and physical survey of the area. We are also thankful to the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments to improve the earlier versions of manuscript and special thanks to the Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Jingzhu Zhao, and Associate Editor for their swift response.