Municipal Solid Waste Municipal Solid Waste

3.3Municipal Solid Waste Municipal Solid Waste

In Iceland much of the MSW is sorted and exported in large quantities abroad. Recyclable In Iceland much of the MSW is sorted and exported in large quantities abroad. Recyclable waste such as plastic bottles and aluminium cans are mostly shipped to the Netherlands and waste such as plastic bottles and aluminium cans are mostly shipped to the Netherlands and to North America. Birgir Kristjánsson, manager of The environment department of the to North America. Birgir Kristjánsson, manager of The environment department of the Icelandic Container Company (ICC) claims that it is a fair estimate that waste from Icelandic Container Company (ICC) claims that it is a fair estimate that waste from households in Iceland is around 210-230 kg per inhabitant per year and that the total households in Iceland is around 210-230 kg per inhabitant per year and that the total amount of MSW including waste from commercial, industrial and institutional sources amount of MSW including waste from commercial, industrial and institutional sources amounts to 1000 kg per inhabitant per year. According

amounts to 1000 kg per inhabitant per year. According The Environment and Food AgencyThe Environment and Food Agency of Iceland (UST)

of Iceland (UST) 2005 the total amount of MSW that was land filled in the year 2002 was2005 the total amount of MSW that was land filled in the year 2002 was 150.000 tons or 525 kg/capita(Kamsma & Meyles, 2005). The population of Iceland has 150.000 tons or 525 kg/capita(Kamsma & Meyles, 2005). The population of Iceland has since 2002 surpassed 300.000 and it is therefore fair to say that the amount landfill today is since 2002 surpassed 300.000 and it is therefore fair to say that the amount landfill today is close to 160.000 tons. The price of MSW is as of today subsidized with

close to 160.000 tons. The price of MSW is as of today subsidized with   € 110 per ton  € 110 per ton..

Companies are being paid for the removal and disposal of waste. Therefore one can Companies are being paid for the removal and disposal of waste. Therefore one can assume that the price of MSW used as feedstock for gasification lies in the cost of the assume that the price of MSW used as feedstock for gasification lies in the cost of the pre-treatment and the sorting of the waste into different feedstock e.g. papers, plastics, metals, treatment and the sorting of the waste into different feedstock e.g. papers, plastics, metals, glass and so on. According to The Environment Agency of Iceland there are today 45 glass and so on. According to The Environment Agency of Iceland there are today 45 places in all parts of Iceland that collect MSW and either incinerate or use landfills as a places in all parts of Iceland that collect MSW and either incinerate or use landfills as a way of disposing MSW as shown in Figure 14.

way of disposing MSW as shown in Figure 14.

Figure 14

Figure 14 ^–  – MSW treatment facilities in Iceland(Kamsma & Meyles, 2005)MSW treatment facilities in Iceland(Kamsma & Meyles, 2005)

The disposal of MSW is a global waste problem. Landfills pose a threat to the nature and The disposal of MSW is a global waste problem. Landfills pose a threat to the nature and the inhabitants of the surrounding areas with groundwater contamination and methane gas the inhabitants of the surrounding areas with groundwater contamination and methane gas pollution. Around the world millions of tons of MSW are being landfilled per year pollution. Around the world millions of tons of MSW are being landfilled per year providing communal long-term problems. Instead of landfilling the production of heat providing communal long-term problems. Instead of landfilling the production of heat from MSW could provide electricity through steam turbines or directly as house heating. A from MSW could provide electricity through steam turbines or directly as house heating. A rough assumption can be made that 6 tons of MSW equals 4 MW·h (Halldórsdóttir, 2006) rough assumption can be made that 6 tons of MSW equals 4 MW·h (Halldórsdóttir, 2006) of electricity made from a conventional MSW incineration this means that if we would of electricity made from a conventional MSW incineration this means that if we would only take what is used for land fill in Iceland 160/6= 26.7 x 4 = 106.8 MW·h of electricity only take what is used for land fill in Iceland 160/6= 26.7 x 4 = 106.8 MW·h of electricity could be saved. This has partly been done in the Westman Islands and in the region of  could be saved. This has partly been done in the Westman Islands and in the region of  Húsavík in the North East part of Iceland. MSW is not the only waste that can be used as Húsavík in the North East part of Iceland. MSW is not the only waste that can be used as fuel, other examples of waste feedstock that can also be used to fuel the process are shown fuel, other examples of waste feedstock that can also be used to fuel the process are shown in Table 10. This variety of waste can be used as carbon feedstock in gasification and thus in Table 10. This variety of waste can be used as carbon feedstock in gasification and thus help solving existing environmental problems by producing valuable energy resources and help solving existing environmental problems by producing valuable energy resources and providing a cost efficient way of waste disposal. The pre-treatment of waste will result in a providing a cost efficient way of waste disposal. The pre-treatment of waste will result in a homogeneous carbon based feedstock that can be further processed into raw

homogeneous carbon based feedstock that can be further processed into raw gas.gas.

Table 10

Table 10 ^–  – Potential waste feedstockPotential waste feedstock

Using waste as feedstock does not only provide the community with a local solution for Using waste as feedstock does not only provide the community with a local solution for waste management, it is also an alternative step towards the fulfilment of EU directive waste management, it is also an alternative step towards the fulfilment of EU directive 1999/31/EC which Iceland is compelled to enforce. The directive focuses on the negative 1999/31/EC which Iceland is compelled to enforce. The directive focuses on the negative impact of landfill of waste and formulates

impact of landfill of waste and formulates a standard procedure for the mitigation of effecta standard procedure for the mitigation of effectss on the environment. In the directive it states that all landfill must be categorized in three on the environment. In the directive it states that all landfill must be categorized in three groups of chemically inactive, non-hazardous and hazardous waste. The directive also groups of chemically inactive, non-hazardous and hazardous waste. The directive also states that all waste shall be treated before landfill. The directive gives the opportunity to states that all waste shall be treated before landfill. The directive gives the opportunity to further categorize and process MSW e.g. with gasification. (The council of the European further categorize and process MSW e.g. with gasification. (The council of the European

SORPA has over the years kept yearly record of the composition of mixed household SORPA has over the years kept yearly record of the composition of mixed household waste Figure 15 shows the composition of the household waste over a 4 year period from waste Figure 15 shows the composition of the household waste over a 4 year period from 1999-2003, it shows that over half of the waste from Icelandic households is either garden, 1999-2003, it shows that over half of the waste from Icelandic households is either garden, food, wood, paper or cardboard. This can easily be used as a feedstock without substantial food, wood, paper or cardboard. This can easily be used as a feedstock without substantial sorting to produce a quality raw gas.

sorting to produce a quality raw gas.

Figure 15 - Icelandic mixed household waste composition from 1999-2003(Kamsma & Meyles, 2005) Figure 15 - Icelandic mixed household waste composition from 1999-2003(Kamsma & Meyles, 2005)

The raw gas that is created in the gasifier from MSW can be burned without further The raw gas that is created in the gasifier from MSW can be burned without further processing. However the amounts of contaminants are high and therefore the producer gas processing. However the amounts of contaminants are high and therefore the producer gas would need to be cleaned before burning. Since these contaminants already need to be would need to be cleaned before burning. Since these contaminants already need to be cleaned it is assumed that it would add more value to the process if the raw gas would be cleaned it is assumed that it would add more value to the process if the raw gas would be converted to FT liquids or diesel. The use of MSW as fuel for gasification is well known converted to FT liquids or diesel. The use of MSW as fuel for gasification is well known and a matured technology. The amount that can be gasified ranges from 2 tons per day up and a matured technology. The amount that can be gasified ranges from 2 tons per day up to over 2500 tons and is therefore well adjustable to the size of the feedstock available in to over 2500 tons and is therefore well adjustable to the size of the feedstock available in Iceland. Icelandic municipalities use a considerable amount of their tax income in paying Iceland. Icelandic municipalities use a considerable amount of their tax income in paying for the disposal of waste through private or public companies. These companies then sort for the disposal of waste through private or public companies. These companies then sort and dispose the MSW with the use of landfill or incineration as previously shown in figure and dispose the MSW with the use of landfill or incineration as previously shown in figure 14. The cost estimate for MSW used in the financial model is therefore based on the 14. The cost estimate for MSW used in the financial model is therefore based on the assumption that waste is an expense for municipalities. Estimates were plugged into a three assumption that waste is an expense for municipalities. Estimates were plugged into a three point estimate where the most likely value was zero - 0

point estimate where the most likely value was zero - 0 €/ton the most optimistic was €/ton the most optimistic was 7.857.85

 €/ton and the pessimistic value was

 €/ton and the pessimistic value was 1.961.96 €/to €/ton this resulted in a price per ton estimate of n this resulted in a price per ton estimate of 

1.71

1.71 €/ton €/ton of MSW that was used in the financial model as shown inof MSW that was used in the financial model as shown in Table 11 - MSW costTable 11 - MSW cost estimate.

estimate. The gas composition of MSW in this case is as shown in Table 12 - MSW gasThe gas composition of MSW in this case is as shown in Table 12 - MSW gas composition and mol weight.

composition and mol weight.

Table 11 - MSW cost estimate.

Table 11 - MSW cost estimate.

Table 12 - MSW gas composition and mol weight.

Table 12 - MSW gas composition and mol weight.