Water Intelligence Online ©IWA Publishing 2002
Anaerobic Digestion of the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste: a Perspective
J. Mata-Alvarez
[University of Barcelona, Marti i Franques No 1 pta.6, 8028 Barcelona, Spain]
ABSTRACT
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), with a daily production in Europe of about 400,000 tons, represents one of the most important solid organic wastes generated by our society. Currently, in most western countries, separate collection of MSW has increased significantly. Biological treatments are the clearest alternative for the putrescent fraction coming from this separate collection. These treatment technologies can maximise recycling and recovery of waste components. Among biological treatments, anaerobic digestion (AD) is frequently the most cost-effective, owing to the high energy recovery linked to the process and its limited environmental impact, especially considering its limited greenhouse gases effect. Anaerobic digestion of solid organic wastes is today an established technology. However, its development is relatively recent. In this chapter, we review the research on this process, from its origins in the laboratory to its present situation with more than 1,500,000 tons/y of installed capacity in industrial digesters.
Full article (PDF Format)
UNIQUE ID: 200208004
[Taken from the book 'Biomethanization of the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Wastes' ©2002 IWA Publishing ISBN: 1900222140]
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