Alternative Methods for the Analysis of Municipal Solid Waste

Abstract

The classical approach of direct analysis of municipal solid waste (MSW) is compared with the determination of MSW composition by the analysis of the products of waste treatment and by the analysis of material balances of market products. The applications and the properties of the three methods are discussed and it is concluded that (1) the particular question of waste management determines the selection of the appropriate method of analysis; and (2) the direct waste analysis is useful to determine the contents of some materials in MSW, the waste product analysis is well suited to analyse elemental concentration in MSW, and the market product analysis is the most inexpensive and efficient method to give material and elemental concentrations of MSW if production figures are available.

Keywords

Municipal solid waste waste composition waste analysis waste product analysis market product analysis heavy metals glass paper chlorine mercury.

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