Environmental appraisal for refuse derived fuel (from MSW generated in Mumbai) utilisation as co-fuel in energy recovery processes: a preliminary assessment

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management is a major concern in developing countries. Generally, MSW from these countries has higher moisture content and lower heating value compared to the developed countries. Landfilling is a dominant disposal method for MSW in India which needs to be avoided due to increasing land scarcity. As an alternative, the energy recovery from the segregated MSW combustible fraction along with the biological treatment of food and yard wastes can be a potential proposition. Energy recovery from waste can not only facilitate in meeting the energy requirements but also reduce the net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and divert the waste from landfills. In this paper, an effort was made to estimate the refuse derived fuel (RDF) quantities and characteristics from MSW generated in Mumbai after sorting. In the preliminary calculations, the impacts on the environment and fuel cost savings from co-combustion of RDF in energy intensive industries were estimated.