Evaluation of waste-to-energy potential of domestic solid wastes in Benin Metropolis, Nigeria

The solid waste crisis in the fast urbanizing Benin metropolis is the result of inability of the local government authorities to effectively handle the huge amount of waste generated daily. A large percentage of the solid waste in the metropolis ends up on illegal waste dumpsites. The aim of this paper was to investigate the waste-to-energy potentials of domestic solid wastes in Benin metropolis, Nigeria using a three-phase study plan - study of current waste management activities, characterization of domestic solid waste and determination of the waste-to-energy potentials of domestic solid waste. The results obtained reveal that about 13.18% of combustible solid waste is generated in Benin metropolis with average calorific value (CV) of 20,198.89 kJ/kg producing an energy value of 36.95 MW/day.Key Words: Characterisation, Waste-to-Energy Potentials, Domestic Solid Waste, Benin Metropolis