Thermal Properties of Indian Municipal Solid Waste Over the Past, Present and Future Years and Its Effect on Thermal Waste to Energy Facilities

Management of municipal solid waste (MSW) has been a grave issue all over the world. The conventional environment friendly techniques adopted to tackle the matter is turning futile owing to the appalling increase in the waste generation rate. The resultant environmental and health hazards emphasise the need for a more rapid solution. An apt and quick response to India’s mounting waste management and energy demand crisesis the promotion and execution of waste to energy technologies. Although the MSW composition and characteristics in the past have been unfavourable for the successful implementation of waste to energy thermal facilities, there have been variations in the waste characteristics of late, in this regard. Inert fraction which constituted almost 50% of the Indian MSW in the 1970s reduced by 30-40%by the early 2000s, making energy recovery facilities an economically and environmentally feasible option. The varying trends in MSW characteristics in India are analysed and its implications on the thermal energy recovery techniques are investigate