Wang et al. [13] reported in a recent study that even in rural China the daily per
capita waste generation is in the range of 1.07 kg which is comparable to many
developed countries such as Japan, 1.08 kg; Czech Republic, 0.72 kg; Romania,
0.9 kg; and Bulgaria, 1.2 kg. Furthermore, not only in rural China, even the urban
regions of China are lacking waste management facilities and effective high-quality
measures for MSW management and disposal. Although the Chinese government
has developed quite a number of initiatives and laws on the prevention and control of
environmental pollution by solid wastes, studies revealed that kitchen waste in urban
solid waste makes up the highest proportion (at approximately 60%) of the waste
stream, but about 91.4% of the generated wastes in China goes to landfills [14].
Even in the European countries, it has been expressed by the European Commission that the EU’s economy is currently losing a significant amount of potential
secondary raw materials which are found in the waste streams. According to the
recent studies, only 43% of the generated municipal waste in the European Union is
being recycled, the rest of the generated municipal solid wastes 31% are being
landfilled, and 26% of the percentage is incinerated without energy recovery
[7]. The problem of MSW in Africa is not different from what has been discussed
in other continents of the world. In Nigeria, the most populous country in the African
continent, the per capita waste generation in the country is estimated at 0.65–0.95 kg
per day which is equivalent to an average of 42 million tonnes of wastes generated
annually. This is very alarming because it is more than half of 62 million tonnes of
waste generated in sub-Saharan Africa annually. Unfortunately, only 20–30% of the
42 million tonnes of wastes generated annually in Nigeria is collected although 52%
of wastes generated are organic wastes which can be used as sources of fuel
[15]. Globally, about 71% of MSW is ending up in landfills although it contains,
mostly, hazardous substances including some batteries, paints, mercury-containing
waste, pharmaceuticals, vehicle maintenance products and many other products.
This is so unfortunate and alarming because more than 53% of the landfilled wastes
consist of hardboard paper, yard waste, papers and food that are biodegradable by
the anaerobic bacteria for the generation important by-products that can be used in
diverse applications [16].
Based on the background study presented in this section, it is clear that with the
annual municipal solid waste increase in the globe of which biodegradables constituting reasonable percentage, research reconstitution across the globe is required to
speed up the development in the municipal solid waste management across all levels.
This will help immensely in saving the globe from the dangerous two-degree
scenario and tackling the GHG’s emissions related to improper waste management.
In this chapter, most of the different techniques and technologies involved in the
treatment of wastes are highlighted. This can be a key to efficient waste management
in many developed, developing and underdeveloped countries across the globe as a
way forward towards long-term visions in municipal solid waste management.
Supercritical Water Gasification (SCWG) Technology for Municipal Solid Waste. . .
181
capita waste generation is in the range of 1.07 kg which is comparable to many
developed countries such as Japan, 1.08 kg; Czech Republic, 0.72 kg; Romania,
0.9 kg; and Bulgaria, 1.2 kg. Furthermore, not only in rural China, even the urban
regions of China are lacking waste management facilities and effective high-quality
measures for MSW management and disposal. Although the Chinese government
has developed quite a number of initiatives and laws on the prevention and control of
environmental pollution by solid wastes, studies revealed that kitchen waste in urban
solid waste makes up the highest proportion (at approximately 60%) of the waste
stream, but about 91.4% of the generated wastes in China goes to landfills [14].
Even in the European countries, it has been expressed by the European Commission that the EU’s economy is currently losing a significant amount of potential
secondary raw materials which are found in the waste streams. According to the
recent studies, only 43% of the generated municipal waste in the European Union is
being recycled, the rest of the generated municipal solid wastes 31% are being
landfilled, and 26% of the percentage is incinerated without energy recovery
[7]. The problem of MSW in Africa is not different from what has been discussed
in other continents of the world. In Nigeria, the most populous country in the African
continent, the per capita waste generation in the country is estimated at 0.65–0.95 kg
per day which is equivalent to an average of 42 million tonnes of wastes generated
annually. This is very alarming because it is more than half of 62 million tonnes of
waste generated in sub-Saharan Africa annually. Unfortunately, only 20–30% of the
42 million tonnes of wastes generated annually in Nigeria is collected although 52%
of wastes generated are organic wastes which can be used as sources of fuel
[15]. Globally, about 71% of MSW is ending up in landfills although it contains,
mostly, hazardous substances including some batteries, paints, mercury-containing
waste, pharmaceuticals, vehicle maintenance products and many other products.
This is so unfortunate and alarming because more than 53% of the landfilled wastes
consist of hardboard paper, yard waste, papers and food that are biodegradable by
the anaerobic bacteria for the generation important by-products that can be used in
diverse applications [16].
Based on the background study presented in this section, it is clear that with the
annual municipal solid waste increase in the globe of which biodegradables constituting reasonable percentage, research reconstitution across the globe is required to
speed up the development in the municipal solid waste management across all levels.
This will help immensely in saving the globe from the dangerous two-degree
scenario and tackling the GHG’s emissions related to improper waste management.
In this chapter, most of the different techniques and technologies involved in the
treatment of wastes are highlighted. This can be a key to efficient waste management
in many developed, developing and underdeveloped countries across the globe as a
way forward towards long-term visions in municipal solid waste management.
Supercritical Water Gasification (SCWG) Technology for Municipal Solid Waste. . .
181