A Mini Review of Technological Options for Disposal of Municipal Solid Waste in India

Background: It has been seen that 90% of municipal solid waste is disposed off in open dumps and landfill sites, causing problems for the environment, and public health in developing countries. Many technological options can convert waste into various forms of energy. Heat and electricity can be generated and utilized for specific thermodynamic conversion processes and different types of biofuel can also be extracted from the organic municipal solid waste. Objective: This study evaluates the different treatment options available to convert waste into energy, and also concludes its environmental aspect with suggestions, which may be beneficial for encouraging the researchers to work for further improvement in this aspect. Methods: For each technological area, results from the literature review and the different expert opinions were considered to provide an analysis of the treatment technology, identify the internal and external environmental threats and important gaps in treatment technologies for MSW in India. Results: It has been observed from various studies that the pyrolysis/gasification is the suitable option for the treatment of different compositions of solid waste with high energy recovery in India, while bio-methanation is suitable for a decentralized system with a high energy value, and a minimum level of pollution & health hazards. Conclusion: The study and observations show that there are multiple technological options for the treatment of municipal solid waste. Research and development in the MSW sector is not a priority in India, therefore, it has been recognized that expert research advice is required while selecting technology as well as for deciding the tools and techniques to handle this issue.