Characterisation of excavated fine fraction and waste composition from a Swedish landfill

Abstract

The present research studies the characterisation and the physico-chemical properties of an excavated fine fraction (<10 mm) from a Swedish landfill, the Högbytorp. The results showed that the fine fraction represents 38% by mass of the total excavated wastes and it contains mainly soil-type materials and minerals. Higher concentrations of zinc, copper, barium and chromium were found with concentrations higher than the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for contaminated soil. The found moisture and organic contents of the fine fraction were 23.5% and 16.6%, respectively. The analysed calorific value (1.7 MJ kg), the potential of CH (4.74 m t dry matter) and Total Organic Carbon (TOC) (5.6%) were low and offer low potential of energy. Sieving the fine fraction further showed that 80% was smaller than 2 mm. The fine represents a major fraction at any landfill (40%-70%), therefore, characterising the properties of this fraction is essential to find the potential of reusing/recycling or safely redisposing.

Composition of Waste at an Early EU-Landfill of Torma in Estonia

“…The results showed that the rejected fraction was the highest with 65% of the total excavated wastes which represents large proportion of biodegradable waste and mineral waste as landfilled. This result was higher than described in previous studies conducted by Jani et al [3] with 27.3% and Hull et al [12] with 17.7% but it was in corresponding with results from studies of Siddiqui et al [14] with 58% and Quaghebeur et al [13] with 70%. However, the plastic and textile was the dominating fraction with 25% in the sorted masses, which can be considered as a source of recovering energy by incineration.…”

“…As an example, about 50% of the extracted iron and copper along the industrial history are unusable due to landfilling [2]. Therefore, the landfill mining approach is of great importance to achieve a better sustainability of raw materials by returning these lost materials back to the circular economy [3].…”

“…Recently Jani et al [3] characterized excavated wastes from the Högbytorp landfill in Sweden. The results showed that the fine fraction (<10 mm) represents 38% while the organic and the moisture contents were 16.6% and 23.5% respectively.…”

“…Different parameters play vital role in the appraisement of the waste materials inside each landfill like the geographical place of the landfill, the composition of the buried materials, the age of the landfill, the climatic conditions and the standard of living. The same parameters are important to decide which method will be used to recycle or recover these wastes as waste to energy or waste to material [3,8,10].…”

“…Consequently, the reason for mining landfills might be also to stimulate the remediation of these sites and reducing management cost [7]. In addition, mining landfills can generate spaces in the existing filled landfills to extend the life time especially in cities with dense population where no spaces are found for new landfills, which means an additional economic benefit of new business concept for waste management companies [3].…”