Non-conventional biostabilisation technology of municipal solid waste

The aim of this work is to evaluate the effects of a natural enzymatic cocktail (PAV) on the biological stabilization processes of municipal solid waste (MSW) measuring the dynamic respiration index (DRI) and the biochemical methane potential (BMP). In a Southern Italian plant waste was treated mechanically and placed into three different piles: static non-treated, static treated with PAV, aerated, turned and treated with PAV. After sampling, respirometric analyses were carried out in laboratory. Experimental tests show that the treated piles led to significantly better results than the untreated one. This is reflected into better values of heap temperatures and DRI, concluding that an aerobic stability is achieved at the end of the experimental campaign. In particular, the PAV action appears to be more effective under static conditions, as periodic turnings bring about a physical scattering within the pile which in turn prevents temperature homogenisation. Conversely, the data interpretation of BMP is more debatable: the anaerobic test clearly ascertained a neat BMP diminution only for the heap which underwent periodic turnings, not allowing to attribute this anaerobic stability clearly to the effect of PAV. This study showed that the PAV use is promising for both an effective and economic waste management in landfill or mechanical and biological treatment plants.